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The place to dwell in San Francisco (east)

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From North Beach to the Mission District, this is the city’s exhilirating urban heart

By Leilani Marie Labong  | April 14, 2021 10:00 AM

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Why do people move to San Francisco? Is it for the singular landscape, all dramatic hills and breathtaking coastline, the perfect topography for fog to cling to or completely engulf? Is it for the chance to live in proximity to that world-famous bridge, a monumental feat of engineering in International Orange, a gateway for people and ideas from all over the world? Perhaps it’s the city’s history as the birthplace of counterculture — after all, progressive views in politics, the arts and technology are constantly percolating here, brewing entire movements and new industries.

Whatever the reason, San Francisco transplants join the city’s great migratory tradition and boomtown reputation. Back in the days of the Gold Rush, throngs of prospectors converged on the area, gaze trained upon the glint of them thar hills, while these days fortune seekers arriving within S.F.’s 47 square miles have another promising frontier in their sights — technology. In fact, more than half of California’s tech jobs are located in the Bay Area, and San Francisco’s biggest employer is the marketing software company Salesforce. Pre-COVID, nearly 10,000 employees were headquartered in its 61-story East Cut skyscraper. Genentech, Wells Fargo Bank, Sutter Health and Kaiser Permanente also employ large swaths of San Francisco’s workforce.

But art was here long before tech. The list of literary icons and visual artists that have called the city home is legendarily lengthy, including late poet Maya Angelou, author Dave Eggers, sculptor Richard Serra, painter Wayne Thiebaud and the late Ruth Asawa, known for her ethereal, net-like works in wire. There are 44 museums and other cultural institutions here, some of the most prominent set in the bucolic 1,000-acre environs of Golden Gate Park. The culinary scene is equally vibrant, home to sourdough pioneers, legendary seafood counters and upstart taco spots serving quesabirria to legions of clamoring fans.

Source: American Community Survey Census Data.

The bureaucracy of the public schools, overseen by the San Francisco Unified School District, can be difficult to maneuver, with plenty of competition for spots at Lowell High or Ruth Asawa School of the Arts. The city public transportation system of buses and light rails is run by Muni, which has been temporarily hobbled by the pandemic, but is expected to resume full service soon. (Routes noted below reflect pre-pandemic service.) The BART rapid transit system spans the Bay Area, including eight stops within San Francisco.

Due to its geographical size and building restrictions, housing inventory in S.F. is limited. While more high-end residential towers and mid-rise developments are popping up amid the rich architectural landscape, the tech boom has also brought an epidemic of evictions — longtime tenants, many low-income, forced from rent-controlled apartments. In spite of a pandemic-related exodus, approximately 49% of homes in San Francisco sell for above the asking price, and even with a 26.7% drop in rents over the course of 2020, a one-bedroom apartment still commands over $2,650 per month, and prices are climbing again.

San Francisco has 36 neighborhoods from which to choose, each with its own distinctive character. We’ve profiled 14 across the city — from eastern enclaves that are generally more urban and buzzy to the western districts that tend to be sleepier, foggier and more family-oriented.


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Food lover’s hub

Retail haven

Waterfront

Arts and culture

Commuter’s dream

Vibrant nightlife

Small-town feel

Parks

Low-cost living

Russian Hill

Heritage homes and San Francisco landmarks straight out of literature

data dive

Key Facts Russian Hill California
Population 13,012 39,512,223
Median household income $147,876 $75,235
Median home value $1,374,525 $505,000
Median rent $2,363 $1,503
Avg. commute (mins.) 33.3 29.8

Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas

the neighborhood

Named for a Gold Rush-era graveyard of Russian sailors located atop the hill, this neighborhood boasts many of S.F.’s claims to fame, from Lombard Street’s crookedest section to the setting of Armistead Maupin’s “Tales of the City.”

A mix of heritage homes — mostly Queen Annes and Edwardians — is offset by modern apartment buildings that take advantage of altitude for spectacular views. Take the 19-Polk bus up and down the slope or give your fitness tracker something to be proud of by traversing the numerous sidewalk and garden staircases installed in the neighborhood, like the cement risers at Ina Coolbrith Park or the more rickety wooden ones between Taylor Street and Macondray Lane, the inspiration for the fictional Barbary Lane in the aforementioned novel.

Polk Street is the neighborhood’s commercial thoroughfare, with secondhand Yves Saint Laurent at Cris, Saint Frank’s third-wave coffee, international periodicals at Smoke Signals, plus noteworthy restaurants serving everything from Korean hot wings (Hot Sauce and Panko) to silky cacio e pepe (Fiorella) to Sticky Chewy Chocolate by the cone at vintage scooperie Swensen’s Ice Cream.

the schools

School District Enrollment Graduation Rate
san francisco unified 52,811 88.6

Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.

North Beach

Walk in the footsteps of the Beats in San Francisco’s historic Italian quarter

data dive

Key Facts North Beach California
Population 14,633 39,512,223
Median household income $97,637 $75,235
Median home value $1,310,292 $505,000
Median rent $1,855 $1,503
Avg. commute (mins.) 28.4 29.8

Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas

the neighborhood

Perhaps more than any other neighborhood, this Italian enclave is full of legend: Caffe Trieste was a meeting ground for the finger-snapping Beats where Francis Ford Coppola would later write at least some of “The Godfather” screenplay, and the late poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti left a great legacy in City Lights Booksellers, opened on Columbus Avenue in 1953.

While the neighborhood is a regular destination for those on literary or culinary pilgrimages, moving into this lively district often means hoping that a longtime tenant is vacating their rent-controlled apartment in a worse-for-wear walkup. According to WalkScore, North Beach ranks among San Francisco’s most walkable neighborhoods, where the Transamerica Pyramid and Coit Tower rise overhead, doormen hand out fliers in front of the Broadway strip clubs, Molinari Delicatessen serves stacked prosciutto sandwiches and the bells from Saints Peter and Paul Church ring out over Washington Square Park. Sip an espresso at Vesuvio Cafe because Jack Kerouac did it, and if you find yourself at a sidewalk table draped in that quintessential garb of red-sauce joints, the checkered tablecloth, order the cioppino, S.F.’s take on Italian seafood soup.

the schools

School District Enrollment Graduation Rate
san francisco unified 52,811 88.6

Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.

SoMa

Burgeoning SoMa has tech roots and a rich arts scene

data dive

Key Facts SoMa California
Population 24,058 39,512,223
Median household income $79,141 $75,235
Median home value $842,597 $505,000
Median rent $1,320 $1,503
Avg. commute (mins.) 27.6 29.8

Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas

the neighborhood

Map of the the Bay Area and its town boundaries, highlighting SoMa

SoMa, the district from Second Street to Division south of Market Street, is San Francisco’s most urban hood. While the epicenter of tech has shifted a few blocks east, SoMa’s tech heritage is nevertheless legit: Twitter got its start in a warehouse here, and Wired Magazine’s headquarters also call this neighborhood home.

The LGBTQ community has a strong presence too — the annual Folsom Street Fair is in its 37th year of celebrating leather and BDSM subcultures, and one of the city’s few remaining drag clubs, Oasis, features cabaret performances by local favorites like Patty from HR and Lindsay Slowhands.

Single-room occupancy buildings coexist with new mid-rise housing, built to accommodate the migration of tech workers. South Bay commuters land in SoMa at the Caltrain Terminal, and the 12-Folsom and 14-Mission are the major bus lines serving the neighborhood. (When the Central Subway opens in 2022, it will run along Fourth Street). For a fine art fix, small galleries abound, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, located across from Yerba Buena Center’s rolling green, tripled its exhibition space in 2016.

the schools

School District Enrollment Graduation Rate
san francisco unified 52,811 88.6

Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.

Castro

Activism meets entertainment in San Francisco’s thriving gayborhood

data dive

Key Facts Castro California
Population 11,785 39,512,223
Median household income $151,727 $75,235
Median home value $1,433,351 $505,000
Median rent $2,055 $1,503
Avg. commute (mins.) 34.0 29.8

Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas

the neighborhood

As the historic gay quarter, the Castro suffered immeasurable losses during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and ’90s, but has nevertheless emerged as a vibrant community and safe haven for the LGBTQ population.

The nightlife is legendary, anchored by mainstays like Twin Peaks Tavern (the first gay bar in the country with street-facing windows) and Q Bar. The district’s sense of freedom — it’s normal for people to wander Castro Street in various states of undress, for example — is an expression of its activism, embodied by the neighborhood’s most famous resident, the late Harvey Milk.

From refurbished Victorians to modernist new builds, living in the Castro can be pricey, but the charms are plentiful: There are four rainbow crosswalks in the neighborhood, two sculptural concrete slides at the Seward mini park and one grand movie house in the Castro Theatre, with its rare sgraffito murals, mighty Wurlitzer organ and sing-along screenings. The F-Market line’s vintage street cars run from downtown to Castro Street, while the K, L, M and J light rails all pass through the neighborhood, and the 24-Divisadero bus makes stops along the main drag.

the schools

School District Enrollment Graduation Rate
san francisco unified 52,811 88.6

Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.

Mission

The historic Latinx neighborhood is home to thrilling dining, nightlife and culture

data dive

Key Facts Mission California
Population 58,770 39,512,223
Median household income $122,709 $75,235
Median home value $1,107,025 $505,000
Median rent $1,809 $1,503
Avg. commute (mins.) 31.9 29.8

Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas

the neighborhood

San Francisco’s gentrification tug-of-war is perhaps most evident in the Mission District, the city’s world-famous Latinx cultural neighborhood. The competition for a limited inventory of existing Edwardian flats, Victorian remodels and above-shop walk-ups is fierce, and an epidemic of evictions has ousted many longtime residents. Still, more than 40 new housing developments are in the works, even as the city has floated rezoning to prevent offices from taking up valuable residential and retail space.

Valencia Street is a popular destination for high-brow artisan confections, plus a pirate supply store, a community thrift shop and concerts at the Chapel, while Mission and 24th streets are packed with revered heritage businesses, from burrito oasis La Taqueria to La Palma Mexicatessen.

The neighborhood’s grassroots arts scene burns bright, thanks to nonprofits like Creativity Explored, Southern Exposure and Precita Eyes Muralists, with high-vibration murals covering the walls of Clarion and Balmy alleys. Dolores Park is arguably the 16-acre heart of this half of San Francisco, where all walks of life converge on the lawn for long-range views of city skyscrapers and to soak up a month’s worth of vitamin D in one day. (The Mission claims the sunniest microclimate in the city.) You can arrive here by BART (stations are located on Mission Street at 16th and 24th) or bus (the district is serviced by the 14-Mission and 49-Van Ness, among others).

the schools

School District Enrollment Graduation Rate
san francisco unified 52,811 88.6

Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.

Noe Valley

The stroller-pusher stereotype rings true in this family-heavy hood

data dive

Key Facts Noe Valley California
Population 23,407 39,512,223
Median household income $181,048 $75,235
Median home value $1,555,380 $505,000
Median rent $2,425 $1,503
Avg. commute (mins.) 37.8 29.8

Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas

the neighborhood

This twee pocket down the hill from the Castro is a residential haven of mostly single-family heritage homes, from gingerbread Victorians to Edwardian row houses to the occasional craftsman. The quintessential Noe Valley dweller is said to be a yuppie stroller pusher — it’s a family place, evident by the sheer number of children climbing the elaborate jungle gym at the Upper Noe Valley Recreation Center.

The retail and restaurants, located mostly on 24th Street, are primarily charming indie businesses, like Vive La Tarte bakery or Wink gift shop, but there’s a sense that they exist solely to service the neighborhood. Two notable exceptions include Sardinian restaurant La Ciccia, which draws diners from all over the country for its spaghetti with bottarga, and Monastery, a beautiful skin studio with its own product line beloved by beauty editors far and wide. (Also of note: the neighborhood has its own Whole Foods.)

For nightlife and culture, Noe denizens usually venture, via the J-Church light rail or the 24th Street BART, into more festive districts, only to gratefully return to their sleepy hollow when the end of the revelry is nigh.

the schools

School District Enrollment Graduation Rate
san francisco unified 52,811 88.6

Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.

Bernal Heights

Small-town vibes and epic views in one of S.F.’s hottest housing markets

data dive

Key Facts Bernal Heights California
Population 20,385 39,512,223
Median household income $146,036 $75,235
Median home value $1,210,854 $505,000
Median rent $1,910 $1,503
Avg. commute (mins.) 32.8 29.8

Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas

the neighborhood

While some may think of this hilly neighborhood on the edge of the Mission as far-flung, it’s actually well situated for tech workers commuting to Silicon Valley via the 280 or 101 freeways. A small-town feel and charming homes — most valued between $1 million and $2 million — make the enclave doubly attractive for home buyers, prompting real estate site Redfin to name Bernal its “hottest neighborhood in America” in 2014.

Cortland Street is the main business corridor, and features well-respected haunts, including Holy Water, a bar from the team behind Tenderloin speakeasy Bourbon & Branch, and Black Jet Baking Co., famous for its homemade tarts and sandwich cookies. While Precita Park is a neighborhood green fit for a picnic, views of the city are best from Bernal Heights Park. This off-leash mecca for dog owners provides a 360-degree view of San Francisco and a soaring tree swing at the apex of a steep paved trail. When you’re ready to return to earth, the Esmerelda or Prentiss Street staircases offer picturesque descents.

the schools

School District Enrollment Graduation Rate
san francisco unified 52,811 88.6

Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.

Potrero Hill/ Dogpatch

A creative hot-spot with heritage homes and shiny new developments

data dive

Key Facts Potrero Hill/Dogpatch California
Population 15,161 39,512,223
Median household income $171,332 $75,235
Median home value $1,176,589 $505,000
Median rent $2,177 $1,503
Avg. commute (mins.) 34.3 29.8

Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas

the neighborhood

These eastern middle- to upper-class neighborhoods — smaller Dogpatch claims the waterfront, Potrero Hill is its inland sibling — are among the most well-rounded in the city, with a distinct youthfulness and creative undercurrent owing to a California College of the Arts campus, the Minnesota Street Project arts foundation, the Museum of Craft and Design and two popular indie music venues in the Bottom of the Hill and Thee Parkside.

The refurbished warehouses on Dogpatch’s Third Street industrial corridor, accessed by the T line light rail, feature some of the city’s most name-checked next-gen businesses, including Bryr Clogs, Yield Wine Bar and wood-fired bagelry Daily Driver. Potrero Hill meanwhile is home to pioneering ale maker Anchor Steam, which has been brewing craft beer since before Prohibition.

Heritage single-family homes may pre-date the 1906 earthquake, and modern live-work lofts and mid-rise apartments — currently, there are 11 new housing developments in the works and one promising 28-acre plan to redevelop Pier 70 into a bustling creative community — give these twin neighborhoods new energy. Interstates 280 and 101 are easily accessible from Potrero Hill.

the schools

School District Enrollment Graduation Rate
san francisco unified 52,811 88.6

Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.

Bayview/ Hunters Point

Arts and activism are at the heart of this historic Black neighborhood

data dive

Key Facts Bayview/Hunters Point California
Population 37,917 39,512,223
Median household income $65,317 $75,235
Median home value $743,265 $505,000
Median rent $1,367 $1,503
Avg. commute (mins.) 33.9 29.8

Source: American Community Survey data. Medians for neighborhoods and multi-city areas are weighted based on population of component areas

the neighborhood

This southeastern district has been a working-class Black neighborhood since the 1930s. More than 60% of the district’s single-family homes — well-built, Art Deco and mid-century gems — are owner-occupied, but some of those owners are young professionals, snapping up homes at reasonable prices often at the cost of supplanting the longtime population.

Artists also have a stronghold here. The Hunters Point Shipyard is the largest artist community in the country (and the site of a troubled toxic waste cleanup), and the Bayview Opera House is San Francisco’s oldest theater, a cultural anchor for more than 130 years, hosting everything from vaudeville acts to “La Boheme” performances.

Activism is part of the air in BVHP, and some of the highly progressive, resident-run programs include Project Wreckless, which puts at-risk youth to work on car restoration, and the famous Quesada Gardens Initiative, creating community through landscaping and public art since 2002. And while Muni’s T line light rail has been the district’s main mode of public transportation, it recently got a bus of its very own — the 15-Bayview-Hunters Point Express launched January 2021.

the schools

School District Enrollment Graduation Rate
san francisco unified 52,811 88.6

Source: California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education. Data from the 2019-2020 school year. High school districts only. Graduation rate represents the share of students graduating high school in four years.

Stories from San Francisco (East)

Credits

Editing

Sarah Feldberg • sarah.feldberg@sfchronicle.com  • @sarahfeldberg

Copy editing

Marty Cortinas • marty.cortinas@sfchronicle.com  • @mindworm

Visuals editing

Guy Wathen • gwathen@sfchronicle.com  • @guywathen

Nicole Fruge • nfruge@sfchronicle.com  • @photofruge

Design and development

Yoli Martinez • yoli.martinez@sfchronicle.com  • @yoli_martinez

Eric Blom • eric.blom@sfchronicle.com  • @ejblom

Hilary Fung • hilary.fung@sfchronicle.com  • @hil_fung

Danielle Mollette-Parks • dmollette-parks@sfchronicle.com  • @daniellemparks

Illustration by Getty Images

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