San Francisco/Compare
Castro vs Sunset / Parkside
Castro and Sunset / Parkside are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. Sunset / Parkside is the calmer Part I map (100 vs 21). Sunset / Parkside wins the errand count. Castro has the lower ACS median ($2,763).
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · SFPD Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · OSM Sep 2026 · updated Sep 2026
Scores
Fit axes among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods.
| Axis | Castro | Sunset / Parkside |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 21 | 100 |
| Schools | 53 | 60 |
| Walk | 20 | 66 |
| Cost fit | 90 | 89 |
| Vibe | 14 | 30 |
| Median rent | $2,763 | $2,803 |
| Median home | $1,662,097 | $1,464,661 |
| Population | 21,944 | 75,108 |
| Commute to FiDi | 28 min | 52 min |
| Commute to SoMa | 22 min | 49 min |
| Commute to Mission Bay | 21 min | 50 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Castro | Sunset / Parkside |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 56% | 35% |
| Median age | 43.4 | 45.4 |
| Median income | $213K | $149K |
| Part I per 1k | 40.6 | 9.2 |
| Groceries / 800m | 15 | 31 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 135 | 265 |
| Parks / 800m | 43 | 58 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,080 | 1,028 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for San Francisco city. Up 62% since 2014. Castro is 12% above the 2024 city median. Sunset is 13% above the 2024 city median.
Overlapping 5-year ACS windows (B25064), not asking rent. Census does not publish a rent series for each official neighborhood, so the line is the city place. Dashed marks are each area’s ACS 2024 median.
Which to pick
The same numbers as the table, in sentences. Nobody wins the city.
Pick Castro if the shorter ride to FiDi is the point and you want the cafes and the night. 28 vs 52 minutes to FiDi. Vibe is 14 vs 30. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Sunset / Parkside if the quieter map matters more than the scene and you want the errands on foot. Safety is 100 vs 21. Walk is 66 vs 20. Vibe is 30 vs 14. Read both pages before you decide.
Castro
The Castro is the search term; Castro/Upper Market is the official polygon. Hills, neon, and a Muni metro under Market.
$2,763 median rent · safety 21 · walk 20
Sunset / Parkside
Fog, taraval, and the largest analysis neighborhood in this set. Family streets, ocean at the end of the grid.
$2,803 median rent · safety 100 · walk 66
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Castro or Sunset / Parkside?
Castro is the lower ACS median: $2,763 vs $2,803. About 56% rent in Castro vs 35% in Sunset / Parkside. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Castro more walkable than Sunset / Parkside?
Sunset / Parkside wins the errand count (walk 20 vs 66). Groceries inside 800 meters: 15 vs 31. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Castro or Sunset / Parkside?
Sunset / Parkside is the calmer Part I read (100 vs 21). Combined rate 9.2 vs 40.6 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Castro or Sunset / Parkside?
Sunset / Parkside leads the school axis (60 vs 53). Nearby rating is 7.6 / 10 vs 7.4 / 10. Median age 45.4 vs 43.4. Castro has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to FiDi?
28 minutes from Castro to FiDi, 52 from Sunset / Parkside. Castro is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official analysis neighborhood that is not Castro or Sunset / Parkside: Haight-Ashbury. The Haight is the brand; the Panhandle is the commute. Still walkable, still loud on weekends, still next to the park.
Scores are relative among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.