San Francisco/Compare
Castro vs Western Addition
Castro and Western Addition are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. Western Addition is the calmer Part I map (32 vs 21). Castro wins the errand count. Western Addition has the lower ACS median ($2,077).
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 | Western Addition |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 21 | 32 |
| Schools | 53 | 33 |
| Walk | 20 | 15 |
| Cost fit | 90 | 100 |
| Vibe | 14 | 18 |
| Median rent | $2,763 | $2,077 |
| Median home | $1,662,097 | $1,013,697 |
| Population | 21,944 | 22,288 |
| Commute to FiDi | 28 min | 21 min |
| Commute to SoMa | 22 min | 23 min |
| Commute to Mission Bay | 21 min | 29 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Castro | Western Addition |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 56% | 78% |
| Median age | 43.4 | 43.4 |
| Median income | $213K | $105K |
| Part I per 1k | 40.6 | 37.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 15 | 20 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 135 | 97 |
| Parks / 800m | 43 | 48 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,080 | 685 |
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. W Add is 16% below 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 school rating nearby is the point and you want the cafes and the night. Schools score 53 vs 33. Vibe is 14 vs 18. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Western Addition if the rent gap is the point and the quieter map matters more than the scene. ACS median rent is $2,077 vs $2,763. Safety is 32 vs 21. 21 vs 28 minutes to FiDi. 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
Western Addition
Alamo Square, the Fillmore, and Japantown sit inside this analysis neighborhood. Painted ladies are the postcard; the grid is the product.
$2,077 median rent · safety 32 · walk 15
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Castro or Western Addition?
Western Addition is the lower ACS median: $2,763 vs $2,077. About 78% rent in Western Addition vs 56% in Castro. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Castro more walkable than Western Addition?
Castro wins the errand count (walk 20 vs 15). Groceries inside 800 meters: 15 vs 20. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Castro or Western Addition?
Western Addition is the calmer Part I read (32 vs 21). Combined rate 37.1 vs 40.6 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Castro or Western Addition?
Castro leads the school axis (53 vs 33). Nearby rating is 7.4 / 10 vs 6.8 / 10. Median age 43.4 vs 43.4. Western Addition has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to FiDi?
28 minutes from Castro to FiDi, 21 from Western Addition. Western Addition is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official analysis neighborhood that is not Castro or Western Addition: 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.