San Francisco/Compare
FiDi / South Beach vs Sunset / Parkside
FiDi / South Beach and Sunset / Parkside are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. Sunset / Parkside is the calmer Part I map (100 vs 5). FiDi / South Beach wins the errand count. Sunset / Parkside has the lower ACS median ($2,803).
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 | FiDi / South Beach | Sunset / Parkside |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 5 | 100 |
| Schools | 13 | 60 |
| Walk | 100 | 66 |
| Cost fit | 79 | 89 |
| Vibe | 100 | 30 |
| Median rent | $3,160 | $2,803 |
| Median home | $1,409,680 | $1,464,661 |
| Population | 21,009 | 75,108 |
| Commute to FiDi | 6 min | 52 min |
| Commute to SoMa | 15 min | 49 min |
| Commute to Mission Bay | 24 min | 50 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | FiDi / South Beach | Sunset / Parkside |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 68% | 35% |
| Median age | 36.6 | 45.4 |
| Median income | $184K | $149K |
| Part I per 1k | 67.3 | 9.2 |
| Groceries / 800m | 18 | 31 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 267 | 265 |
| Parks / 800m | 121 | 58 |
| 311 last 14 days | 970 | 1,028 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for San Francisco city. Up 62% since 2014. FiDi is 28% 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 FiDi / South Beach if you want the cafes and the night and the shorter ride to FiDi is the point. Vibe is 100 vs 30. 6 vs 52 minutes to FiDi. Walk is 100 vs 66. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Sunset / Parkside if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the school rating nearby is the point. Safety is 100 vs 5. Schools score 60 vs 13. ACS median rent is $2,803 vs $3,160. Read both pages before you decide.
FiDi / South Beach
Towers, the Embarcadero, and a ballpark on the south edge. Official name is Financial District/South Beach — search FiDi.
$3,160 median rent · safety 5 · walk 100
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, FiDi / South Beach or Sunset / Parkside?
Sunset / Parkside is the lower ACS median: $3,160 vs $2,803. About 35% rent in Sunset / Parkside vs 68% in FiDi / South Beach. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is FiDi / South Beach more walkable than Sunset / Parkside?
FiDi / South Beach wins the errand count (walk 100 vs 66). Groceries inside 800 meters: 18 vs 31. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, FiDi / South Beach or Sunset / Parkside?
Sunset / Parkside is the calmer Part I read (100 vs 5). Combined rate 9.2 vs 67.3 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, FiDi / South Beach or Sunset / Parkside?
Sunset / Parkside leads the school axis (60 vs 13). Nearby rating is 7.6 / 10 vs 6.2 / 10. Median age 45.4 vs 36.6. FiDi / South Beach has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to FiDi?
6 minutes from FiDi / South Beach to FiDi, 52 from Sunset / Parkside. FiDi / South Beach is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official analysis neighborhood that is not FiDi / South Beach or Sunset / Parkside: Western Addition. Alamo Square, the Fillmore, and Japantown sit inside this analysis neighborhood. Painted ladies are the postcard; the grid is the product.
FiDi / South Beach vs Western AdditionSunset / Parkside vs Western Addition
Scores are relative among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.