San Francisco/Compare
Hayes Valley vs Mission
Hayes Valley and Mission are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. Hayes Valley is the calmer Part I map (16 vs 11). Mission wins the errand count. Mission has the lower ACS median ($2,494).
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 | Hayes Valley | Mission |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 16 | 11 |
| Schools | 40 | 27 |
| Walk | 17 | 86 |
| Cost fit | 95 | 100 |
| Vibe | 21 | 61 |
| Median rent | $2,636 | $2,494 |
| Median home | $1,156,018 | $1,326,451 |
| Population | 18,871 | 55,114 |
| Commute to FiDi | 14 min | 22 min |
| Commute to SoMa | 14 min | 14 min |
| Commute to Mission Bay | 21 min | 13 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Hayes Valley | Mission |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 83% | 72% |
| Median age | 35 | 38.1 |
| Median income | $131K | $146K |
| Part I per 1k | 41.1 | 47.9 |
| Groceries / 800m | 24 | 83 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 83 | 158 |
| Parks / 800m | 40 | 48 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,356 | 5,705 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for San Francisco city. Up 62% since 2014. Hayes is 6% above the 2024 city median. Mission is 1% 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 Hayes Valley if the school rating nearby is the point and the shorter ride to FiDi is the point. Schools score 40 vs 27. 14 vs 22 minutes to FiDi. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Mission if you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 86 vs 17. Vibe is 61 vs 21. ACS median rent is $2,494 vs $2,636. Read both pages before you decide.
Hayes Valley
The freeway came down; the boutiques stayed. A compact walk to the opera without living on the Tenderloin edge.
$2,636 median rent · safety 16 · walk 17
Mission
Valencia corridor, Mission murals, and a density that never sleeps. The official analysis neighborhood is just Mission — search the street names.
$2,494 median rent · safety 11 · walk 86
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Hayes Valley or Mission?
Mission is the lower ACS median: $2,636 vs $2,494. About 72% rent in Mission vs 83% in Hayes Valley. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Hayes Valley more walkable than Mission?
Mission wins the errand count (walk 17 vs 86). Groceries inside 800 meters: 24 vs 83. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Hayes Valley or Mission?
Hayes Valley is the calmer Part I read (16 vs 11). Combined rate 41.1 vs 47.9 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Hayes Valley or Mission?
Hayes Valley leads the school axis (40 vs 27). Nearby rating is 7.0 / 10 vs 6.6 / 10. Median age 35 vs 38.1. Mission has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to FiDi?
14 minutes from Hayes Valley to FiDi, 22 from Mission. Hayes Valley is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official analysis neighborhood that is not Hayes Valley or Mission: South of Market. Tech lofts, clubs, and a crime rate that downtown visitor traffic inflates. Walk scores max; evening quiet depends on the block.
Scores are relative among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.