San Francisco/Compare
Hayes Valley vs South of Market
Hayes Valley and South of Market are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. Hayes Valley is the calmer Part I map (16 vs 0). South of Market wins the errand count. South of Market has the lower ACS median ($2,100).
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 | South of Market |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 16 | 0 |
| Schools | 40 | 0 |
| Walk | 17 | 24 |
| Cost fit | 95 | 100 |
| Vibe | 21 | 25 |
| Median rent | $2,636 | $2,100 |
| Median home | $1,156,018 | $912,403 |
| Population | 18,871 | 25,795 |
| Commute to FiDi | 14 min | 15 min |
| Commute to SoMa | 14 min | 6 min |
| Commute to Mission Bay | 21 min | 14 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Hayes Valley | South of Market |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 83% | 80% |
| Median age | 35 | 40.8 |
| Median income | $131K | $112K |
| Part I per 1k | 41.1 | 106.8 |
| Groceries / 800m | 24 | 22 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 83 | 116 |
| Parks / 800m | 40 | 44 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,356 | 1,931 |
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. SoMa is 15% 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 Hayes Valley if the school rating nearby is the point and the quieter map matters more than the scene. Schools score 40 vs 0. Safety is 16 vs 0. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick South of Market if the rent gap is the point and you want the cafes and the night. ACS median rent is $2,100 vs $2,636. Vibe is 25 vs 21. 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
South of Market
Tech lofts, clubs, and a crime rate that downtown visitor traffic inflates. Walk scores max; evening quiet depends on the block.
$2,100 median rent · safety 0 · walk 24
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Hayes Valley or South of Market?
South of Market is the lower ACS median: $2,636 vs $2,100. About 80% rent in South of Market vs 83% in Hayes Valley. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Hayes Valley more walkable than South of Market?
South of Market wins the errand count (walk 17 vs 24). Groceries inside 800 meters: 24 vs 22. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Hayes Valley or South of Market?
Hayes Valley is the calmer Part I read (16 vs 0). Combined rate 41.1 vs 106.8 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Hayes Valley or South of Market?
Hayes Valley leads the school axis (40 vs 0). Nearby rating is 7.0 / 10 vs 5.8 / 10. Median age 35 vs 40.8. South of Market 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, 15 from South of Market. 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 South of Market: FiDi / South Beach. Towers, the Embarcadero, and a ballpark on the south edge. Official name is Financial District/South Beach — search FiDi.
Hayes Valley vs FiDi / South BeachSouth of Market vs FiDi / South Beach
Scores are relative among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.