San Francisco/Compare
Marina vs North Beach
Marina and North Beach are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. North Beach is the calmer Part I map (42 vs 26). North Beach wins the errand count. North Beach has the lower ACS median ($2,356).
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 | Marina | North Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 26 | 42 |
| Schools | 73 | 33 |
| Walk | 4 | 23 |
| Cost fit | 78 | 100 |
| Vibe | 8 | 31 |
| Median rent | $3,204 | $2,356 |
| Median home | $1,960,952 | $1,512,678 |
| Population | 20,244 | 11,136 |
| Commute to FiDi | 26 min | 16 min |
| Commute to SoMa | 33 min | 27 min |
| Commute to Mission Bay | 41 min | 35 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Marina | North Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 72% | 81% |
| Median age | 33.1 | 40 |
| Median income | $212K | $125K |
| Part I per 1k | 39.5 | 35.7 |
| Groceries / 800m | 15 | 15 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 86 | 120 |
| Parks / 800m | 14 | 48 |
| 311 last 14 days | 809 | 501 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for San Francisco city. Up 62% since 2014. Marina is 29% above the 2024 city median. N Bch is 5% 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 Marina if the school rating nearby is the point. Schools score 73 vs 33. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick North Beach if the rent gap is the point and you want the cafes and the night. ACS median rent is $2,356 vs $3,204. Vibe is 31 vs 8. Walk is 23 vs 4. Read both pages before you decide.
Marina
Chestnut Street, the Palace of Fine Arts, and a bay that sells the neighborhood. Fog in the morning, crowds on the weekend.
$3,204 median rent · safety 26 · walk 4
North Beach
Caffe Trieste, Columbus Avenue, and Telegraph Hill stairs. Nightlife with a church bell still in earshot.
$2,356 median rent · safety 42 · walk 23
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Marina or North Beach?
North Beach is the lower ACS median: $3,204 vs $2,356. About 81% rent in North Beach vs 72% in Marina. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Marina more walkable than North Beach?
North Beach wins the errand count (walk 4 vs 23). Groceries inside 800 meters: 15 vs 15. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Marina or North Beach?
North Beach is the calmer Part I read (42 vs 26). Combined rate 35.7 vs 39.5 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Marina or North Beach?
Marina leads the school axis (73 vs 33). Nearby rating is 8.0 / 10 vs 6.8 / 10. Median age 33.1 vs 40. North Beach has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to FiDi?
26 minutes from Marina to FiDi, 16 from North Beach. North Beach is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official analysis neighborhood that is not Marina or North Beach: Pacific Heights. Victorians on the hill and Fillmore shops at the bottom. The view is the product; the stairs are the tax.
Scores are relative among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.