San Francisco/Compare
Mission vs South of Market
Mission and South of Market are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. Mission is the calmer Part I map (11 vs 0). Mission 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 | Mission | South of Market |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 11 | 0 |
| Schools | 27 | 0 |
| Walk | 86 | 24 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 61 | 25 |
| Median rent | $2,494 | $2,100 |
| Median home | $1,326,451 | $912,403 |
| Population | 55,114 | 25,795 |
| Commute to FiDi | 22 min | 15 min |
| Commute to SoMa | 14 min | 6 min |
| Commute to Mission Bay | 13 min | 14 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Mission | South of Market |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 72% | 80% |
| Median age | 38.1 | 40.8 |
| Median income | $146K | $112K |
| Part I per 1k | 47.9 | 106.8 |
| Groceries / 800m | 83 | 22 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 158 | 116 |
| Parks / 800m | 48 | 44 |
| 311 last 14 days | 5,705 | 1,931 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for San Francisco city. Up 62% since 2014. Mission is 1% 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 Mission if you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 86 vs 24. Vibe is 61 vs 25. Schools score 27 vs 0. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick South of Market if the rent gap is the point and the shorter ride to FiDi is the point. ACS median rent is $2,100 vs $2,494. 15 vs 22 minutes to FiDi. Read both pages before you decide.
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
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, Mission or South of Market?
South of Market is the lower ACS median: $2,494 vs $2,100. About 80% rent in South of Market vs 72% in Mission. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Mission more walkable than South of Market?
Mission wins the errand count (walk 86 vs 24). Groceries inside 800 meters: 83 vs 22. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Mission or South of Market?
Mission is the calmer Part I read (11 vs 0). Combined rate 47.9 vs 106.8 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Mission or South of Market?
Mission leads the school axis (27 vs 0). Nearby rating is 6.6 / 10 vs 5.8 / 10. Median age 38.1 vs 40.8. South of Market has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to FiDi?
22 minutes from Mission to FiDi, 15 from South of Market. South of Market is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official analysis neighborhood that is not Mission or South of Market: Mission Bay. UCSF, new towers, and a shoreline that did not exist a generation ago. Planned more than discovered.
Scores are relative among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.