San Francisco/Compare
Nob Hill vs North Beach
Nob Hill and North Beach are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. North Beach is the calmer Part I map (42 vs 37). Nob Hill wins the errand count. Nob Hill has the lower ACS median ($2,106).
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 | Nob Hill | North Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 37 | 42 |
| Schools | 23 | 33 |
| Walk | 73 | 23 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 48 | 31 |
| Median rent | $2,106 | $2,356 |
| Median home | $1,225,172 | $1,512,678 |
| Population | 23,536 | 11,136 |
| Commute to FiDi | 13 min | 16 min |
| Commute to SoMa | 21 min | 27 min |
| Commute to Mission Bay | 29 min | 35 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Nob Hill | North Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 87% | 81% |
| Median age | 40.1 | 40 |
| Median income | $100K | $125K |
| Part I per 1k | 35.9 | 35.7 |
| Groceries / 800m | 59 | 15 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 188 | 120 |
| Parks / 800m | 31 | 48 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,415 | 501 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for San Francisco city. Up 62% since 2014. Nob is 15% below 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 Nob Hill if you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 73 vs 23. Vibe is 48 vs 31. ACS median rent is $2,106 vs $2,356. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick North Beach if the school rating nearby is the point. Schools score 33 vs 23. Read both pages before you decide.
Nob Hill
Cable cars, hotel bars, and a ridge between Chinatown and Pac Heights. Dense without SoMa's warehouse scale.
$2,106 median rent · safety 37 · walk 73
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, Nob Hill or North Beach?
Nob Hill is the lower ACS median: $2,106 vs $2,356. About 87% rent in Nob Hill vs 81% in North Beach. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Nob Hill more walkable than North Beach?
Nob Hill wins the errand count (walk 73 vs 23). Groceries inside 800 meters: 59 vs 15. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Nob Hill or North Beach?
North Beach is the calmer Part I read (42 vs 37). Combined rate 35.7 vs 35.9 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Nob Hill or North Beach?
North Beach leads the school axis (33 vs 23). Nearby rating is 6.8 / 10 vs 6.5 / 10. Median age 40 vs 40.1. Nob Hill has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to FiDi?
13 minutes from Nob Hill to FiDi, 16 from North Beach. Nob Hill is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official analysis neighborhood that is not Nob Hill or North Beach: FiDi / South Beach. Towers, the Embarcadero, and a ballpark on the south edge. Official name is Financial District/South Beach — search FiDi.
Nob Hill vs FiDi / South BeachNorth Beach vs FiDi / South Beach
Scores are relative among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.