San Francisco/Compare
Nob Hill vs Russian Hill
Nob Hill and Russian Hill are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. Russian Hill is the calmer Part I map (53 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 | Russian Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 37 | 53 |
| Schools | 23 | 67 |
| Walk | 73 | 11 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 90 |
| Vibe | 48 | 18 |
| Median rent | $2,106 | $2,788 |
| Median home | $1,225,172 | $1,422,991 |
| Population | 23,536 | 15,524 |
| Commute to FiDi | 13 min | 20 min |
| Commute to SoMa | 21 min | 29 min |
| Commute to Mission Bay | 29 min | 38 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Nob Hill | Russian Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 87% | 79% |
| Median age | 40.1 | 38.3 |
| Median income | $100K | $156K |
| Part I per 1k | 35.9 | 31.3 |
| Groceries / 800m | 59 | 10 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 188 | 97 |
| Parks / 800m | 31 | 50 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,415 | 556 |
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. R Hill is 13% 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 Nob Hill if you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 73 vs 11. Vibe is 48 vs 18. ACS median rent is $2,106 vs $2,788. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Russian Hill if the school rating nearby is the point and the quieter map matters more than the scene. Schools score 67 vs 23. Safety is 53 vs 37. 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
Russian Hill
The crooked street is the postcard. The rest is steep walks, bay windows, and a quieter read of the north waterfront.
$2,788 median rent · safety 53 · walk 11
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Nob Hill or Russian Hill?
Nob Hill is the lower ACS median: $2,106 vs $2,788. About 87% rent in Nob Hill vs 79% in Russian Hill. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Nob Hill more walkable than Russian Hill?
Nob Hill wins the errand count (walk 73 vs 11). Groceries inside 800 meters: 59 vs 10. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Nob Hill or Russian Hill?
Russian Hill is the calmer Part I read (53 vs 37). Combined rate 31.3 vs 35.9 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Nob Hill or Russian Hill?
Russian Hill leads the school axis (67 vs 23). Nearby rating is 7.8 / 10 vs 6.5 / 10. Median age 38.3 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, 20 from Russian Hill. 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 Russian Hill: 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 BeachRussian Hill vs FiDi / South Beach
Scores are relative among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.