San Francisco/Compare
Nob Hill vs Western Addition
Nob Hill and Western Addition are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. Nob Hill is the calmer Part I map (37 vs 32). Nob Hill wins the errand count. Western Addition has the lower ACS median ($2,077).
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 | Western Addition |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 37 | 32 |
| Schools | 23 | 33 |
| Walk | 73 | 15 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 48 | 18 |
| Median rent | $2,106 | $2,077 |
| Median home | $1,225,172 | $1,013,697 |
| Population | 23,536 | 22,288 |
| Commute to FiDi | 13 min | 21 min |
| Commute to SoMa | 21 min | 23 min |
| Commute to Mission Bay | 29 min | 29 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Nob Hill | Western Addition |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 87% | 78% |
| Median age | 40.1 | 43.4 |
| Median income | $100K | $105K |
| Part I per 1k | 35.9 | 37.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 59 | 20 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 188 | 97 |
| Parks / 800m | 31 | 48 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,415 | 685 |
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. W Add is 16% 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 cafes and the night and you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 48 vs 18. Walk is 73 vs 15. 13 vs 21 minutes to FiDi. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Western Addition 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
Western Addition
Alamo Square, the Fillmore, and Japantown sit inside this analysis neighborhood. Painted ladies are the postcard; the grid is the product.
$2,077 median rent · safety 32 · walk 15
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Nob Hill or Western Addition?
Western Addition is the lower ACS median: $2,106 vs $2,077. About 78% rent in Western Addition vs 87% in Nob Hill. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Nob Hill more walkable than Western Addition?
Nob Hill wins the errand count (walk 73 vs 15). Groceries inside 800 meters: 59 vs 20. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Nob Hill or Western Addition?
Nob Hill is the calmer Part I read (37 vs 32). Combined rate 35.9 vs 37.1 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Nob Hill or Western Addition?
Western Addition leads the school axis (33 vs 23). Nearby rating is 6.8 / 10 vs 6.5 / 10. Median age 43.4 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, 21 from Western Addition. 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 Western Addition: Pacific Heights. Victorians on the hill and Fillmore shops at the bottom. The view is the product; the stairs are the tax.
Nob Hill vs Pacific HeightsWestern Addition vs Pacific Heights
Scores are relative among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.