San Francisco/Compare
Noe Valley vs Potrero Hill
Noe Valley and Potrero Hill are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. Noe Valley is the calmer Part I map (68 vs 58). Walk is a wash (5 vs 7). Noe Valley has the lower ACS median ($3,308).
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 | Noe Valley | Potrero Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 68 | 58 |
| Schools | 100 | 57 |
| Walk | 5 | 7 |
| Cost fit | 76 | 74 |
| Vibe | 0 | 8 |
| Median rent | $3,308 | $3,376 |
| Median home | $1,951,224 | $1,530,280 |
| Population | 22,602 | 16,013 |
| Commute to FiDi | 35 min | 32 min |
| Commute to SoMa | 27 min | 22 min |
| Commute to Mission Bay | 22 min | 13 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Noe Valley | Potrero Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 53% | 57% |
| Median age | 39.6 | 35.2 |
| Median income | $215K | $223K |
| Part I per 1k | 24.2 | 31.2 |
| Groceries / 800m | 10 | 11 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 121 | 91 |
| Parks / 800m | 16 | 39 |
| 311 last 14 days | 636 | 412 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for San Francisco city. Up 62% since 2014. Noe is 34% above the 2024 city median. Potrero is 36% 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 Noe Valley if the school rating nearby is the point and the quieter map matters more than the scene. Schools score 100 vs 57. Safety is 68 vs 58. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Potrero Hill if you want the cafes and the night. Vibe is 8 vs 0. Read both pages before you decide.
Noe Valley
Strollers on 24th, sun on the south slope, and the lowest violent rate in this set. The family read of inner SF.
$3,308 median rent · safety 68 · walk 5
Potrero Hill
Sunny slope, Dogpatch on the eastern edge, and a view back at downtown. Quieter than the Mission; still inner.
$3,376 median rent · safety 58 · walk 7
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Noe Valley or Potrero Hill?
Noe Valley is the lower ACS median: $3,308 vs $3,376. About 53% rent in Noe Valley vs 57% in Potrero Hill. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Noe Valley more walkable than Potrero Hill?
Walk is basically a tie (5 vs 7). Count groceries if you care: 10 in Noe Valley vs 11 in Potrero Hill, inside 800 meters.
Which is safer on this map, Noe Valley or Potrero Hill?
Noe Valley is the calmer Part I read (68 vs 58). Combined rate 24.2 vs 31.2 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Noe Valley or Potrero Hill?
Noe Valley leads the school axis (100 vs 57). Nearby rating is 8.8 / 10 vs 7.5 / 10. Median age 39.6 vs 35.2. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to FiDi?
35 minutes from Noe Valley to FiDi, 32 from Potrero Hill. Potrero Hill is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official analysis neighborhood that is not Noe Valley or Potrero Hill: Castro. The Castro is the search term; Castro/Upper Market is the official polygon. Hills, neon, and a Muni metro under Market.
Scores are relative among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.