San Francisco/Compare
North Beach vs Western Addition
North Beach and Western Addition are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. North Beach is the calmer Part I map (42 vs 32). North Beach 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 | North Beach | Western Addition |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 42 | 32 |
| Schools | 33 | 33 |
| Walk | 23 | 15 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 31 | 18 |
| Median rent | $2,356 | $2,077 |
| Median home | $1,512,678 | $1,013,697 |
| Population | 11,136 | 22,288 |
| Commute to FiDi | 16 min | 21 min |
| Commute to SoMa | 27 min | 23 min |
| Commute to Mission Bay | 35 min | 29 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | North Beach | Western Addition |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 81% | 78% |
| Median age | 40 | 43.4 |
| Median income | $125K | $105K |
| Part I per 1k | 35.7 | 37.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 15 | 20 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 120 | 97 |
| Parks / 800m | 48 | 48 |
| 311 last 14 days | 501 | 685 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for San Francisco city. Up 62% since 2014. N Bch is 5% 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 North Beach if you want the cafes and the night and the quieter map matters more than the scene. Vibe is 31 vs 18. Safety is 42 vs 32. Walk is 23 vs 15. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Western Addition if the rent gap is the point. ACS median rent is $2,077 vs $2,356. Read both pages before you decide.
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
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, North Beach or Western Addition?
Western Addition is the lower ACS median: $2,356 vs $2,077. About 78% rent in Western Addition vs 81% in North Beach. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is North Beach more walkable than Western Addition?
North Beach wins the errand count (walk 23 vs 15). Groceries inside 800 meters: 15 vs 20. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, North Beach or Western Addition?
North Beach is the calmer Part I read (42 vs 32). Combined rate 35.7 vs 37.1 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, North Beach or Western Addition?
North Beach leads the school axis (33 vs 33). Nearby rating is 6.8 / 10 vs 6.8 / 10. Median age 40 vs 43.4. Western Addition has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to FiDi?
16 minutes from North Beach to FiDi, 21 from Western Addition. North Beach is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official analysis neighborhood that is not North Beach or Western Addition: Nob Hill. Cable cars, hotel bars, and a ridge between Chinatown and Pac Heights. Dense without SoMa's warehouse scale.
Scores are relative among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.