NabeWise

San Francisco/Compare

Outer Richmond vs Pacific Heights

Outer Richmond and Pacific Heights are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. Outer Richmond is the calmer Part I map (89 vs 47). Outer Richmond wins the errand count. Outer Richmond has the lower ACS median ($2,371).

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.

AxisOuter RichmondPacific Heights
Safety8947
Schools6787
Walk265
Cost fit10082
Vibe188
Median rent$2,371$3,040
Median home$1,547,044$1,787,490
Population39,93222,821
Commute to FiDi50 min22 min
Commute to SoMa54 min28 min
Commute to Mission Bay59 min35 min

Living numbers

Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.

FactOuter RichmondPacific Heights
Renters58%70%
Median age44.238.4
Median income$137K$183K
Part I per 1k13.333.8
Groceries / 800m2513
Transit stops / 800m133101
Parks / 800m3517
311 last 14 days912634

Rent

Rent since 2014

ACS 5-year median gross rent for San Francisco city. Up 62% since 2014. O Rich is 4% below the 2024 city median. Pac Hts is 23% above the 2024 city median.

$1.7k$3.4kO Rich $2,371Pac Hts $3,040201420162018202020222024

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 Outer Richmond if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the rent gap is the point. Safety is 89 vs 47. ACS median rent is $2,371 vs $3,040. Walk is 26 vs 5. Read both pages before you decide.

Pick Pacific Heights if the shorter ride to FiDi is the point and the school rating nearby is the point. 22 vs 50 minutes to FiDi. Schools score 87 vs 67. Vibe is 8 vs 18. Read both pages before you decide.

Outer Richmond

The last grid before the Pacific. Cheaper than Inner Richmond, foggier, and a bus ride from everywhere else.

$2,371 median rent · safety 89 · walk 26

Pacific Heights

Victorians on the hill and Fillmore shops at the bottom. The view is the product; the stairs are the tax.

$3,040 median rent · safety 47 · walk 5

Common questions

Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.

Which is cheaper, Outer Richmond or Pacific Heights?

Outer Richmond is the lower ACS median: $2,371 vs $3,040. About 58% rent in Outer Richmond vs 70% in Pacific Heights. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.

Is Outer Richmond more walkable than Pacific Heights?

Outer Richmond wins the errand count (walk 26 vs 5). Groceries inside 800 meters: 25 vs 13. Not a Walk Score license.

Which is safer on this map, Outer Richmond or Pacific Heights?

Outer Richmond is the calmer Part I read (89 vs 47). Combined rate 13.3 vs 33.8 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.

Which scores higher for families, Outer Richmond or Pacific Heights?

Pacific Heights leads the school axis (87 vs 67). Nearby rating is 8.4 / 10 vs 7.8 / 10. Median age 38.4 vs 44.2. Neither number is a school assignment.

Which has the shorter commute to FiDi?

50 minutes from Outer Richmond to FiDi, 22 from Pacific Heights. Pacific Heights is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.

If you drop both

Closest official analysis neighborhood that is not Outer Richmond or Pacific Heights: Inner Richmond. Clement Street dumplings and a walk to the park. Fog belt without giving up a grocery on the corner.

Outer Richmond vs Inner RichmondPacific Heights vs Inner Richmond

Scores are relative among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.