San Francisco/Compare
South of Market vs Western Addition
South of Market and Western Addition are two official analysis neighborhoods in San Francisco. Western Addition is the calmer Part I map (32 vs 0). South of Market 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 | South of Market | Western Addition |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 0 | 32 |
| Schools | 0 | 33 |
| Walk | 24 | 15 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 25 | 18 |
| Median rent | $2,100 | $2,077 |
| Median home | $912,403 | $1,013,697 |
| Population | 25,795 | 22,288 |
| Commute to FiDi | 15 min | 21 min |
| Commute to SoMa | 6 min | 23 min |
| Commute to Mission Bay | 14 min | 29 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | South of Market | Western Addition |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 80% | 78% |
| Median age | 40.8 | 43.4 |
| Median income | $112K | $105K |
| Part I per 1k | 106.8 | 37.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 22 | 20 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 116 | 97 |
| Parks / 800m | 44 | 48 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,931 | 685 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for San Francisco city. Up 62% since 2014. SoMa 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 South of Market if you want the cafes and the night and you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 25 vs 18. Walk is 24 vs 15. 15 vs 21 minutes to FiDi. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Western Addition if the school rating nearby is the point and the quieter map matters more than the scene. Schools score 33 vs 0. Safety is 32 vs 0. Read both pages before you decide.
South of Market
Tech lofts, clubs, and a crime rate that downtown visitor traffic inflates. Walk scores max; evening quiet depends on the block.
$2,100 median rent · safety 0 · walk 24
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, South of Market or Western Addition?
Western Addition is the lower ACS median: $2,100 vs $2,077. About 78% rent in Western Addition vs 80% in South of Market. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is South of Market more walkable than Western Addition?
South of Market wins the errand count (walk 24 vs 15). Groceries inside 800 meters: 22 vs 20. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, South of Market or Western Addition?
Western Addition is the calmer Part I read (32 vs 0). Combined rate 37.1 vs 106.8 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, South of Market or Western Addition?
Western Addition leads the school axis (33 vs 0). Nearby rating is 6.8 / 10 vs 5.8 / 10. Median age 43.4 vs 40.8. South of Market has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to FiDi?
15 minutes from South of Market to FiDi, 21 from Western Addition. South of Market is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official analysis neighborhood that is not South of Market or Western Addition: Hayes Valley. The freeway came down; the boutiques stayed. A compact walk to the opera without living on the Tenderloin edge.
South of Market vs Hayes ValleyWestern Addition vs Hayes Valley
Scores are relative among official San Francisco analysis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.