Population 10,007 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cow Hollow
Household size in Cow Hollow
| Period | Cow Hollow | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.76 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.96 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.00 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.96 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.20 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Cow Hollow are small: just 1.96 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has climbed from 1.76 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cow Hollow
| Period | Cow Hollow | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.5 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.5 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.9 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.5 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.0 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.5, Cow Hollow is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has dropped from 36.5 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Only one other San Francisco neighborhood is younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cow Hollow
| Period | Cow Hollow | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.9% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.8% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Cow Hollow: 4.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cow Hollow
Renters in Cow Hollow
| Period | Cow Hollow | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 66.3% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 67.8% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 70.8% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 70.4% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Cow Hollow: 70.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 42.3% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the southwest. The renter share is up 4.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cow Hollow
| Period | Cow Hollow | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.0% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.7% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Cow Hollow: 16.7% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 5.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cow Hollow
| Period | Cow Hollow | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1941 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1939 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1943 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1941 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Cow Hollow is a place of older homes: half were built before 1941, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Cow Hollow has older homes than at least four in five San Francisco neighborhoods.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cow Hollow
| Period | Cow Hollow | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,729 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,902 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,581 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,214 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,484 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Cow Hollow costs $3,214 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,484 a month since 2006–10, up 86%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 21.1% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cow Hollow
Bachelor's degrees in Cow Hollow
| Period | Cow Hollow | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.2% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 79.3% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 84.1% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 83.1% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Cow Hollow is highly educated: just over eight in ten adults 25 and older (83.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 3.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Cow Hollow has a higher share of college graduates than the great majority of San Francisco neighborhoods.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cow Hollow
| Period | Cow Hollow | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.8% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.9% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.8% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.2% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Cow Hollow: 97.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is down 1.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Cow Hollow has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five San Francisco neighborhoods.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cow Hollow
| Period | Cow Hollow | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.7% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Cow Hollow has been strong: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Few San Francisco neighborhoods have lower unemployment: only two of 43. Unemployment is down 3.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cow Hollow compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cow Hollow | 1.96 | 34.5 | 4.2% | 70.4% | 16.7% | 1941 | $3,214 | 83.1% | 97.2% | 2.8% |
| Marina-San Francisco | 1.90 | 32.0 | 3.1% | 71.5% | 16.3% | 1941 | $3,147 | 83.8% | 96.7% | 2.9% |
| Pacific Heights | 1.72 | 38.8 | 2.5% | 71.0% | 16.4% | 1940 | $3,074 | 84.3% | 97.4% | 4.4% |
| Russian Hill | 1.84 | 39.1 | 3.7% | 77.7% | 17.1% | 1941 | $2,793 | 79.7% | 95.3% | 3.7% |
| Nob Hill | 1.68 | 41.8 | 2.4% | 82.7% | 21.1% | 1944 | $2,377 | 62.8% | 87.8% | 5.0% |
| Western Addition | 1.96 | 40.2 | 3.9% | 77.7% | 13.0% | 1959 | $2,340 | 66.6% | 93.4% | 6.7% |
| Presidio Heights | 2.13 | 39.7 | 4.7% | 65.3% | 10.2% | 1944 | $2,861 | 81.8% | 97.8% | 4.8% |
| Downtown San Francisco | 1.57 | 43.6 | 5.7% | 92.3% | 16.8% | 1962 | $1,636 | 40.6% | 80.0% | 10.4% |
| Union Square | 1.65 | 42.5 | 3.7% | 90.8% | 21.6% | 1953 | $1,700 | 47.9% | 83.9% | 12.6% |
| Chinatown-San Francisco | 1.96 | 52.8 | 5.0% | 90.5% | 18.5% | 1939 | $1,137 | 29.8% | 58.5% | 10.3% |
| Haight-Ashbury | 2.04 | 36.1 | 3.6% | 73.2% | 12.0% | 1938 | $2,871 | 78.8% | 96.4% | 3.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Fenton Area, Fenton, MO · Phoebus, Hampton, VA · Airline-Jefferson, Baton Rouge, LA · Milwood, Austin, TX · Leimert Park, Los Angeles, CA · North East, Hartford, CT · Olympic Hills, Seattle, WA · Daniel Island, Charleston, SC · Cypress Station, Houston, TX · Bridgeland, Cypress, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cow Hollow. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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