Population 14,662 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Pacific Heights
Household size in Pacific Heights
| Period | Pacific Heights | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.74 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.76 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.88 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.72 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Pacific Heights are small: just 1.72 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. Only three of San Francisco's 43 neighborhoods have smaller households.
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 Pacific Heights
| Period | Pacific Heights | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.4 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.2 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.8 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.8 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Pacific Heights are younger than 38.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in the San Francisco area overall, where the median age is 41.3. The median age has climbed from 37.4 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Pacific Heights
| Period | Pacific Heights | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.3% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.3% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.5% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 2.5% of households in Pacific Heights, well below the national share of 11.6%. Only one other San Francisco neighborhood has a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Pacific Heights
Renters in Pacific Heights
| Period | Pacific Heights | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.6% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 71.6% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 73.7% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 71.0% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Pacific Heights rent: 71.0% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 38.7% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 0.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Pacific Heights
| Period | Pacific Heights | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.4% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Pacific Heights: 16.4% 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 4.0 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 Pacific Heights
| Period | Pacific Heights | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1939 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1938 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1941 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1940 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Pacific Heights is a place of older homes: half were built before 1940, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Pacific Heights 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 Pacific Heights
| Period | Pacific Heights | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,750 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,930 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,485 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,074 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,324 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Pacific Heights pays $3,074 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,324 a month since 2006–10, up 76%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 22.9% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Pacific Heights
Bachelor's degrees in Pacific Heights
| Period | Pacific Heights | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.6% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 81.7% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 87.5% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 84.3% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Pacific Heights: 84.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.7 points, as it has nationally. Only one other San Francisco neighborhood has a higher share of college graduates.
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 Pacific Heights
| Period | Pacific Heights | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.7% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.4% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.7% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.4% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Pacific Heights: 97.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged down 1.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Pacific Heights has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of 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 Pacific Heights
| Period | Pacific Heights | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.3% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.4% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Pacific Heights runs below the national rate: 4.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
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).
Pacific Heights 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Heights | 1.72 | 38.8 | 2.5% | 71.0% | 16.4% | 1940 | $3,074 | 84.3% | 97.4% | 4.4% |
| 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% |
| 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% |
| Russian Hill | 1.84 | 39.1 | 3.7% | 77.7% | 17.1% | 1941 | $2,793 | 79.7% | 95.3% | 3.7% |
| Downtown San Francisco | 1.57 | 43.6 | 5.7% | 92.3% | 16.8% | 1962 | $1,636 | 40.6% | 80.0% | 10.4% |
| Presidio Heights | 2.13 | 39.7 | 4.7% | 65.3% | 10.2% | 1944 | $2,861 | 81.8% | 97.8% | 4.8% |
| 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: La Sierra South, Riverside, CA · North Westminster, Westminster, CO · Mountain View San Diego, San Diego, CA · Morningside Park, Inglewood, CA · Manayunk, Philadelphia, PA · Macdonald Ranch, Henderson, NV · Lower Vailsburg, Newark, NJ · Locust Manor, Queens, NY · 441 Corridor, Hollywood, FL · Liberty Heights, Springfield, MA
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 Pacific Heights. 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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