Population 16,992 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Potrero
Household size in Potrero
| Period | Potrero | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.11 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.18 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.23 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.01 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Potrero is a place of small households, averaging 2.01 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.11 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the northeast.
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 Potrero
| Period | Potrero | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.9 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.5 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.1 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.1 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.7 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.1, Potrero 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 36.9 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Of San Francisco's 43 neighborhoods, only two are 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 Potrero
| Period | Potrero | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Potrero: 6.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.7 points, as it has nationally. Compared with other San Francisco neighborhoods, though, Potrero has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
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 Potrero
Renters in Potrero
| Period | Potrero | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.0% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 55.2% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 55.4% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 57.9% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Potrero: 57.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 20.1% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the northeast; owners are most common in the southwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.9 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Potrero
| Period | Potrero | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Potrero: 12.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 4.9 points, 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 Potrero
| Period | Potrero | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +18 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Potrero are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1969 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center. Few San Francisco neighborhoods have newer homes: only two of 43.
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 Potrero
| Period | Potrero | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,754 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,931 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,394 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,235 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,481 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Potrero pays $3,235 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,481 a month since 2006–10, up 84%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 24.3% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Only one other San Francisco neighborhood has higher rents.
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 Potrero
Bachelor's degrees in Potrero
| Period | Potrero | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.8% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 75.2% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 74.0% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 81.9% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.1 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Potrero: 81.9% 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. The share with a degree is up 10.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Potrero
| Period | Potrero | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.9% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.1% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.8% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.1% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Potrero: 96.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 1.2 points, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 Potrero
| Period | Potrero | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Potrero than nationally: unemployment was 4.5%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Potrero 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potrero | 2.01 | 35.1 | 6.7% | 57.9% | 12.3% | 1987 | $3,235 | 81.9% | 96.1% | 4.5% |
| Mission | 2.35 | 38.4 | 10.7% | 71.4% | 12.7% | 1953 | $2,438 | 54.9% | 82.4% | 6.9% |
| South of Market | 1.84 | 38.0 | 4.8% | 70.5% | 14.0% | 2000 | $2,873 | 67.0% | 91.3% | 6.6% |
| Liberty Street Historic District | 2.00 | 40.1 | 5.1% | 69.6% | 15.1% | 1939 | $2,714 | 78.8% | 96.2% | 7.1% |
| Bernal Heights | 2.54 | 44.1 | 6.9% | 35.3% | 9.6% | 1942 | $2,894 | 66.1% | 93.1% | 3.9% |
| Silver Terrace | 3.58 | 44.2 | 5.4% | 31.5% | 5.3% | 1962 | $2,663 | 30.4% | 74.6% | 10.0% |
| Downtown San Francisco | 1.57 | 43.6 | 5.7% | 92.3% | 16.8% | 1962 | $1,636 | 40.6% | 80.0% | 10.4% |
| Duboce Triangle | 1.77 | 41.0 | 2.8% | 64.6% | 12.9% | 1940 | $2,760 | 78.0% | 97.1% | 5.5% |
| Noe Valley | 2.12 | 39.6 | 3.5% | 53.2% | 11.6% | 1944 | $3,192 | 83.4% | 99.0% | 3.5% |
| Bayview | 2.97 | 37.6 | 22.1% | 54.9% | 7.8% | 1972 | $1,719 | 25.9% | 78.7% | 12.8% |
| Castro-Upper Market | 1.97 | 43.6 | 2.9% | 55.6% | 11.7% | 1946 | $2,983 | 80.4% | 97.8% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Tioga-Nicetown, Philadelphia, PA · Crawford, Chicago, IL · Creekside Park, The Woodlands, TX · Cuf, Cincinnati, OH · Dayton's Bluff, St. Paul, MN · Del Rio, Jacksonville, FL · Grandview, Glendale, CA · Great Bridge East, Chesapeake, VA · Southeast Yonkers, Yonkers, NY · Sterling Ridge, The Woodlands, 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 Potrero. 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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