2,829 Apartments for rent in San Francisco, CA
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"It is a good thing the early settlers landed on the East Coast; if they’d landed in San Francisco first, the rest of the country would still be uninhabited." (Herbert Mye)
Truly one of the greatest cities in the world, San Francisco is overflowing with world-class culture, cuisine, and charm. It also has the house from Full House and, as you might imagine, any city that hosts the fictional antics of John Stamos is naturally going to be popular, San Francisco being no exception.
More than 800,000 people are condensed into the city’s 47 square miles
"It is a good thing the early settlers landed on the East Coast; if they’d landed in San Francisco first, the rest of the country would still be uninhabited." (Herbert Mye)
Truly one of the greatest cities in the world, San Francisco is overflowing with world-class culture, cuisine, and charm. It also has the house from Full House and, as you might imagine, any city that hosts the fictional antics of John Stamos is naturally going to be popular, San Francisco being no exception.
More than 800,000 people are condensed into the city’s 47 square miles. The climate is cool and often foggy but rarely bone-chillingly cold, and it’s remarkably consistent (July’s average high: 68 degrees, January’s: 58). With thriving financial, technology, and artistic sectors, there’s a high demand for living space. With breathtaking views, historic neighborhoods, and the thrill of living in a cutting edge city, your dreams are about to come true. Now, let’s find you an apartment!
Having trouble with Craigslist San Francisco? Can't find that special apartment for rent on Apartment Finder or Zillow? Apartment List is here to help!
The vacancy rate in San Francisco is a miniscule 2%, with a whopping 65% of the city being renter-occupied as opposed to homeowners. Take some of the following tips to heart and you’ll have a much better shot at finding a spot for your extensive record collection.
How much will it cost? Prices vary greatly depending on what neighborhood you’re looking at, but it’s not uncommon to see 1 bedroom units for $2000. Lucky for you, the city does have rent control laws in place for apartments built before 1979 (most were), so you won’t have to worry about dramatic annual spikes if you do end up in one of those buildings. If your place is newer, be sure to ask about their history of rent increases, as 20% rent hikes after the first year have been known to ruin many's mood.
When to rent: Winter is the quietest season for renting, while Spring and Summer are busy. But be prepared; finding an apartment in San Francisco will be a challenge—a challenge that could take weeks, months or hours. Hours? Yes, hours. You should be prepared to plunk down your money as soon as you start physically looking at places, because odds are if you like it, someone else will too, and they’ll snatch it up while you’re home “sleeping on it.” Don’t sleep on it.
What you need: Be prepared to raise your game. With the competition for places being über stiff, you’d be wise to treat your apartment search like a job search (and a job search in today's economy, at that). When you get an appointment with a landlord, be on time. Be friendly. Be professional. Have your documents ready. Remember that 3-ring binder? Yeah, get that and put inside of it your credit report, rental application, letter of employment (or your 2 most recent pay stubs), references, and if you’re bringing a pet, you might need a “pet resume”—something to show the management that your precious parakeet has had all her shots and doesn’t have a record of biting people’s earlobes off. Of course, have your checkbook ready too because you’ll need to be ready to act quickly. A security deposit paid on the spot speaks volumes.
There’s no shortage of quality and quaint neighborhoods here. We’ll do our best to break some of the biggest nabes down for you here, but for in depth neighborhood overviews.
Bernal Heights: Next to the Mission (see below), Bernal Heights has parks and restaurants.
Castro: Remember Milk with Sean Penn? This is the ‘hood where Harvey Milk made history. It’s close to the Haight, close to the Mission, and there’s loads of great shopping and eating.
Chinatown: A famous downtown community jam-packed with shops, restaurants, vendors and history.
Cole Valley: Just a couple of blocks south of Haight-Ashbury, Cole Valley is a popular place with some very nice living options. Cole Valley is one of the smaller hoods in SF so only a few blocks worth of rentals will place you in this area.
Cow Hollow: Area near The Presidio & the Marina. It’s pretty much just the Marina.
Civic Center-Tenderloin: Neighborhood contains an array of restaurants, along with City Hall.
Financial District: The central business district of San Francisco and where the city gets its beautiful skyline from.
Haight-Asbury: It’s flat here, so great for walking and biking and you’re close Golden Gate Park & the Panhandle for a handful of sunny SF days. Upper Haight is a bit cooler temperature-wise (and more shopping/touristy heavy) than Lower Haight, which is just down the street past Buena Vista Park and Divisadero.
Hayes Valley: Somewhat of an unsung gem, this area boasts great restaurants and culture. Hayes Valley is fairly centrally located among the other hoods mentioned, so it would make for a nice walk to the Mission or Haight.
Hunters Point/Bayview: Located in the southeastern part of the city, this is where you’ll find the 49ers playing at Candlestick Park.
Marina District: Marina is a neighborhood with a great view of the bay and great food.
Mission District: Here you’ll find murals, great food, and some rad thrift, antique and used bookstores. If you can, look for a spot near Dolores Park as this is one of the choicest hangouts in the city and boasts one of the best views around.
Nob Hill-Russian Hill: These hilly, cable car-loving neighborhoods offer spectacular apartments and views. Some blocks lack the Victorian charm of many parts of the city, so if you're adamant about crown molding and vaulted ceilings you might want to take a gander at Google Street View before touring for yourself. Nob & Russian Hill offer big blocks of residential living, it’s a great spot to consider.
Noe Valley: Another primarily residential area.
North Beach: One of the classic San Francisco neighborhoods, you’ll find lots of restaurants, boutiques and tourists here. Washington Square Park is always packed on Saturdays, Sundays, and, well, most days. If you can find a spot, it’s a great choice.
Pacific Heights: There are many Victorian homes here, and Lower Pacific Heights can be a great find with convenient access to the park, Fillmore Street shopping & dining, and Japantown.
Richmond District: A residential area. It’s foggy here, but it’s less expensive than elsewhere.
Sunset District: Home to lots of parks and an increasing amount of surfers. Outer Sunset also has plenty of rental deals. Oh, and fog. The Sunset district is on the westernmost edge of San Francisco. Unlike elsewhere in SF, if you’re moving here (or the Richmond), you’ll probably want a car.
SoMA (South of Market): This is the perfect place to live if you work downtown. Filled with museums, hotels, and plenty of great restaurants, here you’ll find many loft style apartments, an eclectic energy, and baseball’s Giants. SoMA is home to many industrial and warehouse buildings & newer high-rise apartment complexes.
Western Addition: Home to the musically rich Fillmore neighborhood, this area also contains Japantown and has no shortage of Victorian homes. It’s primarily residential, but there are corner stores galore.
It’s not “San Fran”, and don’t you dare call it “Frisco”
The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Muni
In San Francisco, you’ll be treated to one of the world’s greatest cities, full of culture, history, open minds, and spectacular food. Congratulations on your move and best of luck finding that perfect pad!
Welcome to the January 2022 San Francisco Rent Report. San Francisco rents declined over the past month. In this report, we'll evaluate trends in the San Francisco rental market, including comparisons to cities throughout the state and nation.
San Francisco rents have declined 2.3% over the past month, but have increased sharply by 13.8% in comparison to the same time last year. Currently, median rents in San Francisco stand at $2,320 for a one-bedroom apartment and $2,685 for a two-bedroom. This is the third straight month that the city has seen rent decreases after an increase in September. San Francisco's year-over-year rent growth lags the state average of 14.3%, as well as the national average of 17.0%.
Throughout the past year, rent increases have been occurring not just in the city of San Francisco, but across the entire state. Of the largest 10 cities that we have data for in California, 9 of them have seen prices rise. The state as a whole logged rent growth of 14.3% over the past year. Here's a look at how rents compare across some of the largest cities in the state.
As rents have increased sharply in San Francisco, a few similar cities nationwide have seen rents grow more modestly. Compared to most other large cities across the country, San Francisco is less affordable for renters.
For more information check out our national report. You can also access our full data for cities and counties across the U.S.
Data from private listing sites, including our own, tends to skew toward luxury apartments, which introduces sample bias when estimates are calculated directly from these listings. To address these limitations, we’ve recently made major updates to our methodology, which we believe have greatly improved the accuracy and reliability of our estimates.
Read more about our new methodology below, or see a more detailed post about the methodology on our blog.
Apartment List is committed to making our rent estimates the best and most accurate available. To do this, we start with reliable median rent statistics from the Census Bureau, then extrapolate them forward to the current month using a growth rate calculated from our listing data. In doing so, we use a same-unit analysis similar to Case-Shiller’s approach, comparing only units that are available across both time periods to provide an accurate picture of rent growth in cities across the country.
Our approach corrects for the sample bias inherent in other private sources, producing results that are much closer to statistics published by the Census Bureau and HUD. Our methodology also allows us to construct a picture of rent growth over an extended period of time, with estimates that are updated each month.
Read more about our methodology.
Apartment List publishes monthly reports on rental trends for hundreds of cities across the U.S. We intend these reports to be a source of reliable information that help renters and policymakers make sound decisions, and we invest significant time and effort in gathering and analyzing rent data. Our work is covered regularly by journalists across the country.
We are continuously working to improve our methodology and data, with the goal of providing renters with the information that they need to make the best decisions.
Welcome to the January 2022 San Francisco Rent Report. San Francisco rents declined over the past month. In this report, we'll evaluate trends in the San Francisco rental market, including comparisons to cities throughout the state and nation.
Welcome to the January 2022 San Francisco Rent Report. San Francisco rents declined over the past month. In this report, we'll evaluate trends in the San Francisco rental market, including comparisons to cities throughout the state and nation.
San Francisco rents have declined 2.3% over the past month, but have increased sharply by 13.8% in comparison to the same time last year. Currently, median rents in San Francisco stand at $2,320 for a one-bedroom apartment and $2,685 for a two-bedroom. This is the third straight month that the city has seen rent decreases after an increase in September. San Francisco's year-over-year rent growth lags the state average of 14.3%, as well as the national average of 17.0%.
Throughout the past year, rent increases have been occurring not just in the city of San Francisco, but across the entire state. Of the largest 10 cities that we have data for in California, 9 of them have seen prices rise. The state as a whole logged rent growth of 14.3% over the past year. Here's a look at how rents compare across some of the largest cities in the state.
As rents have increased sharply in San Francisco, a few similar cities nationwide have seen rents grow more modestly. Compared to most other large cities across the country, San Francisco is less affordable for renters.
For more information check out our national report. You can also access our full data for cities and counties across the U.S.
Data from private listing sites, including our own, tends to skew toward luxury apartments, which introduces sample bias when estimates are calculated directly from these listings. To address these limitations, we’ve recently made major updates to our methodology, which we believe have greatly improved the accuracy and reliability of our estimates.
Read more about our new methodology below, or see a more detailed post about the methodology on our blog.
Apartment List is committed to making our rent estimates the best and most accurate available. To do this, we start with reliable median rent statistics from the Census Bureau, then extrapolate them forward to the current month using a growth rate calculated from our listing data. In doing so, we use a same-unit analysis similar to Case-Shiller’s approach, comparing only units that are available across both time periods to provide an accurate picture of rent growth in cities across the country.
Our approach corrects for the sample bias inherent in other private sources, producing results that are much closer to statistics published by the Census Bureau and HUD. Our methodology also allows us to construct a picture of rent growth over an extended period of time, with estimates that are updated each month.
Read more about our methodology.
Apartment List publishes monthly reports on rental trends for hundreds of cities across the U.S. We intend these reports to be a source of reliable information that help renters and policymakers make sound decisions, and we invest significant time and effort in gathering and analyzing rent data. Our work is covered regularly by journalists across the country.
We are continuously working to improve our methodology and data, with the goal of providing renters with the information that they need to make the best decisions.
Here’s how San Francisco ranks on:
Apartment List has released San Francisco’s results from the third annual Apartment List Renter Satisfaction Survey. This survey, which drew on responses from over 45,000 renters nationwide, provides insight on what states and cities must do to meet the needs of the country’s 111 million renters.
"San Francisco renters expressed general satisfaction with the city overall," according to Apartment List. "However, ratings varied greatly across different categories, indicating that even though renters love San Francisco, some aspects can be better."
Key Findings in San Francisco include the following:
Renters say:
"I love the diverse food, ease of getting around, and all of the activities. But I hate the high cost of living." -Anon.
"San Francisco is a diverse city where everyone has a fair opportunity to succeed. On the downside, it seems like crime is rising at an alarming rate." -Richard
"I love the history, food, parks, and close places to go hiking. I hate that it’s so expensive and keeps getting more crowded." -Kandace B.
"SF is a good mix of residential neighborhoods, urban areas, and natural beauty." -Katie F.
For more information on the survey methodology and findings or to speak to one of our researchers, please contact our team at [email protected].
Apartment List has released San Francisco’s results from the third annual Apartment List Renter Satisfaction Survey. This survey, which drew on responses from over 45,000 renters nationwide, provides insight on what states and cities must do to meet the needs of the country’s 111 million renters.
"San Francisco renters expressed general satisfaction with the city overall," according to ...
Here’s how San Francisco ranks on:
Apartment List has released San Francisco’s results from the third annual Apartment List Renter Satisfaction Survey. This survey, which drew on responses from over 45,000 renters nationwide, provides insight on what states and cities must do to meet the needs of the country’s 111 million renters.
"San Francisco renters expressed general satisfaction with the city overall," according to Apartment List. "However, ratings varied greatly across different categories, indicating that even though renters love San Francisco, some aspects can be better."
Key Findings in San Francisco include the following:
Renters say:
"I love the diverse food, ease of getting around, and all of the activities. But I hate the high cost of living." -Anon.
"San Francisco is a diverse city where everyone has a fair opportunity to succeed. On the downside, it seems like crime is rising at an alarming rate." -Richard
"I love the history, food, parks, and close places to go hiking. I hate that it’s so expensive and keeps getting more crowded." -Kandace B.
"SF is a good mix of residential neighborhoods, urban areas, and natural beauty." -Katie F.
For more information on the survey methodology and findings or to speak to one of our researchers, please contact our team at [email protected].
As the fourth largest city in California, San Francisco offers urban living along the Bay. The city earned a reputation as a hippie haven turned tech hub where students and young professionals come to grow their careers. You’ll find nightlife, nature, and job opportunities along with an iconic landscape. Before you pack up and move to San Francisco, here’s what to know about living in the Golden Gate City.
There's no shortage of reasons to move to San Francisco. With a prosperous housing market, economic growth, and plenty of sports teams, San Francisco is booming.
The walkable nature of the beautiful city, the draw of warm west coast living, and the opportunity for outdoor adventures, all make San Francisco one of the most sought-after locales in the US.
If you're thinking of packing your bags and becoming the newest Golden Gate City resident, you'll have to prepare your budget!
Luckily, we've got you covered.
Here's everything you need to know about the cost of living in San Francisco.
Considering a move to San Francisco? Before you start apartment hunting, learn about the local rental market. Make sure you know the average rent in San Francisco to get your budget started!