Is San Francisco Safe? Unsafe neighborhoods and dangerous areas (2024)

I am often asked this question: is San Francisco dangerous? On the one hand, it would be wrong to say that it is 100% safe, but on the other hand, I would like to say that there is no need to be overly alarmed, because if you stay in the tourist districts, you should not have any problems, especially during the day.

Is San Francisco Safe?

I can use my personal experience as an example: I have walked around the most interesting districts of the city and I was always perfectly safe. You can see many homeless people and “eccentric characters” (even the inhabitants of San Francisco say that their city is full of crazy people!), but for the most part, they are not violent. I can’t say that I ever felt in danger, and many other people who I have talked to have said the same thing. There must be a reason why 95% of people who come back from San Francisco (including myself) talk about it as an unforgettable city!

Clearly, the reputation of being dangerous is not just a legend or a rumor. The fact that some districts of San Francisco are not safe is confirmed by statistical studies, numerous news stories, and a significant amount of evidence from tourists and locals. Therefore, when you read the comments to our article on where to stay in San Francisco, it makes sense that a high percentage of your questions are about the safety of the neighborhoods and where you found accommodations.

Furthermore, besides asking for advice on where not to stay in San Francisco, people often give us a specific address (for example: “I found a hotel at the intersection of Bush St and Larkin St: is it a safe area? Help!”), in the hope that we can confirm whether or not the hotel selected is in the safest area possible.

It is true that hotels and accommodations in San Francisco are among the most expensive in the United States. When searching on Booking.com or similar sites, you could easily be scared off by the rates for hotels located in the best neighborhoods, so understandably you would look for cheaper solutions in the suburbs. Prices are lower as you get farther from the city, of course, but at what cost? Is the area you have chosen safe, during the day and at night? This concern is relevant not only if you are looking for accommodations in San Francisco. Let’s say you found a restaurant or a point of interest in a neighborhood you don’t know well. Are you sure it’s a good idea to go there alone late in the evening?

For all these reasons, we thought we’d take an overview of the neighborhoods of San Francisco to avoid based on the amount of danger and crime, such as theft, drug dealing, or, even worse, shootings and murders.

Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in San Francisco

Tenderloin

Have you seen Muccino’s movie The Pursuit of Happyness? Before becoming a successful entrepreneur, homeless Chris Gardner (Will Smith) lived with his son in Tenderloin and made a living as a salesman. This is not just a fictional place created by Hollywood. Tenderloin, especially south of the Civic Center, is known to be the most infamous neighborhood downtown.

Because Tenderloin is near busy squares and neighborhoods such as Union Square, Nob Hill, or Market Street, you may pass through it briefly. Some areas of this neighborhood are undergoing urban redevelopment (gentrification). Nevertheless, I advise you to avoid it at all costs if you don’t want to take unnecessary risks. The most dangerous areas are around Turk Street, Olive Street, and Taylor Street, but locals generally advise you not to wander too far in the area south of California Avenue.

Mission

Mission is the Latino neighborhood of San Francisco. There are some points of interest that may make you decide to visit this neighborhood, such as the famous murals that represent scenes and images mostly related to Mexican culture, which is very present here. If you want to stay in Mission, I suggest you find accommodations on the West Side, towards Castro. The further east you go into the Mission District, the less safe it becomes.

The areas north of the neighborhood towards SoMa are also unsafe. You have to be extremely careful around Valencia Street and Guerrero Street. While it is true that there are some very beautiful murals that would be worth seeing, perhaps in the middle of the day, it is also true that this area is overrun by crime, theft, and robberies. You should absolutely avoid this area after 9 pm.

SoMa

Market Street is a long street that cuts through the heart of San Francisco and goes from Embarcadero to Castro. It is very likely that you will find yourself passing through it, especially if you arrive at Powell Street Station from the airport as I did. It is literally a stone’s throw from Union Square, right where downtown San Francisco begins. There are cable car stops at 5th Street and Powell Street that are always lively and crowded. It would seem that this area is pretty safe.

However, south of Market Street there is an old industrial district, but despite the well-intentioned attempts to rebuild the area, it remains quite dangerous. We recommend that you be especially careful on the streets that go south of the section between 4th and 10th. The streets from 4th to the Embarcadero are safer, but I would recommend that you avoid the rest of SoMa.

Golden Gate Park

Although Golden Gate Park may be a very fascinating place to visit during the day, it is unsafe to go there at night. If you read our article dedicated to Golden Gate Park you will know that there are many spectacular things to see at this park during the daytime. My advice, however, is to not walk around the park at night, because under the cover of darkness, the paths and gardens become the “home” of many homeless people and the ideal place to sell or rob couples when no one else is around.

South San Francisco Dangerous Areas

I’ll try to be brief. You should definitely not look for accommodations or recklessly venture into the suburbs south of San Francisco. Although I’ve never been to these neighborhoods (there’s no reason to go), the statistics speak for themselves. The crime rate is very high in these neighborhoods: Bayview, Hunters Point, Outer Mission, Western Addition, Crocker-Amazon, Excelsior, Visitacion Valley, Oceanview.

Parts of San Francisco to Avoid: Map

So, um… Where Can You Stay Overnight in San Francisco?

So if these are the areas to avoid when you stay in and visit San Francisco, what are the recommended neighborhoods in San Francisco where you can look for a hotel? To answer this question, we have published an article with our recommendations.

Tips on where to stay in San Francisco