City Survey: Neighborhoods

The City Survey objectively assesses San Francisco residents’ use of and satisfaction with various city services. It was conducted annually from 1996 through 2005, and biennially from 2005 through 2019. The 2021 survey was skipped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and surveying was resumed for the 2023 survey.  

Ratings are scored on a scale of A-Excellent to F-Failing. Most outcomes in the City Survey are developed by averaging responses to create a mean score using a five-point grading scale (A equals five points and F equals one point). 

Many services historically had questions asking residents to rate subcomponents of services (such as cleanliness). When only the subcomponent questions were asked, the overall rating was calculated as an average of the subcomponents. Once a question was added that directly asked residents to provide an overall rating, that question is used as the overall rating.  

• Library ratings were an average of subcomponent ratings through 2015. 2017 on uses the overall rating.  
• Muni ratings were an average of subcomponent ratings through 2015. 2017 on uses the overall rating.  
• Street and sidewalk average rating in 2023 is an average of street and sidewalk cleanliness, street condition, and sidewalk and curb ramp condition. For 2011-2017, the average includes ratings for street lighting. In prior years, the Streets and sidewalks rating was combined with the Utilities rating for an overall infrastructure rating, but Streets and Sidewalks ratings are now separate from Utilities ratings and the data reported has been separated. 
• Parks ratings were an average of subcomponent ratings through 2009. 2011 on uses the overall rating. 
• Utilities ratings are an average of the water rating and sewer rating. CleanPowerSF and Hetch Hetchy power are included in the overall rating for 2023.  
• The Safety rating is an average of each resident’s grade of their feeling of safety in their neighborhood during the day and at night. 

In 2015, the survey methodology changed from mail to phone. In 2023 the survey methodology changed again to include phone, text, online, and intercept methods to reach a more representative sample of San Francisco residents. Therefore, differences in results from years prior to 2023 should be interpreted with caution.  

Survey results are weighted in order to make the sample more accurately match the distribution of San Francisco residents across demographic categories as reflected in the census. The averages displayed in reporting are the weighted averages. 

Neighborhoods

We asked respondents "What is an intersection (two cross streets) that is close to your primary residence?" Based on those cross streets, we assigned each respondent to a DataSF Analysis Neighborhood. We filtered neighborhoods with fewer than 10 responses from results because results aren't reliable with that few responses, to maintain accuracy: 

• Golden Gate Park 
• Japantown 
• Lincoln Park 
• McLaren Park 
• Presidio 
• Seacliff 
• Treasure Island 

Twenty-one percent of survey responses came in via in-person surveys, which were conducted to reach a survey population that is more representative of SF's overall population. Chinatown had a much larger population respond in-person (82%) compared to other neighborhoods. Through our testing, we found that this likely led to Chinatown having higher service ratings compared to other neighborhoods. 

View and download City Survey data 

View the 2023 survey instrument to see exact language used in each question.  

View the 2023 City Survey detailed methodology.  

Visit the City Survey home page for more information.