Overall safety
City survey asks residents to rate their feelings of safety in their neighborhood during the day and at night. The reported overall safety rating is an average of those two grades.
Data notes and sources
Data notes and sources
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).
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.
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.
What does the 2023 data show?
The 2023 survey results show a decrease in overall feelings of safety. The C+ average grade (3.3) is the lowest grade since 1996.
Feelings of safety by demographics
Why do we track this data by demographics and neighborhood?
A person's race, age, gender, or LGBTQIA+ identity has an impact on how safe they feel in the City. Looking at this data by demographics helps us understand how different groups' feelings of safety might change over time.
Which neighborhood a resident lives in also can impact their feelings of safety. Looking at data by neighborhood helps us see where people are feeling more or less safe and could help inform resource allocation.
Data notes and sources
Data notes and sources
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.
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.
Demographic and Neighborhood Information
The City Survey collects demographic characteristics of respondents to ensure the sample mirrors the demographic characteristics of the population and to disaggregate results by demographic or geographic breakdowns. Because some demographic groups are too small to report accurate results, additional data cleaning is done for reporting.
Gender: male and female categorizations throughout the survey include those identifying as Trans and those not identifying as Trans. Genderqueer, Non-Binary, and Not Listed options were available in the 2019 and 2023 surveys.
LGBTQIA+: LGBTQIA+ categorizations within the City Survey include the following:
-
Gender: Trans Male, Trans Female, Genderqueer, Non-Binary, Not Listed, Other
-
Sexual Orientation: Asexual, Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Same-Gender Loving, Not Listed, Other, Questioning, Unsure
Race: race categories have changed since the survey was first launched in 1996. Groups are combined in 2023 in order to make comparisons across time and report results accurately. In 2023, Asian or Asian American was combined with Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Middle Eastern or North African and American Indian or Alaska Native were combined into an “Other” category.
Age: To maintain standardization across all survey years, age categorizations were summarized into the following 6 categories: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54. 55-64, and 65 and over.
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.
What does the 2023 data show?
Since 2019, safety ratings across all demographic categories have decreased.
Younger residents (under 45) generally feel safer than older residents (45 and older). Feelings of safety decreased for all age groups in 2023.
Both male and female respondents reported lower feelings of safety than in 2019. Female respondents continue to report lower safety ratings than male respondents.
In 2023, LGBTQIA+ residents report feeling safer that non-LGBTQIA+ residents. However, most LGBTQIA+ survey respondents also report races and genders that generally say they feel safer.
Asian or Pacific Islander respondents have the lowest safety ratings.
Residents in the Financial District/South Beach, Visitacion Valley, and Pacific Heights have the lowest safety ratings.
Police ratings
The 2023 City Survey is the first to ask residents to grade the police. Respondents graded both their trust in San Francisco police officers and the quality of police services in their neighborhood on an A to F scale. The overall police rating is an average of the two grades.
Why do we look at this data by demographics and neighborhood?
People of different backgrounds have different histories with policing in the US. It's important to disaggregate police ratings by race, gender, age, and LGBTQIA+ status see trends by demographics. This helps show if different groups have much higher or lower police ratings.
Neighborhood characteristics may also result in different police grades in different areas of the City. Looking at police ratings by neighborhood help show if where a resident lives impacts the way they grade the police.
Data notes and sources
Data notes and sources
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.
The police rating is an average of each resident’s grade of the quality of police services in their neighborhood and their trust in San Francisco police.
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.
Demographic and Neighborhood Information
The City Survey collects demographic characteristics of respondents to ensure the sample mirrors the demographic characteristics of the population and to disaggregate results by demographic or geographic breakdowns. Because some demographic groups are too small to report accurate results, additional data cleaning is done for reporting.
Gender: male and female categorizations throughout the survey include those identifying as Trans and those not identifying as Trans. Genderqueer, Non-Binary, and Not Listed options were available in the 2019 and 2023 surveys.
LGBTQIA+: LGBTQIA+ categorizations within the City Survey include the following:
-
Gender: Trans Male, Trans Female, Genderqueer, Non-Binary, Not Listed, Other
-
Sexual Orientation: Asexual, Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Same-Gender Loving, Not Listed, Other, Questioning, Unsure
Race: race categories have changed since the survey was first launched in 1996. Groups are combined in 2023 in order to make comparisons across time and report results accurately. In 2023, Asian or Asian American was combined with Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Middle Eastern or North African and American Indian or Alaska Native were combined into an “Other” category.
Age: To maintain standardization across all survey years, age categorizations were summarized into the following 6 categories: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54. 55-64, and 65 and over.
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.
What does the 2023 data show?
There is limited variation in police ratings by age group, although residents who are 65+ have slightly higher ratings.
Female and male respondents rated the police similarly. People with non-binary gender identities have much lower ratings. They also comprise only 1% of the total survey population so the small sample means survey results may not accurately reflect this population’s ratings.
LGBTQIA+ residents have lower police ratings.
Black or African American residents gave the lowest police ratings. Asian or Pacific Islander residents have the highest police ratings.
Residents in the Tenderloin and Potrero Hill gave the lowest police ratings, while North Beach, Portola, and Chinatown graded police the highest.
Find out more
Visit the City Survey home page to find additional reporting and information from 2023 as well as previous years.