Is San Francisco Safe? (Honest Advice, By a Local)

San Francisco is one of the most famous cities in the country, but recent news stories have caused people to wonder: is San Francisco safe? 

San Francisco is known for beautiful sights like the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf. However, media representations of crime, homelessness, and drug use in San Francisco are dominating the news. 

I’ve spent my entire life in the Bay Area, so I’ve seen SF evolve over the past 20 years. I’ll use my insider perspective to give you the local scoop on unsafe neighborhoods, crime, and how to safely visit San Francisco. 

Let’s jump in!

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Is San Francisco Safe?

San Francisco is generally a safe city. There are certain neighborhoods that visitors should avoid, but San Francisco’s best attractions are located in perfectly safe neighborhoods. Violent crime in San Francisco is low, but property crime, such as car break-ins, is significantly more common. 

San Francisco has been at the forefront of national debates around crime, homelessness, policing, and drug use in the past several years.

While some of what you hear about San Francisco is true, most of it is hyper-sensationalized news stories. I urge you not to jump aboard the media bandwagon that insists upon making SF out to be some crime-infested wasteland. 

I’ve lived in San Francisco for two years now, and luckily, I’ve never been a victim of a car break-in or other crime. 

But I’ve spent time in every neighborhood, and I’ve seen the different issues SF struggles with. I’m not naive to the city’s potential dangers, yet I still choose to live here.  You can have a wonderful time in San Francisco if you know the essential tips for staying safe.

Things to Know About Safety in San Francisco

Safe Neighborhoods and Areas in San Francisco

Most San Francisco neighborhoods are safe places to live and to visit. Some of the safest neighborhoods in San Francisco are NoPa, Nob Hill, North Beach, the Richmond District, and the Sunset District. These neighborhoods are all great ​​places to stay on a visit to SF. 

The unsafe areas of San Francisco are the Tenderloin, South of Market, and certain areas of Civic Center and the Mission District. 

The Tenderloin District is a small neighborhood in the center of San Francisco. It’s a historically gritty area with a high violent crime rate. The Tenderloin is also home to some wonderful community organizations that want to see the neighborhood improve. However, visitors should avoid this area.

Civic Center borders the Tenderloin and is home to San Francisco’s City Hall. Most areas of Civic Center are usually safe, but Market Street between Golden Gate and Hayes is a common area for drug deals. It’s fine to walk around during the day, but do not linger in this area at night. 

The SoMa neighborhood is south of Market Street. The area between Embarcadero and 3rd Street is safe to visit, but avoid walking anywhere from 4th to 8th Street, especially at night. Mission and Minna Streets in particular have a lot of open-air drug use, prostitution, and violence. 

The Mission District has many popular restaurants and bars, so it’s usually a well-populated spot. West of Valencia Street is typically safe, while east of Valencia begins to feel sketchier. Avoid the area of 16th Street between Mission and S Van Ness. This area is a hotspot for theft and violent crimes. 

Crime in San Francisco

The main type of crime to be aware of in San Francisco is theft, specifically car break-ins. 

Violent crime in San Francisco is lower than in other big cities like New York, Dallas, Seattle, and Phoenix. 

The August 2023 SFPD crime report shows that violent crime only makes up 11% of total crime reported in SF. This San Francisco crime dashboard keeps track of year-to-year crime data. Both show that your chances of being a victim of robbery or assault are low. On average, violent crime is highest in the Tenderloin, the Mission, and SoMa. 

It’s unlikely that you’ll be a victim of gun violence while visiting San Francisco. California has the strongest gun safety laws in the country. California also has one of the lowest gun death rates in the country, about 39% lower than the national average. 

San Francisco has lower violent crime rates, but higher property crime rates when compared to other large cities in the US. The majority of crime in SF is property crime, like car break-ins and pickpocketing. 

The most common property crime in San Francisco is a car break-in. As of August 2023, car break-ins made up 64% of larceny crimes and 41% of the total crime in San Francisco. 

It’s easy to see how prevalent break-ins are around the city by using the SF Chronicle’s car break-in tracker. Criminals do, unfortunately, target popular tourist destinations. Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, Alamo Park, and Union Square are hotspots for break-ins.  

Many thieves prey on unsuspecting tourists who leave items in their vehicles. Protect your car and your belongings by removing all items from sight. Never leave a laptop, luggage, or expensive jewelry in your car. 

Break-ins happen in parking garages and street parking areas. They can happen at any time of day. You should always take precautions to mitigate your risk. Or, better yet, take public transportation to get around San Francisco! 

Truthfully, most people I know have been victims of a car break-in at some point while living in San Francisco. It’s not really dangerous — it’s honestly just annoying. 

Common Scams in San Francisco

Some of the most common scams in San Francisco are impersonation scams. Scammers contact their victims through phone, text, or email. They impersonate a family member, friend, employer, or government agent, and ask for money. 

The scammer will often convince you that the situation is urgent: they need the money right away or else you could face some kind of punishment. A big red flag is anyone requesting cryptocurrency, gift cards, or immediate wire transfers. Scammers especially prey on folks whose first language isn’t English. 

Never give money, gift cards, or personal information to anyone over the phone or email without verifying their identity first. 

Hazardous Weather and Natural Disasters in San Francisco

Is San Francisco safe from natural disasters? Usually, yes. 

Earthquakes are the main natural disaster to be prepared for in San Francisco. Because SF sits on a fault line, there may occasionally be small or large quakes that shake the city. 

Luckily, most of San Francisco’s buildings have been updated to be earthquake-safe. In all my time living here, I have yet to experience anything other than occasional light shaking. However, residents and visitors should be earthquake-safe and know what to do if the big one hits. 

California has had catastrophic wildfire damage in recent years due to anthropogenic climate change. 

Most wildfires occur about 2-3 hours away from San Francisco and do not pose a threat to people in the city. However, during intense fires, the smoke can cause horrible air pollution in the San Francisco Bay Area. Be sure to check the air quality and stay inside at unhealthy levels. 

Finally, visitors should be careful when visiting Ocean Beach. It’s a lovely place to take a beach walk or watch surfers, but it also has intense riptides. People have occasionally drowned there over the years, so be careful when swimming and know what to do if you get caught in a riptide. 

Post-Pandemic San Francisco

One of the biggest changes in downtown San Francisco has been due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies show that downtown San Francisco has struggled the most to recover from the pandemic when compared to other large and mid-sized cities. 

Office vacancy is at an all-time high. Only about 45% of office buildings in downtown San Francisco are full, which is much lower than other comparably sized cities. 

The reason? It’s tech for the most part. Tech companies make up a huge proportion of the office space in downtown SF. Most of these companies have embraced remote work in the years since 2020, and many workers have no reason to commute into downtown San Francisco anymore. 

Locals point to the lack of foot traffic downtown as a reason why crimes like shoplifting have increased in these areas. Some businesses are leaving, especially the big retail moguls around Union Square. 

These developments pose more of a concern for small business owners and San Francisco locals than it does for tourists. 

Homelessness in San Francisco

Well, what about San Francisco’s homeless population? 

While many people tend to associate homeless people and camps with crime, increases in homeless camps are not correlated with increases in property crime. 

There’s also a common assumption that homeless people use their money to buy drugs and alcohol. It’s helpful to remember that people with houses do this too. 

San Francisco has a large proportion of unhoused folks who live on the street, and needs better social services and support for people dealing with drug use or mental illness. But most of the homeless population in SF is not going to bother you.

Solo Female Traveler Safety

San Francisco is a good place for solo female travelers. I’ve walked around San Francisco by myself plenty of times, and I usually feel safe. However, solo female travelers should take certain precautions to mitigate their risk.

Stay alert, never leave your drink unattended, lock your car immediately after getting in, and don’t give out personal information to strangers. Avoid San Francisco’s more unsafe neighborhoods and stick to well-lit streets when walking at night. 

LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Safety

San Francisco is a very safe place for the gay community. The San Francisco Bay Area has the highest percentage of openly LGBTQ+ residents of any major city in the nation. 

The Castro and Mission neighborhoods have a large variety of gay bars, queer-owned businesses, and resources for the LGBTQ+ population. 

San Francisco is a pretty diverse city. The Bay Area has deep roots in Black, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American cultures. However, it’s no secret that the predominantly white tech sector continues to expand in the city. Many long-time residents of color are being forced out. 

Thanks to the efforts of community organizations, SF has a good amount of resources and support for residents of color. The city needs to do more to address the racial inequities present in the Bay Area. But overall, San Francisco is a safe place for BIPOC folks to visit and live. 

Nightlife Safety

Nightlife in San Francisco is fun, but take precautions when using drugs or alcohol. 

In 2020-2021, more people in the Bay Area died of fentanyl overdoses than COVID-19.

Fentanyl is cheaply made and very powerful. It is commonly mixed with a lot of other drugs, including cocaine, heroin, and meth. Many times, users are unaware that the drug they are consuming contains fentanyl. This can cause a deadly overdose. 

Carry Narcan when going to places where drugs may be present, such as clubs or concert venues. Narcan is an emergency medication that can reverse an opiate overdose. Familiarize yourself with the other ways to prevent overdose. It may help save someone’s life. 

Never accept drugs from anyone that you do not know and trust. Test all of your drugs for fentanyl if you are going to use drugs. You can get these test kits for free from many community organizations in San Francisco. 

Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in San Francisco?

Tap water is safe to drink in San Francisco. San Francisco’s water mainly comes from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park. San Francisco tap water is some of the best you’ll find — it’s sourced straight from the mountains. 

5 Safety Tips for San Francisco

Tip #1 – Do Not Leave Anything Visible In Your Parked Car

The most common crime in San Francisco is a car break-in. Do not leave anything in your car, not even for 5 minutes. A smash-and-grab can take less than 10 seconds. The thieves smash the window, grab everything they can, and speed away in another vehicle. 

Can I leave a water bottle inside? No. What about a phone charger? No. What about an empty plastic bag? No. I mean it, literally nothing should be visible. 

Follow these safety tips to prevent car break-ins. Lock your vehicle, never leave any items visible, and take all personal information out of your glove box. 

Tip #2 – Avoid Empty Cars on Public Transportation

This is my best local tip, gained from experience: when traveling on BART or Muni, do not get into a car with no one else in it. 

There is usually a reason why other commuters have chosen to leave that car empty. Someone may be using drugs or experiencing a mental health crisis inside. It’s best to let them be and choose a more populated car.

Tip #3 – Buy A Catalytic Converter Shield

Catalytic converter theft has increased nationwide in recent years. Catalytic converters are easy to remove in less than a minute, and the parts are sold for thousands of dollars. 

I got my catalytic converter stolen once – not in SF, but in a suburban neighborhood in the East Bay. It’s happening everywhere. Investing in a shield for your catalytic converter could save you a lot of trouble down the road if you’re planning a permanent move to San Francisco. 

Tip #4 – Know Where You’re Going Ahead of Time

The best way to avoid a sticky situation in San Francisco is to know precisely where you’re going ahead of time. Know which neighborhoods you want to see and which neighborhoods you want to avoid. 

The less time you can spend looking at your phone for directions while walking down the street, the better. You increase your risk of getting pickpocketed if people can tell you’re not paying attention to your surroundings. 

Have your itinerary mapped out ahead of time, and have a plan for how to get around. If you need to stop for directions, try to duck into a nearby coffee shop or restaurant. 

Tip #5 – Don’t Visit Golden Gate Park at Night

Visiting Golden Gate Park is one of the best things to do in San Francisco. The park is full of charm, activities, and wide open space during the day. However, most people vacate the park after sundown, and you should too. 

At night, Golden Gate Park can become slightly more dangerous. The risk of being a victim of theft or aggravated assault increases. The park is dark, large, and has many forested paths where unsavory characters might hang out. 

Golden Gate Park also has a lot of coyotes who come out at night. Walk your dogs well before dusk to avoid a potentially dangerous coyote encounter.  

FAQs About Safety in San Francisco

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Is San Francisco safe? Visiting and living in San Francisco is generally safe. SF struggles with crime like most large cities, but it does not dissuade millions of visitors from flocking to the city each year. 

Now that you have these SF safety tips, you can start planning your trip. Check out my perfect San Francisco itinerary to get started!