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San Francisco, California packs roughly 800,000 people into seven dense, hilly square miles, which makes it one of the most walkable, transit-rich cities in the country and a very different student experience from a typical college town. The University of San Francisco sits up on a hill near the geographic center, just off Golden Gate Park, so Dons spread out into the surrounding residential neighborhoods rather than clustering on one strip. You've got the Inner Richmond and Inner Sunset flanking the park, the Haight nearby, and Golden Gate Park itself as a giant green backyard with the Conservatory, museums, and trails. The fog rolls in, the hills are real, and civic life runs year-round from Pride to neighborhood street fairs.
Quiet, foggy, residential streets just north of Golden Gate Park, a short walk or bus from USF and a longtime student favorite.
The park's south side, low-key and residential with quick transit to campus, popular with students who want calm.
Artsy and lively just east of campus, walkable or a fast bike ride, suited to students who want character and nightlife.
Here's what you need to know about getting around San Francisco.
The Muni system, with buses, light-rail, and the historic streetcars, blankets the city, and several lines run right past or near campus. You can reach the university, downtown, and the beach without driving. Regional BART trains connect you across the Bay to the East Bay and the airport, and the ferries and Caltrain extend your reach down the Peninsula. Between Muni and the regional rail, most USF students get around entirely without a car.
The city is dense and walkable, though the hills are no joke. Biking works if you are up for the climbs, and many students combine walking with transit for daily trips. Campus and its surrounding neighborhoods are compact enough to cover on foot. San Francisco is one of the most walkable cities in the country, so getting around without a car is the norm.
Parking is scarce and stressful across the city. Between Muni, walking, and the occasional rideshare, students usually skip the car entirely and come out ahead. Most USF students do not have a car, and the dense, hilly streets make owning one more hassle than help. For the rare trip a car would suit, a rideshare is usually the easier call.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
San Francisco is one of the pricier student markets in the country, so most students share. A room in a shared apartment near USF commonly runs about $1,200-$1,800/month per person depending on the neighborhood and the place, and central or nicer areas push higher, often $1,800-$2,400/month for a private room. Splitting a larger flat with several roommates is how most students make it work.
Browse student housing near each San Francisco-area university.