San Francisco has many longstanding rumors that both tourists and locals alike love to ponder their factuality, one being if San Francisco does in fact have more dogs residing here than children.
With the city being such a dog-loving environment, from our many parks to our pup-friendly bars and cafes, it seems as though you tend to see more furry companions roaming around than kids. We have the research to uncover the truth behind this puzzling notion, with some pretty hair-raising answers.
See also: Where Are San Francisco's Steepest Hills?
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This ever-popular question has been investigated by many outlets over the years, and it first began to gain some notoriety in 2016 after the American Community Survey found that there were only around 115,000 children under the age of 18 in San Francisco. Additionally, San Francisco Animal Care and Control gave an estimate of between 120,000 to 150,000 total dogs in the city at the same time.
In 2018, results from the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that out of San Francisco's population of 883,305, there were only 18,362.87 minors, making up 13.4%.
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The San Francisco Civil Grand Jury even looked into this phenomenon, acknowledging the estimate of dog residents and stating, "If we follow the national averages established by the American Veterinary Medical Association, which are that 36.5 percent of households have an average of 1.6 dogs each, that calculates out to 229,512 dogs living in our households, plus another unknown number, say about 2,500 dogs, living with our homeless population, for a total of about 232,000 dogs.”
A report from Air Mail in 2019 further suggested that "the city’s demographic is skewing younger and richer, and people are staying single for longer, having fewer children, and procuring dogs." The rapidly shifting socioeconomic demographics were given more credence when KQED News also addressed the recent rising cost of living that seems to deter people from wanting to start families here.
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Most recently in 2020, Census results from The San Francisco Chronicle determined that the population of children 18 and under dipped from 13.4% in 2010 to now 13%, where it used to be 16% in the 90s. Below is a shaded map that displays which specific neighborhoods have the most and least children, with the darker blues indicating more kids in it.
It’s conventional wisdom in San Francisco that the Tenderloin has the highest percentage of kids per capita than any other neighborhood. But it’s actually far down the list. No. 1 is….Seacliff?! Interesting data crunching by @susieneilson. https://t.co/0zG52ZPvwY
— Heather Knight (@hknightsf) May 24, 2022
The neighborhoods with the highest amounts of children residing are, naturally, the more quietly suburban and residential Bayview (with almost 10,000 minors), Seacliff, Presidio, and Glen Park communities, all with over 20%.
The least amounts were seen in Nob Hill, Lincoln Park, and Japantown. All of this data contributes to San Francisco being the most childless city in the nation, and as the Chronicle predicts, "it’s likely that the youth populations of these neighborhoods will drop even more in the coming decade."
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Such factors for these numbers aside from increasing housing costs and affordability difficulties could be assumed from a variety of interacting changing intersectional sociocultural, gender, generational, and educational trends for city residents, with our tech industry inviting younger individuals with different life goals and lifestyles.
As for dog ownership, expect to see a consistent uptick from these trends, as Grand View Research projects that the pet care market will be worth $232.14 billion by 2030 with dogs as the biggest source, as reported in April of 2022.
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Whether it be the easier maintenance, their cuteness, or practice for potential future parenthood, no matter the reasons for having a dog in the city, it is guaranteed that San Francisco definitely provides plenty of thoughtfully accessible treats to cater to both you and your furry companion.
See also: Best SF Dog-Friendly Cafes
Photography by: sabina fratila/Unsplash
