Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights
Local eateries and markets on upbeat Cole Street
Three northern blocks of Cole Street are the neighborhood’s main commercial center, a mecca for small businesses and local eateries. Once a comedy club where Robin Williams performed, the family-owned Crepes on Cole now serves savory and sweet crepes from morning through dessert. Locals can dine at the 1930s-style soda fountain at Ice Cream Bar or try Middle Eastern comfort food like hummus and falafel at Beit Rima. Beloved since it opened in 1992, traditional French bistro Zazie is a local favorite with an extensive wine list. Residents stop off for snacks and groceries at Luke's Local and pore over the global vintages at Adel’s Wine Cellar. Fresh produce can be found a few blocks east of the neighborhood at Upper Terrace Market, while Whole Foods is just north in The Haight district.
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Golden Gate greenery
This area used to be a humbler landscape of dairy farms, which helps to explain the hundreds of acres of green space that now surround it. These days, locals enjoy the oak woodlands of Buena Vista Park, the trail-laced Mount Sutro Open Space and the sprawl of Golden Gate Park. Near the latter’s border with Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights is Koret Children’s Quarter, with an epic playground for climbing and swinging, plus the delightfully detailed menagerie of the 1914 Herschel-Spillman carousel. Elevation is a thing in Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights, and it gets sunnier and windier in the community’s upper reaches. The rocky tumble of Tank Hill, the romantic Monument Way Stairs and the memorial-capped Mount Olympus invite residents and visitors to climb, stroll, linger and watch the city unfurl below. Closer to sea level, the neighborhood’s Grattan Park includes a wooden climbing structure, a small community center and lighted tennis courts.
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Colorful, bombastic Victorian architecture
Dating from the 1870s through the early 1900s, the well-preserved Victorian homes and buildings here are a colorful display of ornate woodwork and decorative trim, peaked and flat rooflines, raised front porches, bay windows and stained glass. Single-family houses are peppered amid three-story homes carved into condos. Both tend to have one-car garages, small backyards and a little tree shade. Higher in the hills, homebuyers will find a dashing display of architectural styles, from earthy, eccentric Craftsman homes to renovated Marina style dwellings. Condos are more commonly found on the market, ranging from $1.2 million to $3 million, while single-family homes list for $3 million to $5 million.
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Highly rated public and private schools
Students can attend Grattan Elementary, which earns an A-minus rating from Niche, before moving on to A-minus-rated Giannini Middle School, where test scores soar well above average. Nearby Independence High, rated B-plus, is an alternative school offering independent courses of study. Also in the neighborhood is the private, international Lycée Français de San Francisco, a French immersion school serving Pre-K through 12 that earns an A-plus rating.The Cole Valley Fair
Events inspire residents of all ages to gather. During the Belvedere Street Halloween festivities, kids and adults show off their costumed creativity, while the Cole Valley Improvement Association hosts the annual Cole Valley Fair. The festival features local artists, food vendors, live music, kids’ events and a block’s worth of neighbors’ vintage cars.Getting around San Francisco
About 100 years ago, there was a streetcar stop at the intersection of Cole and Carl streets; today it’s home to a stop for the Muni light rail's N Judah Line. Several bus lines serve the neighborhood, and the 16th Street Mission BART station is about a mile east. For air travel, it’s about 15 miles to the San Francisco International Airport, a heavily trafficked airport with dozens of nonstop flights departing daily.
Written By
Daniel Berti
Video By
Jahlil Harris
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Agents Specializing in this Area
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Cooper Gaines
Cooper Gaines
eXp Realty of Northern California, Inc.
(650) 502-6235
68 Total Sales
1 in Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights
$1,725,000 Price
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Denis Lancerin
Denis Lancerin
City Real Estate
(510) 930-1573
70 Total Sales
2 in Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights
$990K - $1.4M Price Range
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David Juarez
David Juarez
Compass
(628) 201-6902
78 Total Sales
1 in Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights
$1,500,000 Price
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Amanda F. Swain
Amanda F. Swain
LIV Sotheby's International Realty - Mountain Village
(415) 340-1755
17 Total Sales
1 in Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights
$1,600,000 Price
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Amanda Jones
Amanda Jones
Compass
(628) 228-6755
82 Total Sales
2 in Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights
$1.7M - $2.6M Price Range
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Heather Stoltz
Heather Stoltz
Responds QuicklyBerkshire Hathaway-Franciscan
(510) 616-4565
51 Total Sales
1 in Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights
$930,000 Price
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- 9th to 12th
- Public
- 6th to 8th
- Public
- K to 5th
- Public
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Richard Gamble Memorial Park
- Basketball
- Picnic Area
- Tennis
Grattan Park
- Basketball
- Picnic Area
- Tennis
Interior Greenbelt
Kezar Triangle
Mount Sutro
- Trails
- Hiking
Tank Hill Park
- Trails
- Hiking
Transit
Airport
San Francisco International
26 min drive
Subway
Carl And Cole
Subway
Carl And Stanyan
Subway
Carl Street And Hillway Avenue
Bus
Stanyan St & Frederick St
Bus
Cole St & Alma St
Bus
Parnassus Ave & Shrader St
Bus
Cole St & Frederick St
Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 2 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 2 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 2 | 4 |
| Robbery | 4 | 4 |
| Burglary | 5 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 4 | 4 |
| Larceny | 4 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 4 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights, San Francisco sell after 123 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Cole Valley/Parnassus Heights, San Francisco over the last 12 months is $365,000, down 28% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$353,000
Median Sale Price
$365,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$328,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
0%
Last 12 months Home Sales
22
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
-28%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$212
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
1,023
Number of Homes for Sale
2
Median Year Built
1913
Months of Supply
1.10
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
2,306
Above the national average
1,927
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,916
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,192
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
752
Average Studio Size Sq Ft
464
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
2,613
Open Houses
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Sunday, Jul 272 - 4pm
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Saturday, Jul 261 - 3pm
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
6,267
Median Age
40
Population Density
41 ppl/acre
Population under 18
18.5%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
15.8%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$176,896
Significantly above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$195,258
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
98%
College Graduates
79.2%
Significantly above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
39.2%
Significantly above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
77%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
22''
Average Winter Low Temperature
46°F
Average Summer High Temperature
68°F
Annual Snowfall
0''
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
65
/ 100
Walker's Paradise
Walk Score®
95
/ 100
Good Transit
Transit Score®
69
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
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