Centrality & Decentralization
In the report Measuring Sprawl 2014, Smart Growth America names San Francisco as the second “most compact, most connected metro area, nationally” [30]. This particular index is a good indicator of centrality—as the ranking is not based exclusively on population density, but instead on development density, a mixture of land uses and access to jobs, activity centering (proportion of businesses and people in proximity to them), and street accessibility [30]. San Francisco’s central business district developed in the northeast corner of the peninsula in the early 19th century—notably after the Gold Rush in 1848-49, when industry and business sprung up to accommodate the influx of miners and wealth. Since then, the northeastern area has maintained some of the highest levels of population density. A variety of factors have not only kept people in the area, but have also preserved a high degree of centrality. Such factors include: topography; location of businesses, services, attractions, and entertainment; and well-connected public transit. Overall, this allows the majority of San Franciscans to easily access goods and services for their daily life—ranging from necessities like health care facilities and transportation routes, to luxuries like certain retail stores and entertainment venues.
Although San Francisco ranks as one of the most densely connected American cities, it experienced post-World War II suburbanization just like much of the rest of the country. This led to an out-migration of white families—a trend that reversed in the early 2000s, when wealthier San Franciscans began to move back into the city and lower-income minority populations began to move out. For as much as the city offers in terms of public transportation and services, certain pockets of the city still lack adequate access to such amenities. These places are often on the fringe of San Francisco, where older suburban development is now home to economically struggling populations.
On a larger scale, the regional economy has led to a decentralization of jobs, and therefore a decentralization of population. With the rise of the Silicon Valley in the late 1990s and 2000s, other cities in the area have outpaced San Francisco in job creation. This decentralization of employment has significant implications for San Francisco. Even if people working outside the city still desire to live in it, they lack close access to this economic necessity. While San Francisco may continue to offer a mix of activities for daily and recreational life, the amount of jobs in the city will strongly impact the city’s degree of centrality in the future.
Although San Francisco ranks as one of the most densely connected American cities, it experienced post-World War II suburbanization just like much of the rest of the country. This led to an out-migration of white families—a trend that reversed in the early 2000s, when wealthier San Franciscans began to move back into the city and lower-income minority populations began to move out. For as much as the city offers in terms of public transportation and services, certain pockets of the city still lack adequate access to such amenities. These places are often on the fringe of San Francisco, where older suburban development is now home to economically struggling populations.
On a larger scale, the regional economy has led to a decentralization of jobs, and therefore a decentralization of population. With the rise of the Silicon Valley in the late 1990s and 2000s, other cities in the area have outpaced San Francisco in job creation. This decentralization of employment has significant implications for San Francisco. Even if people working outside the city still desire to live in it, they lack close access to this economic necessity. While San Francisco may continue to offer a mix of activities for daily and recreational life, the amount of jobs in the city will strongly impact the city’s degree of centrality in the future.
Although population density is not a conclusive measure of centrality, the below maps demonstrate the city has consistently maintained a high degree of density at its core. Click through the images to see San Francisco's population has settled over time; scroll over for more information.