San Francisco Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (35/100)
Is San Francisco safe right now? Checked 17 October 2026
San Francisco scores 35/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: exercise normal security precautions. The US State Department does not issue advice for United States. No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Political instability (score 10)
Crime (score 48)
September 27, 2026
San Francisco, United States has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 35 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is crime at 48/100; the lowest-rated category is political instability at 10/100; last updated September 27, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the United States travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is San Francisco to visit in 2026?
San Francisco currently sits at 35/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine with normal precautions, but a few categories below score high enough that planning matters. The highest-rated risk category for San Francisco is crime (48/100), and the lowest is political instability (10/100). This page was last updated on September 27, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: natural hazards (58/100) and security (35/100).
A score of 35 is higher than 29% of the cities we score.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 16, 2026
San Francisco currently maintains a moderate risk baseline safety score of 35 out of 100, alongside a recent green earthquake alert and a global Level 1 CDC dengue health notice. Recent local news includes privacy protests over surveillance technology and a criminal charge regarding a fatal collision.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 17, 2026 18:36 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Crime (score 48/100): Use registered taxis or ride-share apps. Keep electronics out of sight in public transit. Read recent reviews for your specific neighborhood.
- Government advisory (score 35/100): Read your country's current official advisory within 7 days of travel. Register with your embassy on arrival if available.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in San Francisco
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Daytime conditions are generally secure along major corridors and commercial districts. Keep bags zipped and avoid displaying high-value items openly.
Risk levels elevate noticeably after dark outside main central zones. Avoid walking alone through unlit parks, alleys, or quiet transit stations; favor pre-booked door-to-door transport.
Safety by Traveler Type in San Francisco
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
No group-specific warning is triggered in San Francisco for solo travelers (Crime 48/100 · Transport 20/100), women traveling solo (Crime 48/100), families with children (Health 15/100 · Natural disaster 12/100), older travelers (Health 15/100 · Transport 20/100), business travelers (Digital 40/100 · Money 45/100 · Transport 20/100) and lgbtq+ travelers (Advisory 35/100 · Political 10/100): these scores sit in the low-to-moderate range, so standard precautions apply. Local laws affecting LGBTQ+ travelers and gender-specific incident rates are not captured in our scores; check your government's travel guidance.
View complete category score breakdown & baseline metrics
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
Live conditions in San Francisco
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Official travel advisory
The US State Department does not issue advice for United States.
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
-
Green earthquake (Magnitude 5.6M, Depth:1km) in United States 15/10/2026 11:07 UTC, 9 thousand in MMI>=III. GREEN · country-wide · 2026-10-15
On 10/15/2026 11:07:01 AM, an earthquake occurred in United States potentially affecting 9 thousand in MMI>=III. The earthquake had Magnitude 5.6M, Depth:1km.
-
Green flood alert in United States GREEN · country-wide · 2026-05-21
On 19/05/2026, a flood started in United States, lasting until 16/10/2026 (last update). The flood caused 29 deaths and 2292 displaced .
-
Drought is on going in Mexico, United States GREEN · country-wide · 2026-04-30
The Drought notification level is Green.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-10-17 18:36:16 UTC
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
Most flood events within 100 km of San Francisco happened in February, November and December (3 of 3 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the United States travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the United States entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-17 18:36:16 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit San Francisco
The most weather-stable two-month window for San Francisco is August–September, when typical daily temperatures run from about 12°C to 22°C and monthly rain averages 3 mm.
No threshold-level heat, cold, wind, or cyclone flag appears in the stored normals; January is the wettest typical month at about 94 mm.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Sep 5, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in San Francisco
San Francisco has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 5 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 5 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: CPMC California Campus
- Hospital: CPMC Davies Campus
- Hospital: CPMC Mission Bernal Campus
- Hospital: CPMC Van Ness Campus
- Hospital: Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Geary Campus
- Hospital: Laguna Honda Hospital And Rehabilitation Center
- Hospital: Saint Mary's Medical Center
- Hospital: San Francisco General Hospital
- Hospital: UC Medical Center Moffett & Long Hospitals
- Hospital: UCSF Mount Zion Campus
- Police: California Highway Patrol
- Police: Golden Gate Park Police Station
- Police: Ingleside Police Station
- Police: Mission Police Station
- Police: Northern Police Station
- Police: Park Police Station
- Police: Richmond Police Station
- Police: San Francisco Police Academy
- Police: Taraval Police Station
- Police: Tenderloin Police Station
- Embassy: Consulate General of El Salvador
- Embassy: Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco
- Embassy: Consulate General of People's Republic of China
- Embassy: Consulate General of the Republic of Korea
- Embassy: Yemen Consulate
- Pharmacy: CarePlus / CVS
- Pharmacy: CVS Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: CVS Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Walgreens
- Pharmacy: Walgreens
- Pharmacy: Walgreens
- Pharmacy: Walgreens
- Pharmacy: Walgreens
- Pharmacy: Walgreens
- Pharmacy: Walgreens
- Fire station: San Francisco Fire Station 11
- Fire station: San Francisco Fire Station 12
- Fire station: San Francisco Fire Station 20
- Fire station: San Francisco Fire Station 24
- Fire station: San Francisco Fire Station 6
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (United States)
| Police | 911 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 911 |
| Fire | 911 |
| General | 911 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Medical access
| Hospital access | low |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | low |
| Emergency response | low |
| English-speaking care | unknown |
| Evacuation complexity | low |
The provided sources did not contain specific information on hospital capacity, emergency response times, English‑language medical services, pharmacy availability, or evacuation difficulty in San Francisco. Travelers should consult up‑to‑date local health resources before their trip.
Common scam patterns
- Unlicensed rideshare at SFO. Scammers pose as rideshare or taxi drivers at San Francisco International Airport, offering flat‑rate rides that far exceed official fares. They may also take longer routes to increase the charge. Tip: Use only official Lyft, Uber pick‑up zones or metered taxis and verify the vehicle’s license plate before boarding.
- Sob story panhandling at Fisherman's Wharf. Individuals approach tourists with emotional stories, asking for cash donations while subtly attempting to distract them. In many cases they combine the plea with a quick pickpocket attempt. Tip: Politely decline donations and keep your belongings secure, staying aware of your surroundings.
- Credit Card Skimming. Fraudsters install hidden devices on ATMs or payment terminals to capture card data when travelers enter their PIN. The stolen information can later be used for unauthorized purchases. Tip: Cover the keypad when typing your PIN and inspect machines for any unusual attachments before use.
Area notes
- Union Square. Heavily trafficked with strong police presence and good lighting, making it one of the safer downtown spots.
- Fisherman's Wharf. Popular waterfront area with many visitors; petty theft is common, so stay alert.
- Tenderloin. Known for higher property‑crime rates and visible homelessness; visitors should limit time spent there, especially after dark.
Nearest embassies & consulates
Find your home country's diplomatic mission in United States for consular support, lost passports, or citizen emergencies:
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Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | 46 → 35 | moderate | Data update scoring v2 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 27 → 46 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Jul 21, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
| May 15, 2026 | — → 33 | moderate | Data update Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + Global Peace Index references) |
Every editorial change to San Francisco's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
View full data sources, coverage scope, and registry notes
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for San Francisco
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for San Francisco, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.