Survey of San Francisco Residents Shows Steady or Improved Ratings for City Services Since 2023

SAN FRANCISCO — The Controller's Office today released results of the 2026 City Survey, offering a snapshot of how San Francisco residents feel about core City services and general quality of life. Between April and June 2026, a random sample of 2,505 San Francisco residents aged 18 and older rated public services and infrastructure across seven areas: government, safety, libraries, parks, Muni, streets, and utilities. Respondents assigned a letter grade from A (Excellent) to F (Failing) and, in some cases, answered additional questions.

The 2023 survey found resident perceptions at an all-time low in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2026 results suggest those perceptions are beginning to trend upward.

Key takeaways include:

• All service area ratings held steady or improved since 2023. Average grades for City services in 2026 ranged from C+ to B+.
• Safety and overall government ratings saw the largest gains from 2023 to 2026.
• Libraries and parks earned the highest average ratings among City services, as they have in every survey since at least 2017.
• Homelessness and affordability remain top concerns. Homelessness continued to be among the most frequently cited issues, and a larger share of residents named cost of living and housing affordability as top concerns.
• Residents reported visiting downtown more often. Nightlife, dining, and shopping saw the largest increases in downtown visits, with work, arts, and cultural events also rising significantly.

The survey also asked residents to identify the top issues facing San Francisco and to report how often they visit downtown and commute to work.

“San Francisco is committed to using data to ensure public services operate effectively and efficiently — a key piece of that is understanding how residents experience their City. The City Survey is a helpful point-in-time tool for departments to gauge how residents feel about the quality of their local government’s services and programs," said Controller Greg Wagner. “Ultimately, the results give us an opportunity to reflect on what we’re doing well — and where we can continue to improve."

Interactive dashboards of 2026 survey results can be viewed at sf.gov/citysurvey, along with surveys from past years.