San Francisco housing context
These U.S. Census Bureau estimates describe San Francisco city, California during 2020–2024. They provide context for discussing a property; check the actual building, occupancy and ownership before defining work.
| Measure | Estimate | 90% margin of error |
|---|---|---|
| All housing units | 414,602 | ± 403 |
| Occupied housing units | 363,970 | ± 1,953 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 139,057 | ± 2,183 |
| Renter-occupied homes | 224,913 | ± 2,332 |
| One-unit detached homes | 74,473 | ± 1,598 |
| One-unit attached homes | 51,606 | ± 1,578 |
| Median year built | 1946 | ± 1 |
Housing units by construction period
| Year built | Units | 90% margin of error |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 4,527 | ± 484 |
| 2010 to 2019 | 28,596 | ± 1,321 |
| 2000 to 2009 | 26,421 | ± 1,461 |
| 1990 to 1999 | 16,016 | ± 881 |
| 1980 to 1989 | 22,004 | ± 1,375 |
| 1970 to 1979 | 29,818 | ± 1,269 |
| 1960 to 1969 | 32,967 | ± 1,409 |
| 1950 to 1959 | 31,976 | ± 1,433 |
| 1940 to 1949 | 34,830 | ± 1,325 |
| 1939 or earlier | 187,447 | ± 2,382 |
Source tables: Housing totals · Tenure · Building types · Year built · Median year built. Survey estimates and their margins of error are shown as published; these are not October 2026 counts. The separate population reference uses Census Vintage 2025.
For a rented home, confirm who can authorize alterations. In a shared building, ask about access and work rules. A citywide construction period does not establish the age, condition or safety requirements of an individual home; check the property records and the specific project.
Choose the work you need to plan
Use the project guides to identify the work, then check listings against the property’s city and state. A guide link does not mean a provider is available for every task or address.
Home Safety Improvements
Choose a project guideDeck and Fence Maintenance
Choose a project guideFurniture Assembly
View task guide and location listingsGutter and Exterior Maintenance
Choose a project guideInterior Painting
View task guide and location listingsTV Mounting and Wall Hanging
Choose a project guideDoor and Window Repair
Choose a project guideGeneral Home Repairs
Choose a project guideOther cities in California
Select the city of the actual property; these links do not establish provider coverage between cities.
San Francisco repair planning: the local decisions
Describe the window problem before choosing replacement
Describe what the existing window does: whether it sticks, fails to latch, has damaged trim or needs a different operating arrangement. Identify the room and building side and include photographs of the whole opening and affected part. Keep adjustment, hardware repair, refinishing and full replacement as separate possibilities until the scope is understood.
For any replacement proposal, record whether the opening stays the same size and which surrounding finishes you expect to retain. A wish for a different window material is a specification to discuss, rather than evidence that the same installation approach suits the building.
Check San Francisco’s window-review information before ordering
San Francisco Planning’s window-replacement guide starts by checking historic information in the Property Information Map. It also asks applicants to describe the number of windows, their location, the proposed material and how they operate. Use that information early enough for the review path to inform the product decision.
Prepare a window schedule in plain language: room or elevation, existing type, proposed type and the intended change. If the proposal enlarges an opening or adds a window, identify that explicitly. Ask Planning or the Permit Center about the actual property instead of assuming a replacement qualifies for over-the-counter approval.
Keep the no-listing result useful
This city page currently has no linked business profiles. The project guides remain available to help define the work, and the California directory lets you select another actual project location. Those options do not imply that a business in another city will travel to San Francisco.
When you find a business independently, confirm its exact task and address coverage. Explain unit access, owner or building-manager authorization and which finishes must remain intact. Ask whether the proposal includes making good the surrounding surface after the accepted work, so an installation quote and a finished-room quote are not confused.
Local planning resources: SF Planning window-replacement guide.
Questions for San Francisco project planning
Why check a San Francisco property’s historic information before replacing windows?
SF Planning begins its replacement guide with the property’s historic information because the designation can affect review. Check the particular address before settling on a product or assuming a review route; the city does not treat every property as historic.
What window details does SF Planning ask a replacement applicant to describe?
The guide asks for the number of windows, where they are on the building, the proposed material and operating type. Also identify an enlarged or new opening clearly, rather than describing that change as a like-for-like replacement.