ZIP Code Guide

94115

Pacific Heights and Japantown

Landmark mansions, Peace Plaza, and Edwardian apartments on the northern slope between the bay and Fillmore Street

  • Pacific Heights
  • Japantown
  • Lower Pacific Heights
  • Cathedral Hill

ZIP code 94115 covers Pacific Heights, Japantown, and Lower Pacific Heights within San Francisco County — a postal area where grand residential architecture, Japanese-American cultural institutions, and Fillmore Street commerce share hillside blocks north of the Western Addition. The code spans some of San Francisco's most architecturally distinguished streets alongside the commercial and cultural heart of Japantown.

Geographic Position

94115 occupies the north-central portion of San Francisco, rising from the Fillmore Street corridor up steep grades to Pacific Heights crests. California Street, Bush Street, and Geary Boulevard form east-west arterials, while Fillmore Street serves as the primary north-south commercial spine through Japantown and the Western Addition.

The ZIP sits on terrain that slopes from the bay-facing eastern edge toward the Presidio and Laurel Heights in the west. Pacific Heights' summit offers views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the Marin Headlands from eastern-facing blocks.

Neighborhood Character

1870s–1890s

Pacific Heights develops as an affluent residential district with Victorian and Queen Anne mansions on large lots.

1906

Earthquake damage affects portions of the district; rebuilding introduces Edwardian and Classical Revival architecture on hillside parcels.

1900s–1940s

Japanese immigrants establish businesses and residences in the Western Addition; Japantown emerges as a commercial and cultural center.

1942–1945

Japanese-American internment empties Japantown; postwar returnees rebuild community institutions including churches and cultural centers.

1960s–1970s

Redevelopment in the Western Addition displaces portions of the African American Fillmore community; Japantown Mall and Peace Plaza are constructed.

2000s–present

Pacific Heights mansions undergo restoration and condominium subdivision; Japantown cultural district designation supports preservation efforts.

Within 94115, Pacific Heights features landmark mansions, luxury apartment buildings, and embassies along Broadway, Pacific Avenue, and Vallejo Street. Japantown presents the Japan Center mall, Peace Plaza, Buchanan Street commercial activity, and cultural institutions including the Japanese Cultural and Community Center. Lower Pacific Heights and Cathedral Hill offer a mix of Edwardian flats and mid-rise apartment buildings.

Economy & Employment

Residents of 94115 draw income from finance, law, medicine, diplomacy, and professional services across the Bay Area. Pacific Heights' professional class commutes to downtown, UCSF, and regional employment centers. Japantown's restaurants, shops, and cultural venues employ workers in hospitality, retail, and community services.

Local commercial activity concentrates along Fillmore Street, Buchanan Street, and Sacramento Street corridors. Medical offices cluster near California Pacific Medical Center on Cathedral Hill. Embassies and consulates on Pacific Heights streets generate diplomatic employment.

Market & Housing Context

According to U.S. Census Bureau data for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 94115, the area had a population of approximately 32,629 and 19,239 housing units as of the 2020 Census. American Community Survey estimates for the 2019–2023 period indicate that roughly 26 percent of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 74 percent are renter-occupied.

The housing stock spans Pacific Heights mansions and luxury condominiums, Edwardian and Art Deco apartment buildings in Lower Pacific Heights, and mixed-use structures in Japantown. Many Pacific Heights buildings have been subdivided into condominium units. Apartment buildings along Geary Boulevard and Fillmore Street provide substantial rental stock.

Living in 94115

Public parks and open space within and near the ZIP include Lafayette Park on Pacific Heights, Raymond Kimbell Playground, and the Japan Center's Peace Plaza. Hamilton Recreation Center and Fillmore Auditorium serve community programming in adjacent blocks.

Public schools are operated by the San Francisco Unified School District. Campuses serving portions of the ZIP include Rosa Parks Elementary School and Galileo Academy of Science and Technology. School assignments depend on specific addresses and district enrollment policies.

Muni bus routes serve Fillmore Street, California Street, and Geary Boulevard. Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit provides north-south arterial service along the ZIP's eastern edge.

94115 Today

32,629

Population (2020 Census ZCTA)

19,239

Housing Units (2020 Census)

74%

Renter-Occupied Units (2019–2023 ACS)

1900s–1920s

Dominant Housing Era

Government and Civic Life

94115 falls within the consolidated City and County of San Francisco. Japantown community organizations, merchant associations, and cultural institutions participate in district designation advocacy and neighborhood planning. Pacific Heights neighborhood groups engage in preservation and land-use discussions.

Culture and Community

The ZIP's cultural life reflects Japantown's Japanese-American heritage and Pacific Heights' residential prestige. Annual events include the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival and Nihonmachi Street Fair. The Fillmore Auditorium's music history and Japantown's churches and cultural centers contribute to the area's civic character. Asian Art Museum and neighboring cultural venues lie within reach of the ZIP.

Geography & Environment

94115 spans steep hillside terrain from Fillmore Street to Pacific Heights summit. The Mediterranean climate brings cool, fog-influenced summers and mild winters, with eastern blocks receiving bay views and afternoon breezes. Lafayette Park provides a rare flat green space on the Pacific Heights crest.

Urban tree canopy is well established along Pacific Heights streets and in Lafayette Park. Japantown's urban plaza design incorporates landscaping within the Japan Center complex.

Transportation & Connectivity

Muni bus routes serve Fillmore Street, California Street, Geary Boulevard, and Van Ness Avenue. Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit connects to the Golden Gate Bridge corridor and downtown. California Street cable cars operate at the ZIP's southern edge.

The Presidio and Golden Gate Bridge are reachable via California Street and Lyon Street connectors. San Francisco International Airport is accessible via downtown BART and Muni connections.

Looking Forward

San Francisco planning documents address Japantown cultural district preservation, Pacific Heights mansion retrofit requirements, and affordable housing production in the Western Addition. Fillmore Street commercial corridor improvements and California Pacific Medical Center campus development affect local land use.

Community organizations advocate for anti-displacement measures and cultural institution support. Residents participate in land-use decisions through community meetings and district supervisor advocacy.

The ZIP's Character

94115 layers Japanese-American cultural institutions beneath Pacific Heights' mansion-lined streets — a ZIP where Peace Plaza, Fillmore commerce, and bay-view residences share northern hillside blocks.

"94115 rises from Japantown's Peace Plaza to Pacific Heights' mansion rows — a ZIP where Japanese-American heritage, Edwardian apartments, and bay views define the northern slope."

From Buchanan Street's cultural corridor to Pacific Avenue's landmark homes, the ZIP offers an architecturally and culturally distinguished slice of San Francisco. Buyers, sellers, and investors evaluating 94115 benefit from understanding its submarket differences and position within the broader San Francisco County real estate landscape.