Matthew Smith

West Portal

A neighborhood built around West Portal Avenue, its main street of independent shops, bakeries and restaurants.

City
San Francisco
ZIP
94127
Schools
SFUSD choice
Imagery: USGS The National Map. Map services and data available from U.S. Geological Survey, National Geospatial Program. Terrain: United States 3DEP (formerly NED) and global GMTED2010 and SRTM terrain data courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey. Labels: US Census Bureau TIGER/Line, USGS GNIS.

West Portal from above

West Portal sits on the city's west side at the western entrance to the Twin Peaks Tunnel, between Forest Hill and St. Francis Wood. Open full map →

About West Portal

It is built around West Portal Avenue, a commercial street of independent shops, bakeries, restaurants, and businesses like hardware, books, toys, and flowers. The name comes from the western portal of the Twin Peaks Tunnel, which surfaces right at the village.

At the West Portal Muni Metro station, the K, L, and M light-rail lines enter the tunnel toward downtown.

Off the avenue, West Portal is a grid of single-family homes. It sits among the west-side residence parks, with Forest Hill and St. Francis Wood right alongside.

The housing stock is older.

A Muni streetcar on West Portal Avenue, with Sutro Tower behind
Photo: Drew Jacksich / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Roads and transit in West Portal

Transit

West Portal Muni Metro hub

The West Portal station sits at the mouth of the Twin Peaks Tunnel, where the K, L, and M light-rail lines enter toward downtown.

On foot

West Portal Avenue village

The avenue has shops, bakeries, restaurants, and everyday businesses in a compact commercial district.

By car

Highways and parking

19th Avenue, which carries Highway 1, and Interstate 280 are nearby. Most homes have garages or driveways.

West Portal disclosure report items

Older west-side housing stock

Most homes here date to the early and mid 20th century.

Hillside, drainage, and moisture

Parts of the neighborhood sit on the slopes below Mount Davidson.

Sewer lateral and aging systems

Items on older homes include the private sewer lateral and any galvanized plumbing or dated electrical still in place.

We are working on direct access to more MLS data for San Francisco.

Places in West Portal

Village

West Portal Avenue

The main street of the neighborhood, lined with independent shops, bakeries, restaurants, and everyday businesses.

Nature

Mount Davidson

The city's highest natural point, with forested trails.

Park

Stern Grove

A wooded canyon park with a free summer concert series.

The market in West Portal

West Portal is mostly single-family homes, many built from the 1920s through the 1940s.

Map search of homes for sale in West Portal →

How schools work here

San Francisco does not assign public schools strictly by address. SFUSD runs a citywide enrollment system. The SFUSD application, timelines and lottery details are linked below.

The system

SFUSD is a choice system

Placement runs through a citywide lottery with tiebreakers, not a strict neighborhood boundary. An address does not guarantee placement.

Enroll

SFUSD enrollment

The official application, timelines, and how the lottery works.

SFUSD enrollment →

West Portal FAQ

Why is it called West Portal?

The name comes from the western portal of the Twin Peaks Tunnel, which surfaces right at the village. At the Muni Metro station there, the K, L, and M lines enter the tunnel toward downtown.

What is on West Portal Avenue?

West Portal Avenue has independent shops, bakeries, restaurants, and other businesses, surrounded by single-family homes.

How is the commute?

The K, L, and M trains run from the West Portal station through the tunnel to downtown.

What kind of homes are here?

Mostly single-family homes, many built from the 1920s through the 1940s. It sits right alongside the Forest Hill and St. Francis Wood residence parks.

How do schools work?

San Francisco uses a citywide SFUSD enrollment lottery rather than strict address assignment. The official enrollment details are on the SFUSD site.

Nearby San Francisco neighborhoods

All San Francisco neighborhoods

Ask the team about West Portal

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