The Myers-Briggs accounts for 16 different types of people, but in the far more advanced social science of consumer data, software company Esri counts 67. Whereas the central question of the Myers-Briggs could come down to the decision to go out to a party or stay home with the cats, Esri's data drill down into how people spend their money and what sorts of media they consume, which is all the more revealing—as though that lighthearted Buzzfeed quiz suddenly began rooting through your garbage. Esri has a web tool that lets you plug in any zip code and see the dominant demographics (along with median age and income) in each neighborhood. Categories like "Laptops and Lattes," "Top Tier," and "Urban Chic" populate places like Pacific Heights and the Marina, and South of Market, too, though it looks like the "Trendsetters" rule SoMa by a slight majority.
Since zip codes tend to cover more than one neighborhood, the data don't break down along precise stereotypical lines. Pacific Heights and Western Addition share a zip code, for instance, where the median income winds up being on par with the city's median of $76,000, despite the proximity of Billionaires' Row. Fifty-three percent of the area's residents fall into the "Laptops and Lattes" category, which Esri defines thusly:
We're affluent, well-educated singles and partner couples who love life in the big city and hold professional positions in business, finance, legal, computer [sic], and entertainment. Most of us don't own a home or vehicle; we rent apartments close to amenities, and either work from home or walk, bike, and take public transportation to get around. We're cultivating our nest-eggs instead of feathering our nests, investing in mutual funds and contributing to our retirement plans. Physical fitness is a priority, so we exercise regularly, pay attention to nutrition, and buy organic food at high-end grocers. Regular expenses include nice clothes, traveling, and treating ourselves to lattes at Starbucks or treatments at spas. Laptops, cell phones, and iPads are always on so we can stay connected. Leisure time is filled with visiting art galleries and museums; attending the theater, opera, and rock concerts; reading books and newspapers electronically, and going to bars and clubs. Contrast that with the "Social Security Set," or 12 percent of the zip code's population:
This all feels terribly presumptuous yet somehow no less invasive. It's the Judgmental Map of San Francisco all over again, but this time rendered in the bland language of marketing. What, after all, are the "Laptops and Lattes" of Nob Hill if not the arbiters of North Face vests and venture capital?
The Mission and SoMa, by contrast, are dominated by "Trendsetters," or young singles in "high-density apartments" who spend boatloads on rent, cultivate hobbies competitively, and stay glued to their devices, except in the case of "women's fashion and epicurean magazines which must be in print." All in all, a demographic Esri basically sums up as YOLO.
· What Your Zip Code Says About You [Esri]
· This Infographic Nails San Francisco Neighborhood Stereotypes [Curbed SF]
· This San Francisco Map Will Offend Pretty Much Everyone [Curbed SF]
· Big Data Can Peer Into Your Soul Based on Your Zip Code [CityLab]
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