The major axis is urban+gritty to more suburby and spread out. It's a very personal preference where you want to be, but most people dislike the most gritty are

The major axis is urban+gritty to more suburby and spread out. It's a very personal preference where you want to be, but most people dislike the most gritty areas (tenderloin, most of soma). It's worth aiming for a neighborhood at the median as your first.