San Francisco's 23,000+ Elevators: A Hill-City Necessity

San Francisco's famous steep hills have made it the U.S. city with the most elevators—over 23,000. They serve residential towers, office buildings, parking garages, hospitals, transit stations (Muni Metro, BART), and iconic cable cars (a form of inclined elevator). This vertical infrastructure is essential for mobility, accessibility, and freight in a city where grades exceed 30% in places.