Housing Value★★★★★★★★★★2.0 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Living in San Mateo, CA
Explore San Mateo and see how it fits the life you want to build.
Overall Match7.3 / 10
Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.
San Mateo at a Glance
Key facts and current data
Population103,105
Median Household Income$153,504
Median Home Value$1,618,700
Median Gross Rent$3,077
Median Age38.3
Average Household Size2.5
Unemployment4.6%
Work From Home24.8%
Homeownership49.9%
Housing Vacancy6.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.
San Mateo is large enough to contain meaningfully different residential, commercial and employment areas rather than functioning as one uniform market. Housing costs are high relative to local household income, making affordability one of the more important factors to examine before relocating here.
Experience the Area
Experience Life in San Mateo Before You Move
Explore Short-Term Stays in San Mateo →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate
NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in San Mateo and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.
NarrowTheList Ratings
Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.
Housing & Cost of Living in San Mateo
Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Value$1,618,700
Median Gross Rent$3,077
Homeownership49.9%
Housing Vacancy6.4%
Home values are relatively high compared with local household income, so purchase affordability deserves close attention. Renters make up a substantial share of the local housing market.
Jobs, Income & Remote Work
Employment and household-income context for San Mateo, CA
Median Household Income$153,504
Unemployment4.6%
Work From Home24.8%
The reported unemployment rate is in a middle range. Working from home is relatively common among employed residents.
Population & Household Profile
Who lives in San Mateo and how households are structured
Population103,105
Median Age38.3
Average Household Size2.5
San Mateo is a mid-sized community where neighborhood and nearby-employment patterns can materially affect a relocation decision.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.
Climate & Weather in San Mateo
Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context
NOAA climate normals for San Mateo point to mild summers, cool winters, moderate annual rainfall and little to no annual snowfall.
Average Summer High72.6°F
Average Winter Low44.5°F
Annual Rainfall19.3 in.
Annual Snowfall0.0 in.
Seasonal Life in San Mateo
What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.
Spring
Spring should generally favor outdoor activity, although a relatively dry annual pattern makes water use, landscaping and local drought conditions worth noticing.
Summer
Summer highs are comparatively mild, which may reduce cooling demands and can make daytime outdoor activity more comfortable than in hotter inland locations.
Fall
Fall can be one of the best seasons for comparing neighborhoods because daily routines are active while temperatures transition away from summer conditions.
Winter
Winter lows are relatively mild and measurable snowfall is minimal, so winter living is more likely to revolve around cool or wet conditions than snow removal and prolonged freezes.
Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.
San Mateo is located in San Mateo County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. San Mateo County.
County Intelligence
San Mateo & San Mateo County
Data Pending
Foreclosure Activity
San Mateo is located in San Mateo County, California.
NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in San Mateo.
Current NarrowTheList data for San Mateo shows a population of about 103,105. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.
Foreclosure Activity: Data Pending. A county-specific foreclosure signal is not available yet.
For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.
County relationship
San Mateo County
How NarrowTheList uses it
County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for San Mateo.
For someone considering a move to San Mateo, the available data currently points to housing affordability that deserves careful budgeting. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.
Hillsborough, CA
2.6 miles away
Foster City, CA
3.3 miles away
Belmont, CA
3.3 miles away
Burlingame, CA
3.5 miles away
San Carlos, CA
4.8 miles away
Millbrae, CA
5.7 miles away
Redwood City, CA
6.2 miles away
South San Francisco, CA
7.5 miles away
San Bruno, CA
8.0 miles away
Brisbane, CA
8.9 miles away
Atherton, CA
9.3 miles away
Half Moon Bay, CA
9.6 miles away