The Town FilesPescadero, California
Community in San Mateo County · population 595 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,958,300
- Household income
- $250,001
- Jan low / Jul high
- 40° / 69°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 41.6
Pescadero is a community of 595 people in San Mateo County, California. The median home is worth $1,958,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of California towns, more seaside character than 98% of California towns, quieter than 94% of California towns.
How Pescadero ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Pescadero is worth $1,958,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.8 times the median household income of $250,001, which is more affordable than 30% of California towns. 67.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pescadero | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,958,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | — | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $250,001 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 67.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Pescadero
| People | Pescadero | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 7.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 47.5% | — |
| Work from home | 15.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Pescadero
July highs average 69.3°F and January lows 40.2°F. About 30.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 16 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Pescadero since 1950.
Severe weather in San Mateo County since 1996
San Mateo County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in San Mateo County
San Mateo County had 416,422 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $196,441 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Pescadero itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Public schools in Pescadero
2 public schools with 202 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pescadero Elementary and Middle | K-8 | 119 | 13.2 |
| Pescadero High | 9-12 | 83 | 16.6 |
Towns near Pescadero
- La Honda, CA8.3 mi · 979 people · home $935,500
- Portola Valley, CA11.6 mi · 4,456 people · home $2,000,001
- Woodside, CA13.9 mi · 5,309 people · home $2,000,001
- Ladera, CA14.6 mi · 1,557 people · home $2,000,001
- Los Altos Hills, CA15.7 mi · 8,489 people · home $2,000,001
- Half Moon Bay, CA15.7 mi · 11,795 people · home $1,549,500
- Boulder Creek, CA15.8 mi · 5,429 people · home $849,900
- West Menlo Park, CA16.2 mi · 3,930 people · home $2,000,001
Pescadero questions
Is Pescadero, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pescadero scores better for retirees than 99% of California towns and quieter than 94%. 8.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.6).
How much does a house cost in Pescadero?
The median owner-occupied home in Pescadero is valued at $1,958,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $250,001, so homes cost about 7.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Pescadero?
July highs average 69.3°F and January lows 40.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Pescadero get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Pescadero in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)