The Town FilesSan Mateo, California
City in San Mateo County · population 105,661 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,618,700
- Household income
- $153,504
- Jan low / Jul high
- 45° / 73°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 38.3
San Mateo is a city of 105,661 people in San Mateo County, California. The median home is worth $1,618,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better transit than 98% of California towns, better for young professionals than 96% of California towns, more walkable than 93% of California towns.
How San Mateo 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 San Mateo is worth $1,618,700, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 10.5 times the median household income of $153,504, which is more affordable than 7% of California towns. Median rent is $3,077 a month. 49.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | San Mateo | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,618,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $3,077 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $153,504 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 10.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 49.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in San Mateo
| People | San Mateo | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 36.2% | — |
| Work from home | 24.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in San Mateo
July highs average 72.6°F and January lows 44.5°F. About 19.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Mateo since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on March 20, 2005 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 20, 2005.
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 San Mateo itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in San Mateo
22 public schools with 12,066 students, about 19.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aragon High | 9-12 | 1,686 | 21.6 |
| Hillsdale High | 9-12 | 1,581 | 18.4 |
| San Mateo High | 9-12 | 1,578 | 18.1 |
| Borel Middle | 6-8 | 934 | 19.1 |
| Bayside Academy | K-8 | 855 | 19.4 |
| Abbott Middle | 6-8 | 698 | 17.5 |
| Baywood Elementary | K-5 | 501 | 22.8 |
| Laurel Elementary | K-5 | 475 | 21.6 |
| Parkside Montessori | K-8 | 419 | 22.1 |
| Fiesta Gardens International Elementary | K-5 | 412 | 21.7 |
| College Park Elementary | K-5 | 407 | 22.6 |
| Sunnybrae Elementary | K-5 | 359 | 19.9 |
Towns near San Mateo
- Hillsborough, CA2.6 mi · 11,387 people · home $2,000,001
- Foster City, CA3.3 mi · 33,805 people · home $1,838,200
- Belmont, CA3.3 mi · 28,335 people · home $2,000,001
- Burlingame, CA3.5 mi · 31,386 people · home $2,000,001
- San Carlos, CA4.8 mi · 30,722 people · home $2,000,001
- Millbrae, CA5.7 mi · 23,216 people · home $1,934,900
- Redwood City, CA6.2 mi · 84,292 people · home $1,801,700
- Emerald Lake Hills, CA7.0 mi · 4,406 people · home $2,000,001
San Mateo questions
Is San Mateo, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, San Mateo scores better for retirees than 51% of California towns and quieter than 19%. 17.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.3).
How much does a house cost in San Mateo?
The median owner-occupied home in San Mateo is valued at $1,618,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $153,504, so homes cost about 10.5 times income. Median rent is $3,077 a month.
What is the weather like in San Mateo?
July highs average 72.6°F and January lows 44.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does San Mateo get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of San Mateo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on March 20, 2005. The typical California town has had 2.
- 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)