Population 104,884 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in San Mateo
Household size in San Mateo
| Period | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.57 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.69 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
At 2.69 people per household, San Mateo sits close to the national average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.57, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in San Mateo
| Period | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.5 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.8 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.2 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.2 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.3 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in San Mateo are younger than 39.2 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in the wider San Francisco area, where the median age is 41.3. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in San Mateo
| Period | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in San Mateo than nationally: 8.9%, against 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the San Francisco area. The single-parent share is up 2.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in San Mateo
Renters in San Mateo
| Period | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.1% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 46.3% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.8% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 49.4% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in San Mateo than nationally: 49.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 31.2% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northwest and least common in the south. The renter share is up 5.2 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in San Mateo
| Period | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in San Mateo than nationally: 7.4%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the San Francisco area.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in San Mateo
| Period | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in San Mateo is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1966, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1962 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the west has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in San Mateo
| Period | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,569 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,698 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,577 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,100 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,531 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in San Mateo runs $3,100 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,531 a month from 2006–10, a 98% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 31.6% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Only 52 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have higher rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in San Mateo
Bachelor's degrees in San Mateo
| Period | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.6% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 45.9% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 54.5% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 56.6% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
San Mateo is highly educated: nearly six in ten adults 25 and older (56.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 13.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the north.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in San Mateo
| Period | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.6% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.2% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.0% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.0% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in San Mateo is close to the national rate: 90.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.4 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in San Mateo
| Period | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in San Mateo runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 0.6 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
San Mateo compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Mateo | 2.69 | 39.2 | 8.9% | 49.4% | 7.4% | 1966 | $3,100 | 56.6% | 90.0% | 4.6% |
| Hillsborough | 3.05 | 47.0 | 6.9% | 9.6% | 6.4% | 1965 | $3,419 | 82.0% | 98.7% | 6.3% |
| Foster City | 2.55 | 41.5 | 7.1% | 49.2% | 5.9% | 1979 | $3,442 | 73.8% | 96.3% | 4.9% |
| Highlands-Baywood Park | 3.19 | 43.8 | 0.8% | 9.9% | 3.5% | 1963 | $3,501 | 84.3% | 98.7% | 2.3% |
| Belmont | 2.61 | 40.9 | 5.3% | 44.5% | 8.8% | 1965 | $2,949 | 69.9% | 95.5% | 6.6% |
| Burlingame | 2.51 | 41.7 | 6.9% | 50.9% | 11.0% | 1956 | $2,806 | 65.1% | 94.7% | 5.6% |
| San Carlos | 2.76 | 42.6 | 6.4% | 31.0% | 6.9% | 1962 | $3,060 | 71.2% | 96.9% | 4.7% |
| Millbrae | 2.82 | 44.1 | 7.0% | 38.8% | 7.2% | 1964 | $3,142 | 51.9% | 93.2% | 5.2% |
| Redwood City | 2.78 | 39.7 | 8.3% | 48.1% | 7.1% | 1970 | $3,033 | 55.4% | 87.4% | 4.3% |
| North Fair Oaks | 3.70 | 34.7 | 16.9% | 59.7% | 6.9% | 1967 | $2,231 | 20.1% | 70.3% | 8.8% |
| San Bruno | 2.91 | 40.7 | 7.2% | 38.2% | 8.6% | 1963 | $2,856 | 44.4% | 90.7% | 5.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Carlsbad, CA · Canton, MI · Canton, GA · Castle Rock, CO · Cary, NC · Canyon Country, CA · Cape Coral, FL · Chattanooga, TN · Cedar Rapids, IA · Cheektowaga, NY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up San Mateo. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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