Population 3,387 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Western Hills
Household size in Western Hills
| Period | Western Hills | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.63 | 2.57 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.71 | 2.68 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.63 | 2.76 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.83 | 2.69 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.20 | +0.12 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Western Hills average 2.83 people, above the national 2.65, so families with children are more common here. Household size has climbed from 2.63 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Few San Mateo neighborhoods have larger households: only two of 11.
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 Western Hills
| Period | Western Hills | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.5 | 39.5 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.8 | 39.8 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.9 | 39.2 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.4 | 39.2 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | −0.3 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.4, Western Hills is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Western Hills has the oldest population of any San Mateo neighborhood.
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 Western Hills
| Period | Western Hills | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 6.9% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 8.3% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 7.9% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 8.9% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | +2.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Western Hills: 5.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Western Hills has a lower share of single-parent households than most San Mateo neighborhoods.
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 Western Hills
Renters in Western Hills
| Period | Western Hills | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.5% | 44.1% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.7% | 46.3% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.5% | 44.8% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.1% | 49.4% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +14.7 pts | +5.2 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Western Hills is about as common as it is nationally: 33.1% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in San Mateo overall (49.4%). Just over three in ten owners (31.1%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Only one other San Mateo neighborhood has a lower share of renters.
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 Western Hills
| Period | Western Hills | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 6.9% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 5.5% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.5% | 6.7% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 7.4% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Western Hills: just 4.8% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Only one other San Mateo neighborhood has a lower vacancy rate.
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 Western Hills
| Period | Western Hills | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1962 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1963 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1972 | 1964 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1966 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Western Hills is a place of older homes: half were built before 1971, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Locally, though, homes here are newer than in San Mateo overall, where the median home dates to 1966.
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 Western Hills
| Period | Western Hills | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,544 | $1,569 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,725 | $1,698 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,603 | $2,577 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,499 | $3,100 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,955 | +$1,531 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Western Hills runs $3,499 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 25.2% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Western Hills has the highest rents of any San Mateo neighborhood.
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 Western Hills
Bachelor's degrees in Western Hills
| Period | Western Hills | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 64.7% | 43.6% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 69.8% | 45.9% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 67.3% | 54.5% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 70.3% | 56.6% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.6 pts | +13.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Western Hills is highly educated: about seven in ten adults 25 and older (70.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Only one other San Mateo neighborhood has a higher share of college graduates.
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 Western Hills
| Period | Western Hills | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.2% | 88.6% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.8% | 89.2% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.5% | 90.0% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.1% | 90.0% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Western Hills: 99.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Only one other San Mateo neighborhood has a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Western Hills
| Period | Western Hills | San Mateo | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 5.2% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 3.7% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 4.6% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Western Hills runs well above the national rate: 7.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Only one other San Mateo neighborhood has higher unemployment. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Western Hills compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Hills | 2.83 | 46.4 | 5.5% | 33.1% | 4.8% | 1971 | $3,499 | 70.3% | 99.1% | 7.9% |
| Sugerloaf | 2.75 | 41.7 | 10.1% | 40.0% | 10.1% | 1962 | $3,132 | 56.6% | 90.2% | 4.4% |
| Beresford | 2.54 | 43.0 | 4.8% | 38.6% | 7.3% | 1964 | $3,110 | 66.8% | 95.2% | 6.9% |
| Baywood-Aragon | 2.36 | 42.8 | 6.5% | 45.0% | 10.8% | 1952 | $3,299 | 75.7% | 99.6% | 2.0% |
| Haywood Park | 2.36 | 40.0 | 5.2% | 52.7% | 6.1% | 1970 | $3,117 | 59.4% | 91.2% | 3.6% |
| Hillsdale | 2.66 | 37.6 | 8.5% | 54.8% | 8.7% | 1975 | $3,148 | 60.7% | 93.3% | 5.3% |
| Downtown San Mateo | 2.13 | 41.1 | 9.7% | 52.1% | 9.7% | 1970 | $3,278 | 55.6% | 92.7% | 2.9% |
| Marina Lagoon | 2.48 | 39.3 | 4.5% | 68.7% | 10.2% | 1980 | $3,294 | 61.1% | 90.8% | 8.6% |
| East San Mateo | 3.23 | 41.0 | 5.8% | 30.1% | 3.4% | 1957 | $3,329 | 38.9% | 84.8% | 3.8% |
| North Central San Francisco | 3.06 | 31.8 | 17.5% | 65.5% | 7.0% | 1962 | $2,682 | 47.2% | 82.9% | 4.3% |
| Shoreview | 2.26 | 40.2 | 12.4% | 46.5% | 5.0% | 1973 | $3,241 | 63.6% | 91.3% | 1.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Sagepointe, Bakersfield, CA · Marietta, Jacksonville, FL · Maxwell, Tulsa, OK · McGovern Park, Milwaukee, WI · 9th Ward, Wilmington, DE · Merrill Park, Milwaukee, WI · Midtown Savannah, Savannah, GA · Midwest, Detroit, MI · Mill River, New Haven, CT · Northhampton, Converse, TX
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 Western Hills. 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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