Is San Mateo, CA a Good Place to Live?
San Mateo is a mid-sized city of 104,165 in California, with a median household income of $149,152 and a 4.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 118 (US average = 100), which is 18% above the national average.
Strengths: San Mateo stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether San Mateo is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All San Mateo city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 118.2San Mateo's overall cost of living index is 118.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in San Mateo costs roughly 18% more than the average American city.
| Metric | San Mateo, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,508,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,971 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $149,152 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageSan Mateo's violent crime rate is 243.2 per 100,000 residents — 36% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
San Mateo is served primarily by San Mateo-Foster City. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | San Mateo, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | San Mateo-Foster City | — |
| Elementary Schools | 19 | — |
| Middle Schools | 3 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 21.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 91.5% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
San Mateo sees average highs of 58.0°F in January and 72.6°F in July, with 19.3 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | San Mateo, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 58.0°F |
| Average High — July | 72.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | San Mateo, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 104,165 | — |
| Median Age | 38.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 28.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 44.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.8% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 27.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in San Mateo
San Mateo, CA is covered by 3 ZIP codes: