Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Daly City, CA
VS
San Mateo, CA
🏆 San Mateo leads 14 of 21 categories
Daly City
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,910
Violent Crime Index
78
Population
103,648
San Mateo
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,152 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
64 ✓ Safer
Population
104,165 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Daly City, CA
Pros
Homes cost $436k less ($1,073,100 vs $1,508,900)
Rent averages $417/mo less ($2,554 vs $2,971)
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 73°F
Cons
Median income trails San Mateo by $34,242/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.7%)
San Mateo, CA
Pros
18% less violent crime than Daly City
Households earn $34,242 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (243.2 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 58.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.7%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,508,900
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Higher rents — median is $2,971/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Daly City
Median Home Value
$436k less
$1,073,100 vs $1,508,900
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 118.2 on the COL index
San Mateo
Median Income
$34,242
$149,152 vs $114,910/yr
San Mateo
Violent Crime
18% lower
243.2 vs 296.3 per 100k
San Mateo
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.4% unemployment
San Mateo
Summer Heat
10.8°F warmer
July avg high 72.6°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Daly City, CA | San Mateo, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 118.2⚠ High | 118.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $1,073,100⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,508,900⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,554⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,971⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,910 | $149,152 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.8 min⚠ High | 28.5 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.1% | 19.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 81 | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 | 64 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 86 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | A- (113) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.3:1 | 21.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% | 58.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% | 91.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson Elementary | San Mateo-Foster City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 58.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 72.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.6" | 19.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 103,648 | 104,165 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.4 ✓ Older | 38.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.2% ✓ Higher | 51.6% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | 19.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.5% ✓ More | 16.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Daly City's cost of living index is 118.2 vs San Mateo's 118.2 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, San Mateo leads 14 of 21 categories. Daly City wins 7 and San Mateo wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Daly City to San Mateo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,073,100 vs $1,508,900 median home), income ($114,910 vs $149,152), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Daly City, CA and San Mateo, CA are about 12 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.