Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fremont, CA
VS
San Mateo, CA
🏆 Fremont leads 15 of 21 categories
Fremont
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$169,023 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
228,795 ✓ Larger
San Mateo
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
118.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,152
Violent Crime Index
64
Population
104,165
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fremont, CA
Pros
20% less violent crime than San Mateo
Homes cost $277k less ($1,231,500 vs $1,508,900)
Violent crime is well below the national average (195.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.0%)
Households earn $19,871 more per year on average
More college-educated — 61.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Longer commutes — 33.1 min average each way
San Mateo, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (243.2 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 21.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,508,900
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 118.2)
Median income trails Fremont by $19,871/yr
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fremont
Median Income
$19,871
$169,023 vs $149,152/yr
Fremont
Violent Crime
20% lower
195.7 vs 243.2 per 100k
Fremont
Median Home Value
$277k less
$1,231,500 vs $1,508,900
Fremont
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.0% vs 4.7% unemployment
Fremont
Summer Heat
4.4°F warmer
July avg high 77.0°F vs 72.6°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 118.2 on the COL index
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fremont, 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 | $1,231,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,508,900⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,824⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,971⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $169,023 ✓ Higher | $149,152 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.1 min⚠ High | 28.5 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.1% ✓ Higher | 19.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 64 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 90 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | A- (113) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.0:1 | 21.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.9% ✓ Higher | 58.2% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 91.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fremont Unified | San Mateo-Foster City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.1°F ✓ Warmer | 58.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 77.0°F ✓ Warmer | 72.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.4" ✓ Drier | 19.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 228,795 ✓ Larger | 104,165 |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 38.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.7% ✓ Higher | 51.6% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 16.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fremont'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, Fremont leads 15 of 21 categories. Fremont wins 15 and San Mateo wins 6. 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 Fremont to San Mateo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,231,500 vs $1,508,900 median home), income ($169,023 vs $149,152), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fremont, CA and San Mateo, CA are about 21 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.