San Mateo vs South San Francisco
San Mateo, California versus South San Francisco, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
San Mateo and South San Francisco score about the same overall (49 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | San Mateo | South San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $149k | $127k |
| Cost of Living | $94k | $94k |
| Home Value | $1.5M | $1.1M |
| Monthly Rent | $3k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.59% | 0.60% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 22.22% | 21.51% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 2.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 51°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 64°F | 63°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.3 in | 19.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 231 days | 231 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 229 days | 230 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 90.8 | 93.7 |
| Air Quality | 37 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 71.7 |
| Violent Crime | 838/100k | 1253/100k |
| Property Crime | 2361/100k | 2834/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 104,165 | 65,596 |
| Median Age | 38.1 | 42.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.70 | 0.70 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | D+59 | D+59 |
| White (%) | 38.8% | 21.8% |
| Black (%) | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 24.7% | 29.1% |
| Asian (%) | 26.8% | 42.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.8% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 11.8/20 | 11.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 6 mi | 3 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.7% | 93.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 57.89 | 89.33 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is San Mateo or South San Francisco more affordable?
- South San Francisco has the lower cost of living: its index is $94k, compared with San Mateo's $94k and South San Francisco's $94k. Median rent is $3k in San Mateo versus $3k in South San Francisco.
- Is San Mateo or South San Francisco safer?
- San Mateo has the lower violent crime rate. San Mateo reports 838/100k and South San Francisco reports 1253/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in San Mateo or South San Francisco?
- The median home value is $1.5M in San Mateo and $1.1M in South San Francisco, so homes are more affordable in South San Francisco.