San Mateo County, California
Among the top 1% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 4% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 99% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 50% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 90% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 89% of US counties
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 1% for broadband access
- bottom 1% for monthly rent
San Mateo County is a county in California with about 754,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, broadband access, and airport distance. It rates lower on cost of living and monthly rent.
Official websitesmcgov.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Dry
cool
comfortable
warm
comfortable
cool
78%52%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.9 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$150k100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$94kbetter than 1% of US counties
Home Value$1.4M100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$3kbetter than 1% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$4kbetter than 1% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.60%better than 76% of US counties
Income Tax13.30%better than 1% of US counties
Sales Tax8.85%better than 17% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden21.98%better than 1% of US counties
Unemployment4.5%better than 54% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)51°F91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)66°F4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation19.6 in12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 96% of US counties
Sunny Days231 daysbetter than 42% of US counties
Summer Humidity53°Fbetter than 88% of US counties
Comfortable Days231 daysbetter than 99% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk99.2better than 1% of US counties
Air Quality31 AQIbetter than 89% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime771/100kbetter than 51% of US counties
Property Crime1971/100kbetter than 14% of US counties
Community
Population754,25097th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.339th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6999th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0047th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+591st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)37.0%9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.1%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)23.9%87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)30.3%100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.7%88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time28 minbetter than 25% of US counties
Walkability10.2/20better than 93% of US counties
Airport Distance15 mibetter than 97% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.4%better than 99% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.46better than 29% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 92% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is San Mateo County an affordable place to live?
- San Mateo County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $94k, better than 0% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in San Mateo County?
- The median home value in San Mateo County is $1.4M, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in San Mateo County?
- Median household income in San Mateo County is $150k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in San Mateo County?
- Median gross rent in San Mateo County is $3k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is San Mateo County safe?
- San Mateo County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 771/100k (better than 51%). Property crime is 1971/100k.
- What is the weather like in San Mateo County?
- San Mateo County averages 66°F in July and 51°F in January, with 19.6 in of annual precipitation and about 231 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in San Mateo County?
- Public-school quality in San Mateo County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in San Mateo County?
- The average one-way commute in San Mateo County is 28 min.
Other counties in California
Explore California
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)