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Suburb
San Francisco

San Mateo

#9 in Best Places to Live in San Mateo County
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • Suburb of San Francisco, CA
  • 42 reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    A+
  2. Crime & Safety
    B-
  3. Housing
    C
  4. Nightlife
    A
  5. Good for Families
    A
  6. Diversity
    A+
  7. Jobs
    B
  8. Weather
    A+
  9. Cost of Living
    D+
  10. Health & Fitness
    A+
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A
  12. Commute
    A-
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San Mateo is a suburb of San Francisco with a population of 102,224. San Mateo is in San Mateo County and is one of the best places to live in California. Living in San Mateo offers residents an urban feel and most residents own their homes. In San Mateo there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families and young professionals live in San Mateo and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in San Mateo are highly rated.
About San Mateo...
Population
102,224

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$850,200
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$1,871
National
$949
Area Feel
Urban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    46%
  • Own
    54%
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San Mateo Rankings

Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
B-
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    171
    283
  • Murder
    1
    6
  • Rape
    11
    41
  • Robbery
    42
    136
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    698
    500
  • Theft
    1,139
    2,043
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    205
    284
Home Security Options for San Mateo
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  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
A+
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Median Household Income
$95,667
National
$55,322
Children
18%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    20%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    29%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    25%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    16%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    12%
    13%
  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Colleges
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San Mateo Reviews

42 reviews
All Categories
San Mateo is the ideal place to raise a family with it's outstanding schools, close knit community, diversity, beautiful parks, the Marina Lagoon, an amazing destination downtown, and a plethora of restaurants to dine at.

In my neighborhood, NorthEast Parkside, the homes are all well-kept (yes, they are all well over a million dollars, but money doesn't buy everything), and genuinely good neighbors who are compassionate and caring. I have the key to my neighbor's house and they have mine... that is just how much we trust and rely on each other.

The only drawback to San Mateo is, of course, the high cost of living and housing prices. The median price of a home in San Mateo is currently $1.4 million so those looking to enter the housing market are finding it nearly impossible, many are driven out of the market which is unfortunate.
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San Mateo is such a rich place to live. It is very family oriented. Everyone in San Mateo grows up knowing everyone. Living here is pricey but it is worth it. The people bond so richly. As a pacific islander, I grew up feeling like I belonged because there were so many people that looked just like me which is rare now that I have moved away from San Mateo. I felt as if I belonged to a community of family and friends. The education is great but not so diverse, it consists of mostly white people but still many Polynesians compared to other cities which was really cool. San Mateo is beautiful and growing fast, economically. The college of San Mateo is awesome and has a great education and athletic program.
I have lived in San Mateo most of my life so I have basically grown up here. The community and environment is nice and although there are many aspects to it, overall it is a nice place to be living. Public schools here are pretty diverse as well as everyone living here. It is a safe place and is family friendly. Although affordability is not the greatest and people seem to struggle a lot with not only the sale prices of homes and rent as well, many many people live here. I would not really say it is overpopulated though. Overall, San Mateo is a beautiful city with a nice and diverse community.