2018 Best Places to Live in San Mateo CountyAbout this List

Hillsborough

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 7

Current Resident: I love the fact that Hillsborough is such a friendly place to live. All of the people are connected through a social media site called Nextdoor, and they people who post on the site are very active when it comes to warning their neighbors about stormy weather or recent break-ins.
Read 7 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 11,312 Population

West Menlo Park

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 1

Current Resident: I love West Menlo Park, I grew up here and it was a great, family friendly fun enviornment. It has the best weather and is only 45 minutes from the best city San Francisco and only 30 minutes from a beach, Half Moon Bay and an hour from Santa Cruz. The people here are all so nice and caring in my opinon
Read 1 Review

• A+

• A+

• 3,830 Population

Foster City

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 17

Current Resident: Foster city gives you a very peaceful and safe vibe. May seem far from other cities, but it's actually not. It's close enough to any freeway entrance and accessible to many shops and restaurants. The only complain I would have is maybe a bit of traffic during rush hours on the 92, but it's nothing you can't deal with. I think moving to Foster city was a great idea especially if you have a family and don't like too much noise! I would definitely recommend Foster city.
Read 17 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 32,967 Population

Burlingame

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 25

Works Here: Burlingame Ave makes my nights full of joy. I work at Sixtos and am eager to pay for college.

Phils coffee is my favorite location to work. I study and mingle with my friends after school. I went to middle school in Burlingame and have seen it transform over a decade. It is my favorite city.

The library is also one of my favorite places. Adults, kids, people from all ages working is amazing. The architecture and spaciousness is surreal.

Burlingame's climate is perfect as well. You can never go wrong walking on Burlingame Avenue, even late at night. New places are opening and the street is becoming even livelier.
Read 25 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 30,118 Population

Belmont

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 40

Current Resident: Belmont is a great place to live, whether you're just starting a family or settling into retirement. It's small suburb, located between San Francisco and San Jose, making it a convenient and fun place to live. Not to mention, it's only a 20 minute drive to the beach. As a community member of Belmont my entire life, I experienced going to the reputable public neighborhood schools, and playing local recreational sports. Belmont is a very safe and welcoming area to live in, with many parks, hiking trails, rolling hills, landscapes and cityscapes. Some people have argued that it doesn't have a "Main Street downtown" however I like the small town feeling. Belmont has the qualities that I would for look to raise a family in the future.
Read 40 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 26,918 Population

Menlo Park

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 51

Current Resident: I have lived here for only 15 months and I can say it is one of my favorite towns even after living in sunny San Diego for seven years. People here are so friendly and welcoming to the area, my neighbors, my coworkers and clients. It is always very clean and easy to move around in. It is always secured by police, firefighters and security volunteers. There is a variety in citizen ages, ethnicities and religions therefore it is never an issue expressing my latin and catholic culture with others even though we have different beliefs. I rate it a 4 and not a 5 star because it does not have many restaurants or coffee places to go late night if I need a late night study session but that is all I can complain about. I do not need any crazy party place, I actually enjoy the tranquility and if I feel like going out there is always The City not too far from here!
Read 51 Reviews

• A+

• A-

• 33,319 Population

San Carlos

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 46

Former Resident: We lived in San Carlos for 5 years, and put both our sons through the schools. Their education was excellent, caring and ushered both boys towards their goals in high school. We loved living here, but it is much too expensive. We were forced out by housing prices that were ridiculous. We loved the social aspects of San Carlos, the wonderful community and the many, many family friendly activities. I wish we still lived there!
Read 46 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 29,596 Population

Atherton

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 10

Current Resident: It is a small and lovely town. It has the simplicity of a small town but an environment and business of a big city. It looks like you have the pros of a big and small city all in one place called Atherton.
Read 10 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 7,127 Population

San Mateo

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 42

Current Resident: 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.
Read 42 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 102,224 Population

Ladera

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA

• A

• A+

• 1,514 Population

Millbrae

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 50

Current Resident: Millbrae overall is a really safe neighborhood filled with pleasant residents and restaurants. Millbrae is home to the Bart Station, Caltrain Station, and multiple bus stops. Not to mention, it is only 10 minutes away from SFO! It is a cute area and has reputable elementary, middle, and high schools.
Read 50 Reviews

• A

• A+

• 22,522 Population

Portola Valley

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 1

Current Resident: I am a current high-school senior who moved to Portola Valley during middle school. Quaint little town in the midst of the bustling Bay Area. Not too far from Palo Alto or Redwood City. A couple overpriced but nice neighborhood markets and a local farmer's market. Cute library, local field and playground. Lots of families. Local gas station is insanely expensive. Local school is alright. Very little diversity given the area's high cost of living (but in all honesty what place in the Bay Area doesn't have a high cost of living?) and it is predominantly white. Local middle school was not terrible in my opinion, there were some good teachers although the administration was bizarre and school community again lacking in diversity. Not much to do unless you drive somewhere or like biking, hiking, or riding horses.
Read 1 Review

• A

• A+

• 4,550 Population

Woodside

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 3

Current Resident: Woodside is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Mixed in with the spectacular northern California woodlands, but still close to San Francisco, San Jose, and other bustling cities in between, Woodside is the perfect combination. However, it is absurdly expensive.
Read 3 Reviews

• A

• B+

• 5,496 Population

Brisbane

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 1

Current Resident: It's a quiet and hidden town located outside of San Francisco, it's calming and relaxing because the views are spectacular! The little village is hidden away from all the noise and traffice of the Bay Area and the views at night are beautiful with a sky full of stars!
Read 1 Review

• A

• B

• 4,568 Population

El Granada

• Town in California
• 3

Current Resident: Wonderful place to live! Neighbors are friendly but keep to themselves most of the time. The beach is just across the highway and is very accessible to the public. There could definitely be more options food-wise but there are lots of great places that are within walking distance. If you're driving through, check out The Press for breakfast or lunch.
Read 3 Reviews

• A-

• B+

• 6,132 Population

San Bruno

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 64

Current Resident: Everybody is very nice here, and there's also an amazing park here as well. Unlike other towns and communities, there also isn't that much crime here either. The middle school is alright, it's certainly not of the best quality, but the current music teachers are brilliant and dedicated to making sure your child has a great musical experience in school.
Read 64 Reviews

• A-

• B+

• 42,736 Population

Pacifica

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 78

Current Resident: Nice place to live in. Clean, the people are nice. I grew up here and graduated from here, it is the closest you can get to the city without paying city prices. The food is good, and the local mom n pop shops thrive which is good. It is close to the beach which makes it attractive to many new people that live in the bay area. It also has a strong fellowship for recovering addicts and alcoholics which is good for the community and gives people that are struggling in our community a place to go. I would definitely raise a family here, they have very clean parks and good schools.
Read 78 Reviews

• A-

• A-

• 38,844 Population

Redwood City

• Town in California
• 55

Current Resident: I have lived in Redwood City all of my life. I'm 18 and the local public schools. Redwood City is positioned conveniently between two major airports, SFO and SJC.

Public transportation is good as CalTrain runs right through the city. We are also bordered by Highways 101 and 280 with easy access to San Jose, San Francisco and even the East Bay.

Traffic on the peninsula is often congested, so you need to plan your routes and times.

There's plenty of wholesome activities including the Marine Science Center, many parks, and expansive walking trails.

The city hosts many events downtown and has a beautiful theater district. Dining is great and there are many grocery stores to choose from.

I'm glad I grew up here!
Read 55 Reviews

• A-

• B

• 82,595 Population

Half Moon Bay

• Town in California
• 37

Former Resident: Half Moon Bay is a beautiful place to visit, live and staycation. The prime times to visit this town are from August to October. There are many things to do in Half Moon Bay like surf, walk down their quaint main street, visit the beaches, go for hikes and enjoy coastal dining. It is a safe place for children and a wonderful travel destination for people of all ages.
Read 37 Reviews

• A-

• B+

• 12,281 Population

South San Francisco

• Town in California
• 89

Current Resident: Very nice little city! Has two schools, multiple malls nearby, and great public transportation going to neighboring cities. There is also an abundant amount of food choices all within minutes of each other. After living here for almost 7 years, I definitely can't see myself living elsewhere.
Read 89 Reviews

• B+

• B

• 66,587 Population

Emerald Lake Hills

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 1

Current Resident: Calm, friendly, gorgeous, and peaceful neighborhood. Good K-8 public school. Neighbors are friendly and helpful to each other.
Read 1 Review

• B+

• C

• 4,716 Population

Broadmoor

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 1

Niche User: I love that Daly City is very safe and I have many stores, shopping malls and restaurants close by. Also it is very close to San Francisco and I do not worry too much about parking tickets.
Read 1 Review

• B+

• B

• 5,159 Population

Daly City

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 182

Current Resident: Daly City is a comfortable city filled with kind people. Closely located to the vibrant and sometimes hectic city of San Francisco, Daly City is the perfect place to settle down. The public schools around the area are welcoming and safe, and there are numerous resources for students like myself, such as well-kept libraries and programs. Transportation is made easy with the SamTrans bus system. Also, there is a wide variety of authentic Asian cuisine, due to our large population in the area. We have irresistible Filipino food! If you're looking for a welcoming city environment, but want to avoid high costs of living and transportation, Daly City is a good option.
Read 182 Reviews

• B+

• B

• 105,543 Population

Moss Beach

• Town in California
• 3

Current Resident: Its right next to a couple beaches. Its near plenty of hiking trails to go on with good scenery. Good restaurants are also nearby. Its a beautiful place to visit or live.
Read 3 Reviews

• B+

• B+

• 3,706 Population

Colma

• Suburb of San Francisco, CA
• 2

Current Resident: Good people and easy access to SF through the BART and Caltrain! Would like more restaurants, wine bars, etc.
Read 2 Reviews

• B

• B-

• 1,540 Population