CITY
San Mateo
California · 103,337 residents (2025 est.) · 12.1 sq mi
Time machine
VIEWING
COMPARE TO
Part of the San Francisco metro area
The short version
San Mateo is home to 103,105 people in California. Home values have more than tripled since 2000, reaching $1,618,700. 58% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Renters pay $3,077 a month at the median. 36% of locals were born outside the United States. That is roughly 55% ahead of the California median.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
58% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 96%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
103,105
+11%since 2000
from 92,482 in 2000
103,337 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
12.1 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024103K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.9%(6,099)
5 to 94.8%(4,985)
10 to 145.7%(5,871)
15 to 194.7%(4,817)
20 to 245.6%(5,777)
25 to 3417.4%(17,911)
35 to 4415.3%(15,794)
45 to 5412.5%(12,937)
55 to 6411%(11,351)
65 to 748.6%(8,909)
75 to 845.5%(5,663)
85 and over2.9%(2,991)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$153,504
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $64,757 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
73.4%
+18.9 ptssince 2009
from 54.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information8.8%
Retail trade7.3%
Other services6.7%
Arts, entertainment, food6.1%
Public administration5.1%
Wholesale trade5%
Finance & insurance5%
Professional, scientific, technical4.5%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
Education & health services0.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
Construction0.3%
Manufacturing0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$1,618,700
+96%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $453,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
10.5
+13%since 2009
from 9.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
83
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic56.5%(52,260)
Black2.5%(2,273)
Hispanic / Latino20.5%(18,973)
Asian14.9%(13,811)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic34.4%(35,492)
Black1.4%(1,454)
Hispanic / Latino27.6%(28,418)
Asian28%(28,820)
Other8.7%(8,921)
90
+10%since 2009
from 82 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican13%(13,396)
Central American8.7%(8,965)
Salvadoran3.8%(3,937)
Guatemalan3.4%(3,456)
South American3.1%(3,197)
Peruvian1.6%(1,700)
Nicaraguan1.1%(1,156)
Puerto Rican0.6%(657)
Colombian0.6%(590)
Spaniard0.6%(588)
Chilean0.4%(398)
Honduran0.3%(354)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Cuban0.2%(234)
Argentine0.2%(227)
Ecuadorian0.1%(108)
Uruguayan0.1%(63)
Bolivian0.1%(54)
Dominican0%(41)
Panamanian0%(28)
Paraguayan0%(23)
Costa Rican0%(7)
Asian origin
Chinese12.5%(12,937)
Filipino4.9%(5,024)
Asian Indian4.4%(4,504)
Japanese1.4%(1,410)
Korean1.2%(1,204)
Taiwanese1%(997)
Vietnamese0.4%(410)
Pakistani0.3%(278)
Nepalese0.2%(197)
Indonesian0.1%(107)
Sri Lankan0.1%(87)
Burmese0.1%(70)
+ 9 more asian origin groups with data
Bangladeshi0.1%(60)
Thai0%(48)
Mongolian0%(40)
Cambodian0%(33)
Malaysian0%(30)
Kazakh0%(23)
Hmong0%(22)
Singaporean0%(8)
Okinawan0%(7)
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan1%(1,015)
Fijian0.4%(426)
Native Hawaiian0.3%(263)
Samoan0.2%(213)
Chamorro0.1%(111)
Guamanian0%(25)
Ancestry
Irish7.1%(7,294)
German5.6%(5,810)
Italian5.5%(5,721)
English4.9%(5,041)
American2.4%(2,454)
Arab1.7%(1,777)
French1.6%(1,676)
Polish1.5%(1,568)
Scottish1.5%(1,548)
Russian1.2%(1,234)
Norwegian0.8%(805)
Iranian0.8%(804)
+ 42 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.8%(789)
Greek0.7%(773)
Portuguese0.7%(729)
Swedish0.6%(668)
Brazilian0.6%(607)
Lebanese0.5%(491)
British0.4%(381)
Ukrainian0.3%(351)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(326)
Danish0.3%(311)
Armenian0.3%(309)
Welsh0.3%(271)
Moroccan0.3%(266)
Swiss0.2%(237)
Subsaharan African0.2%(193)
Croatian0.2%(192)
Turkish0.2%(185)
French Canadian0.2%(174)
Austrian0.2%(169)
Hungarian0.2%(168)
Canadian0.1%(154)
Palestinian0.1%(151)
Egyptian0.1%(148)
Lithuanian0.1%(134)
Serbian0.1%(131)
West Indian0.1%(126)
Nigerian0.1%(117)
Czech0.1%(103)
Romanian0.1%(94)
Haitian0.1%(85)
Jordanian0.1%(65)
Belgian0.1%(62)
Finnish0.1%(60)
Slovak0%(48)
Jamaican0%(36)
Australian0%(33)
Bulgarian0%(30)
Israeli0%(20)
Latvian0%(20)
Slovene0%(20)
Macedonian0%(15)
Syrian0%(12)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
90.8%
+4.8 ptssince 2000
from 85.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
79.1%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 80.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
98.1%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 96.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married38.9%(16,351)
Married52.7%(22,171)
Widowed1.9%(811)
Divorced6.5%(2,740)
Women 15+
Never married32.6%(14,360)
Married49.7%(21,897)
Widowed7.9%(3,485)
Divorced9.8%(4,335)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
14.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 15.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
0.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 0.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
76.9%
−2.8 ptssince 2020
from 79.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
31.4%
+4.1 ptssince 2020
from 27.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)15.4%(338)
Gulf War (1990s)12.4%(272)
Vietnam era34.4%(755)
Korean War10.7%(235)
World War II2.3%(51)
Share of the 2,197 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to San Mateo
Carmel
Pop 105,634
Newport Beach
Pop 81,977
Fishers
Pop 104,812
Johns Creek
Pop 80,401
Places similar to San MateoHead to head
Compare San Mateo to nearby cities
SAN MATEO VS
Hillsborough
Income$250,001+63%
Home value$2,000,001+24%
Population11,206−89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN MATEO VS
Foster City
Income$199,143+30%
Home value$1,838,200+14%
Population32,411−69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN MATEO VS
Belmont
Income$205,297+34%
Home value$2,000,001+24%
Population28,752−72%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN MATEO VS
Burlingame
Income$174,000+13%
Home value$2,000,001+24%
Population31,929−69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in San Mateo, California?
San Mateo, California has about 103,105 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in San Mateo, California?
The typical household in San Mateo, California earns about $153,504 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is San Mateo, California expensive?
In San Mateo, California, the median home is worth about $1,618,700, and the typical rent is about $3,077 a month.
How educated are people in San Mateo, California?
About 57.8% of adults age 25 and over in San Mateo, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in San Mateo, California?
About 8.2% of people in San Mateo, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has San Mateo, California grown since 1990?
Yes, San Mateo, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 17,619 residents, a change of about 21 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here
Up the hierarchy
CaliforniaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024