CensusEasy
CITY · 1990 CENSUS

San Mateo

California · 85,486 residents · 12.1 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the San Francisco metro area
Compare
The short version

With 85,486 people, San Mateo is a city in California. Median home value sits at $348,800. Renters pay $788 a month at the median. 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 53% of homes are owner-occupied. At a median age of 36.6, this is an older place than the country as a whole.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 36.6
US median: 33.0
More educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
85,486
−8%vs 2000
vs 92,482 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
36.6
−2%vs 2000
vs 37.5 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
12.1 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
83K90K96K102K108K19902000201020202024San Mateo
2024103K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 55.7%(4,855)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 95.4%(4,607)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 144.7%(3,977)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 194.9%(4,197)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.6%(5,635)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3420%(17,067)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4416.3%(13,921)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5411.3%(9,672)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 649%(7,729)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 748.8%(7,499)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 845.6%(4,771)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.8%(1,556)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$42,894
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $64,757 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$22,746
−37%vs 2000
vs $36,176 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
6.2%
Unchangedvs 2000
vs 6.1% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$348,800
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $453,600 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$788
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $1,168 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
53.2%
−0.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 53.9% in 2000
46.8% rent
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%
1990
White, non-Hispanic78.7%(67,242)
Black3.4%(2,899)
Hispanic / Latino15.3%(13,071)
Asian13.2%(11,305)
Other4.7%(4,040)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

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)
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)
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan1%(1,015)
Fijian0.4%(426)
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)
Croatian0.2%(192)
Turkish0.2%(185)
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)
Bulgarian0%(30)
Israeli0%(20)
Latvian0%(20)
Slovene0%(20)
Syrian0%(12)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
30.2%
−8.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 38.6% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
85.3%
−0.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 85.9% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
9.5%
−3.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 13.1% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.0 min
+20%vs 2000
vs 17.5 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
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

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
4.0%
−7.7 ptssince 2013
from 11.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
65.5%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
from 67.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 15.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
16.7%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
18.2%
+3.7 ptssince 2020
from 14.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)12.4%(272)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.4%(755)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War10.7%(235)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.3%(51)
US avg: 1%

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 Mateo
Head to head

Compare San Mateo to nearby cities

SAN MATEO VS
Hillsborough
Income$250,001+483%
Home value$2,000,001+473%
Population11,206−89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN MATEO VS
Foster City
Income$199,143+364%
Home value$1,838,200+427%
Population32,411−69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN MATEO VS
Belmont
Income$205,297+379%
Home value$2,000,001+473%
Population28,752−72%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SAN MATEO VS
Burlingame
Income$174,000+306%
Home value$2,000,001+473%
Population31,929−69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in San Mateo, California?

San Mateo, California has about 85,486 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in San Mateo, California?

The typical household in San Mateo, California earns about $42,894 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 $348,800, and the typical rent is about $788 a month.

How educated are people in San Mateo, California?

About 30.2% 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 6.2% of people in San Mateo, California live below the federal poverty line.

Keep going

Explore from here

Up the hierarchy
California

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →