San Mateo vs South San Francisco
A side-by-side comparison of San Mateo and South San Francisco: population, income, housing, and more.
San Mateo and South San Francisco are places in California. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
San Mateo has the higher population (103,555 vs 64,487 in South San Francisco). San Mateo has the higher median household income ($152,669 vs $135,909 in South San Francisco). San Mateo has the higher median home value ($1,563,200 vs $1,160,100 in South San Francisco).
Population, income & housing
| San Mateo | South San Francisco | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 103,555 | 64,487 |
| Median age | 38.0 yrs | 42.4 yrs |
| Median household income | $152,669 | $135,909 |
| Median home value | $1,563,200 | $1,160,100 |
| Median gross rent | $3,079 | $2,833 |
| Housing units | 42,431 | 23,194 |
| Homeownership rate | 50.8% | 60.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.6% | 40.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 2.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| San Mateo | South San Francisco | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 104,333 → 103,555 (-0.7%) | 67,408 → 64,487 (-4.3%) |
| Median household income | $124,842 → $152,669 (+22.3%) | $105,459 → $135,909 (+28.9%) |
| Median home value | $1,098,400 → $1,563,200 (+42.3%) | $844,000 → $1,160,100 (+37.5%) |
| Median gross rent | $2,475 → $3,079 (+24.4%) | $2,105 → $2,833 (+34.6%) |
San Mateo
104,333103,555
$124,842$152,669
$1,098,400$1,563,200
$2,475$3,079
South San Francisco
67,40864,487
$105,459$135,909
$844,000$1,160,100
$2,105$2,833
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| San Mateo | South San Francisco | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.0% | 4.3% |
| 5 to 17 | 13.7% | 13.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.2% | 7.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 17.2% | 13.0% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.1% | 15.8% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.8% | 14.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.7% | 14.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.6% | 10.6% |
| 75 and over | 7.8% | 7.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| San Mateo | South San Francisco | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 36.7% | 20.6% |
| Black or African American | 1.5% | 1.7% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 26.8% | 42.4% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 1.6% | 1.0% |
| Some other race | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 5.5% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 26.8% | 30.8% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| San Mateo | South San Francisco | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 9.8% | 13.7% |
| High school graduate | 12.2% | 19.3% |
| Some college or associate's | 20.4% | 26.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 31.4% | 27.6% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 26.2% | 12.5% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| San Mateo | South San Francisco | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 58.5% | 59.6% |
| Carpooled | 6.9% | 11.8% |
| Public transit | 6.1% | 8.5% |
| Walked | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| Bicycle | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Worked from home | 22.3% | 16.5% |
| Other means | 2.6% | 1.0% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| San Mateo | South San Francisco | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 41.2% | 59.3% |
| 1-unit, attached | 9.8% | 10.1% |
| 2 to 4 units | 6.7% | 7.1% |
| 5 to 19 units | 15.8% | 8.2% |
| 20 or more units | 26.1% | 14.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 0.3% | 0.9% |
Poverty & households
| San Mateo | South San Francisco | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 7.1% |
| Average household size | 2.56 | 2.91 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 27 | 27 |
| Median year structure built | 1964 | 1963 |
Full profiles
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