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Economy, jobs and prices in San Mateo, California: official figures

The median household income in San Mateo was $153,504 a year in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey (in 2024 dollars), 27th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US median was $80,734 and the California median $99,122.

Median household income
$153,504
2020-2024
Unemployment rate (ACS)
4.6%
2020-2024
Mean travel time to work
26.1 min
2020-2024
Median gross rent (monthly)
$3,077
2020-2024
Median home value (owner-occupied)
$1,618,700
2020-2024
Homes occupied by their owners
49.9%
2020-2024
Households with a broadband subscription
95.6%
2020-2024

What is the per capita income in San Mateo?

Income per resident (per capita income) in San Mateo averaged $84,247 a year in 2020-2024, 22nd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $44,673; California: $49,513).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How unequal are incomes in San Mateo?

San Mateo's Gini index of household income inequality was 0.482 in 2020-2024 (0 means equal incomes, 1 maximum inequality), 176th most unequal of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US figure was 0.483.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the unemployment rate in San Mateo, California?

4.6% of the civilian labor force in San Mateo was unemployed on average over 2020-2024 (2,679 people), 278th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US rate in the same survey was 5.2% and California's 6.6%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in San Mateo are working?

68.9% of San Mateo's 85,149 residents aged 16 and over were in the labor force (working or looking for work) in 2020-2024, 212th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 63.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in San Mateo have jobs?

56,023 residents of San Mateo held civilian jobs, 65.8% of those aged 16 and over (US: 59.7%); the survey counted no residents in the armed forces.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What are the main industries in San Mateo?

The largest industry group for working residents of San Mateo was professional, scientific, management and administrative services (26.0% of employed residents), followed by education, health care and social assistance (19.7%) and retail trade (8.8%), 2020-2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in San Mateo work in manufacturing?

Manufacturing employed 7.3% of working residents of San Mateo, 292nd lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 9.9%); professional, scientific and management services employed 26.0% (US: 12.6%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How long is the commute in San Mateo, California?

Commuters in San Mateo took 26.1 minutes on average to get to work in 2020-2024, 317th longest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 26.4 minutes); 7.0% travelled an hour or more and 22.9% less than 15 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How do people in San Mateo get to work?

24.8% of workers living in San Mateo worked from home in 2020-2024, 111th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 15.1%). 57.7% drove to work alone, 7.0% carpooled, 4.9% used public transport and 2.7% walked.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the average rent in San Mateo, California?

The median gross rent (rent plus utilities) in San Mateo was $3,077 a month in 2020-2024, 7th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $1,413; California: $2,036).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does a house cost in San Mateo?

Owner-occupied homes in San Mateo had a median value of $1,618,700 in 2020-2024 as estimated by their owners, 9th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $332,700; California: $734,700).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How affordable are homes in San Mateo?

The median home value in San Mateo was 10.5 times the median household income, 15th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 4.1 times).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in San Mateo, California own their home?

49.9% of the 39,895 occupied homes in San Mateo were lived in by their owners in 2020-2024 and 19,985 were rented, 206th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more for home ownership (US: 65.2%; California: 55.9%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of homes in San Mateo have broadband?

95.6% of households in San Mateo had a broadband internet subscription of some type in 2020-2024, 145th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 91.0%; California: 93.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many households in San Mateo have no internet?

3.3% of households in San Mateo (1,332) had no internet access at home in 2020-2024, 235th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.5%); 8.2% relied on a cellular data plan alone (US: 11.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How San Mateo compares with other cities in the United States

Median household income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 27 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian household income (2024 dollars)
24Yorba Linda$157,582
25Newport Beach$156,867
26Naperville$155,105
27San Mateo$153,504
28Kirkland$150,414
29Redondo Beach$150,245
30Frisco$150,212
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Per capita income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 22 of 823, highest first.

RankCityPer capita income (2024 dollars)
19Walnut Creek$85,521
20Encinitas$84,594
21San Ramon$84,288
22San Mateo$84,247
23Redwood City$84,106
24Dublin$84,023
25Palm Beach Gardens$83,250
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Gini index of household income inequality (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 176 of 823, highest first.

RankCityGini index of household income inequality
173Oak Park0.483
174Harrisburg0.483
175Ames0.482
176San Mateo0.482
177Monterey Park0.482
178Fort Pierce0.482
179Bellevue0.482
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Unemployment rate (share of civilian labor force) (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 546 of 823, highest first.

RankCityUnemployment rate (share of civilian labor force)
543San Clemente4.6%
544Jacksonville4.6%
545Melbourne4.6%
546San Mateo4.6%
547Grand Island4.6%
548Livonia4.6%
549Frisco4.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Labor force participation rate (16 and over) (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 212 of 823, highest first.

RankCityLabor force participation rate (16 and over)
209Sparks69.0%
210Hawthorne68.9%
211Plantation68.9%
212San Mateo68.9%
213Apopka68.9%
214Burnsville68.9%
215Franklin68.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Mean travel time to work (minutes) (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 317 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMean travel time to work (minutes)
314Novi26.2
315Loveland26.2
316Waukegan26.1
317San Mateo26.1
318Parker26.1
319Rocklin26.1
320Fort Lauderdale26.1
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers who worked from home (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 111 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers who worked from home
108Bend24.8%
109Portland24.8%
110Round Rock24.8%
111San Mateo24.8%
112Jersey City24.7%
113Overland Park24.6%
114Arvada24.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers commuting by public transportation (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 102 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers commuting by public transportation
99Boulder5.1%
100Berwyn5.0%
101Milwaukee5.0%
102San Mateo4.9%
103Detroit4.9%
104Gainesville4.9%
105Salt Lake City4.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents working in manufacturing (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 532 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents working in manufacturing
529Hemet7.4%
530Everett7.3%
531St. Petersburg7.3%
532San Mateo7.3%
533Syracuse7.3%
534Sandy7.3%
535Bend7.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents in education, health care and social assistance (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 682 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents in education, health care and social assistance
679Delano19.7%
680Loveland19.7%
681Jersey City19.7%
682San Mateo19.7%
683Pleasanton19.7%
684Euless19.7%
685Jupiter19.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median gross rent per month (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 7 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian gross rent per month
4Eastvale$3,252
5Dublin$3,191
6Milpitas$3,120
7San Mateo$3,077
8Mountain View$3,062
9Pleasanton$3,060
10Sunnyvale$3,039
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 9 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian value of owner-occupied homes
6Redwood City$1,801,700
7Santa Monica$1,755,500
8Encinitas$1,646,800
9San Mateo$1,618,700
10Santa Clara$1,582,600
11Santa Barbara$1,570,800
12Pleasanton$1,537,100
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median home value as a multiple of median household income (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 14 of 820, highest first.

RankCityMedian home value as a multiple of median household income
11Los Angeles11.2x
12Burbank11.2x
13Inglewood10.9x
14San Mateo10.5x
15Monterey Park10.5x
16Santa Cruz10.5x
17Pasadena10.4x
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Occupied homes lived in by their owners (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 618 of 823, highest first.

RankCityOccupied homes lived in by their owners
615Denton50.0%
616San Bernardino50.0%
617Bethlehem49.9%
618San Mateo49.9%
619Scranton49.9%
620Olympia49.8%
621Reno49.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with a broadband subscription (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 145 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with a broadband subscription
142Carrollton95.6%
143South San Francisco95.6%
144Meridian95.6%
145San Mateo95.6%
146Boulder95.6%
147Mableton95.6%
148Kent95.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with no internet access (2020-2024)

San Mateo ranks 589 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with no internet access
586Boise City3.4%
587Austin3.3%
588Fullerton3.3%
589San Mateo3.3%
590San Diego3.3%
591Kent3.3%
592Royal Oak3.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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