Albany receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Albany
San Mateo
Opportunity
56 · Bottom 49%
vs67 · Top 28%
Growth
64 · Top 27%
vs31 · Bottom 19%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 29%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 13%
vs41 · Bottom 5%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
69 · Top 30%
vs68 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Albany | San Mateo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,414 | 103,105 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $144,107 | $153,504 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $75,758 | $84,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 10,846/sq mi | 8,497/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,202,200 | $1,618,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,445 | $3,077 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.1% | 49.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 77.8% | 57.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.8% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 231 | 98 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.9 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2210.0% | -34.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 66°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 47°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.9" | 19.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.3 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.4 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.40 | 20.71 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 31.8% | 37.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Albany
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
San Mateo
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Albany, CA · San Mateo, CA · How this is calculated: methodology