Foster City and San Mateo receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Foster City
San Mateo
Opportunity
67 · Top 29%
vs67 · Top 28%
Growth
29 · Bottom 16%
vs31 · Bottom 19%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
48 · Bottom 9%
vs41 · Bottom 5%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
77 · Top 14%
vs68 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Foster City | San Mateo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,792 | 103,105 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $199,143 | $153,504 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $98,585 | $84,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,659/sq mi | 8,497/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,838,200 | $1,618,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,501 | $3,077 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.8% | 49.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 73.8% | 57.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.1% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 98 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -34.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 45°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.6" | 19.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.6 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.91 | 20.71 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 17.2% | 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
Foster City
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
San Mateo
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Foster City
64
Your Score
58
Area Score
San Mateo
62
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Foster City, CA · San Mateo, CA · How this is calculated: methodology