Signals
Hercules
San Mateo
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 44%
vs67 · Top 28%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
50 · Bottom 10%
vs41 · Bottom 5%
Access
92 · Top 48%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
73 · Top 23%
vs68 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Hercules | San Mateo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,302 | 103,105 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $129,397 | $153,504 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,501 | $84,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,101/sq mi | 8,497/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $769,400 | $1,618,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,991 | $3,077 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.2% | 49.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.0% | 57.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 88°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 16.1" | 19.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 41.2 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.9 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.48 | 20.71 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 45.4% | 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
Hercules
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
San Mateo
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Hercules, CA · San Mateo, CA · How this is calculated: methodology