San Mateo receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Pinole
San Mateo
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 39%
vs67 · Top 28%
Growth
46 · Bottom 43%
vs31 · Bottom 19%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 17%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 17%
vs41 · Bottom 5%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 47%
vs68 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Pinole | San Mateo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,761 | 103,105 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $127,717 | $153,504 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,487 | $84,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,676/sq mi | 8,497/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $718,600 | $1,618,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,700 | $3,077 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.4% | 49.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.6% | 57.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 22 | 98 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 57.1% | -34.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| 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 | 20 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 38.4 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.7 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.55 | 20.71 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 58.1% | 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
Pinole
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
San Mateo
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Pinole, CA · San Mateo, CA · How this is calculated: methodology