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
San Anselmo
San Mateo
Opportunity
57 · Top 47%
vs67 · Top 28%
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs31 · Bottom 19%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
52 · Bottom 12%
vs41 · Bottom 5%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
72 · Top 24%
vs68 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | San Anselmo | San Mateo | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,679 | 103,105 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $173,641 | $153,504 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $104,254 | $84,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,740/sq mi | 8,497/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,576,700 | $1,618,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,797 | $3,077 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.4% | 49.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.6% | 57.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.4% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 15 | 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) | -31.8% | -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 | 26 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.1 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.6 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-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
San Anselmo
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding, 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.
San Anselmo
60
Your Score
54
Area Score
San Mateo
62
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: San Anselmo, CA · San Mateo, CA · How this is calculated: methodology