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 Mateo
Alameda
Opportunity
67 · Top 28%
vs58 · Top 46%
Growth
31 · Bottom 19%
vs35 · Bottom 25%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs85 · Top 9%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs37 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
41 · Bottom 5%
vs47 · Bottom 8%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
68 · Top 33%
vs67 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | San Mateo | Alameda | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 103,105 | 77,238 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $153,504 | $137,697 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $84,247 | $75,137 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,497/sq mi | 7,427/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,618,700 | $1,235,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,077 | $2,474 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.9% | 50.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.8% | 61.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 7.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 98 | 43 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -34.7% | -2.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 45°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.6" | 18.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 35.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 41.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 19 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.71 | 23.35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.9% | 36.3% | 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
San Mateo
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Alameda
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: San Mateo, CA · Alameda, CA · How this is calculated: methodology