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
Livermore
Opportunity
67 · Top 28%
vs59 · Top 45%
Growth
31 · Bottom 19%
vs24 · Bottom 11%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs81 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs31 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
41 · Bottom 5%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
68 · Top 33%
vs78 · Top 11%
Measured values
| Metric | San Mateo | Livermore | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 103,105 | 85,522 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $153,504 | $160,775 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $84,247 | $73,933 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,497/sq mi | 3,219/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,618,700 | $1,105,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,077 | $2,677 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.9% | 72.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.8% | 52.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 4.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 98 | 46 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -34.7% | -85.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 45°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.6" | 15.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 32.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 40.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 19 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.71 | 21.54 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.9% | 19.7% | 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.
Livermore
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: San Mateo, CA · Livermore, CA · How this is calculated: methodology