san mateo county
california
OVERVIEW
AVG DAYS ON MARKET
27
MEDIAN PRICE
$1,361,000
Memorial Park in Woodside.
Palo Alto Hills overlooking the peninsula.
San Mateo County, or, officially, the County of San Mateo, straddles the San Francisco Peninsula, with the Santa Cruz Mountains running its entire western length. The northern and north-east parts of the county are very heavy densely populated with largely urban and suburban areas, with many of its cities as edge-cities for the Bay Area, whilst the deep south and the west central parts of the county are less densely populated with more rural environment and coastal beach areas.
As of the 2010 census, San Mateo County had a population of 718,451, with 258,648 households, and 174,582 families residing throughout. About 30% of these families had children. The population density was 2,753/sq mi. The county seat is Redwood City. San Mateo County is included in the San Francisco–Oakland–Berkeley, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, Silicon Valley, and is part of the San Francisco Bay Area, the nine counties bordering San Francisco Bay. It covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula.
Many cities within the county are considered some of the most-expensive, most-exclusive, and most-desirable communities in the world.
San Francisco International Airport is located at the northern end of the county. The county's built-up areas are mostly suburban with some areas being very urban, and are home to several corporate campuses.
The county has a total area of 741 square miles, of which 448 square miles is land and 293 square miles (40%) is water. It is the third-smallest county in California by land area.
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The county encompasses a variety of habitats including estuarine, marine, oak woodland, redwood forest, coastal scrub and oak savannah. There are numerous species of wildlife present, especially along the San Francisco Bay estuarine shoreline, San Bruno Mountain, Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and the forests on the Montara Mountain block.
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Since 2012, San Mateo County has been the top wage-earning county in the country. The average weekly wage is $3,240, which is equivalent to $168,000 per year, more than 50% higher than the next highest county, New York County, which came in at $2,107 a week, or roughly $110,000 a year.
Woodside Redwoods
Pacifica coastside
The Santa Cruz Mountains
The County is responsible for some 93,000 students across across 33 schools in six districts. Most districts routinely have schools found on national top-ten lists for the quality of their education available in public systems.
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Crystal Springs Upland Private School was recently ranked 8th in the nation, Stanford Online High was ranked 5th, and Castilleja of Palo Alto was ranked 14th.
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Some students in San Mateo County's public schools attend outdoor education in La Honda. San Mateo Outdoor Education is a residential school that teaches major concepts of ecology via exploration of forest, pond, garden, tidepool, wetland, and sandy shore habitats.
Junipero Serra High School in Belmont
The Pulgas Water Temple in Redwood City, marking the terminus of the Hetch Hetchy Aquaduct into the Crystal Springs Reservoir.
The County of San Mateo Parks Department operates an extensive system of 22 parks, trails, and historic sites spread throughout the county.
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The county encompasses a variety of habitats including estuarine, marine, oak woodland, redwood forest, coastal scrub and oak savannah. There are numerous species of wildlife present, especially along the San Francisco Bay estuarine shoreline, San Bruno Mountain, Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and the forests on the Montara Mountain block. These include deer, elephant seals, killer whales, great white sharks, mountain lions, california condors and golden eagles.
Several creeks discharge to the San Francisco Bay including San Mateo Creek and Laurel Creek and several coastal streams discharge to the Pacific Ocean such as Frenchmans Creek and San Vicente Creek.
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Año Nuevo State Marine Conservation Area and Greyhound Rock State Marine Conservation Area are two adjoining marine protected areas off the coast of San Mateo County. Like underwater parks, these marine protected areas help conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems.
A young mountain lion in San Carlos.
A humpback whale breaching off the coast of Pacifica.
A killer whale breaches off the coast of Half Moon Bay.
recreation
Hiking
Camping
Boating
Surfing
Incorporated Cities
communities
Atherton
Brisbane
Colma
East Palo Alto
Half Moon Bay
Menlo Park
Pacifica
Redwood City
San Carlos
South San Francisco
Belmont
Burlingame
Daly City
Foster City
Hillsborough
Millbrae
Portola Valley
San Bruno
San Mateo
Woodside
Census-Designated Places
Broadmoor
El Granada
Emerald Lake Hills
Highlands-Baywood Park
Ladera
La Honda
Loma Mar
Montara
Moss Beach
North Fair Oaks
Pescadero
West Menlo Park
Unincorporated Cities
Burlingame Hills
Devonshire
Kings Mountain
Los Trancos Woods
Menlo Oaks
Palomar Park
Princeton-by-the-Sea
San Gregorio
Sky Londa
famous for...
Some of the most expensive real estate in the world.
Top public schools in the country.
Redwood forests.
Surf spots.
Rural zip codes in the middle of Silicon Valley.
you'll love it here if you...
Work in San Francisco or Silicon Valley but don't want to live in the city.
Love to hike & explore nature.
Prefer more temperate climates and foggy skies.
Have children.
MILITARY
Coast Guard Island to the east.
Travis AFB to the northeast.
Camp Parks to the east.
TRANSPORTATION
San Francisco International Airport
San Carlos Airport
Half Moon Bay Airport
San Mateo Harbor District
CalTrain
BART
SamTrans
5 largest employers
Kaiser Permanente
Sony
Genentech
Visa
upper education
Cañada College
College of San Mateo
Menlo College
Notre Dame de Namur
Draper University
Fuller NorCal
St. Patrick’s Seminary
Skyline College
tourist attractions
Filoli
Hiller Aviation Museum
SMC History Museum
Coyote Point Museum
Wyatt Earp’s grave
CuriOdyssey
Pulgas Water Temple
stay
state & national parks
County Parks
Coal Creek
Coyote Point
Devil’s Slide
Fitzgerald
Friendship
Junípero Serra
La Honda Creek
Mirada Surf
Pescadero Creek
Quarry
San Bruno Mt.
Sanchez Adobe
Woodside Store
Crystal Springs
Edgewood
Flood
Huddart
Memorial
Moss Beach
Pillar Point
Sam McDonald
San Pedro Valley
Tunitas Creek Beach
Wunderlich
Los Trancos
Mid-Pen Open Space District
Long Ridge
Pulgas Ridge
Ravenswood
Russian Ridge
Purisima Creek Redwoods
El Corte de Madera Creek
Skyline Ridge
Teague Hill
Thornewood
Windy Hill
State Parks
Portola Redwoods
Burleigh H. Murray Ranch
Pigeon Point Light Station
Point Montara Light Station
San Bruno Mountain
Año Nuevo
Butano
Castle Rock
Heritage Grove
Quarry Park
State Beaches
Año Nuevo
Bean Hollow
Big Basin
Gray Whale Cove
Half Moon Bay
Montara
Pacifica
Pebble Beach
Pescadero
Pomponio
San Gregorio
Thornton
National Wildlife Preserves
Don Edwards SF Bay Nat’l Wildlife
Golden Gate Nat’l Recreation Area
Montara State Marine Reserve
Pillar Point State Marine Conservation Area