Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$1,579,058+4.4% YoY · prices are rising fast
Market right nowSeller's marketFewer homes for sale than last year, 11% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$342,307About 2.2× the local median income ($158,569): hard to afford
Days on market34 daysFaster than a year ago: sellers have the edge
Next 12 months+1.9%Zillow expects prices to rise slightly
The typical home in San Mateo County, CA is worth $1,579,058, up 4.4% from a year ago. That is slightly below what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $1,584,958, so the area is 0.4% undervalued. It is a seller's market: homes take about 34 days to sell, listings are down 9% from a year ago, 11% of listings have had a price cut. Zillow expects prices to rise about 1.9% over the next year. A household needs about $342,307 a year to afford the typical home here at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $158,569. Typical rent is $3,993 a month, or $4,894 for a house. In the latest IRS figures, 6,762 more people moved out than in.
Home value over time
Solid: typical home value · dashed: fair value (household income × the 20-year average price-to-income ratio). Sources: FHFA, Zillow, U.S. Census Bureau.
Prices and affordability
Typical home value
$1,579,058
Change in 1 year
+4.4%
Overvalued %
−0.4%
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Fair home value
$1,584,958
Change in 5 years
+7.6%
Zillow forecast, next 12 months
+1.9%
Home value to income
10.0×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$8,558
Income needed to afford it
$342,307
Property tax rate
0.61%
Rent and investing
Typical rent
$3,993
Typical rent for houses
$4,894
Price-to-rent ratio
33.0×
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HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$3,697
Gross rental yield
3.03%
Cap rate (estimate)
1.97%
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
−9.0%
Days on market
34
Listings with a price cut
10.8%
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Homes for sale
731
Pending sales per 100 listings
49
Asking price per sq ft
$932
People and jobs
Median household income
$158,569
Population change (1 year)
+0.4%
Unemployment rate
4.8%
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Population
743,568
Income adjusted for cost of living
$137,170
Net moves in (IRS)
−6,762
Cost of living (US = 100)
115.6
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
7.4
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
99.2
Unhealthy air days a year
0
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Flood risk score
98.4
Wildfire risk score
92.0
Walkability (1 to 20)
10.2
Road, rail and air noise
54 dB
Questions people ask
Is San Mateo County, CA overvalued?
Home prices in San Mateo County, CA are slightly below what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $1,584,958, so the area is 0.4% undervalued.
Is San Mateo County, CA a buyer's or seller's market?
San Mateo County, CA is a seller's market: homes take about 34 days to sell, listings are down 9% from a year ago, 11% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in San Mateo County, CA?
Home values in San Mateo County, CA are up 4.4% over the last year. Zillow's forecast for the next 12 months is +1.9%.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in San Mateo County, CA?
A household needs about $342,307 a year to afford the typical home in San Mateo County, CA at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $158,569.