San Mateo County, CA Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in San Mateo County, California is about $1,585,000 (the 2026 median across 27 ZIP codes, at ~$884/sq ft) — 130% more expensive than the California median and 448% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How San Mateo County compares
San Mateo County is relatively expensive for housing nationally: its typical home costs $1,585,000 against $688,000 for California and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $1,004,000 to $8,729,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| San Mateo County | $1,585,000 | $884 |
| California | $688,000 | $451 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Cities in San Mateo County
Cities with their own home-value page, largest first:
San Mateo County home prices by ZIP code
The 15 most valuable ZIP codes in San Mateo County (of 27 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 94027 Atherton | $8,729,000 | $1893 | +451% |
| 94028 Portola Valley | $4,331,000 | $1399 | +173% |
| 94010 Hillsborough | $3,518,000 | $1405 | +122% |
| 94025 Menlo Park | $2,935,000 | $1402 | +85% |
| 94062 Woodside | $2,711,000 | $1339 | +71% |
| 94402 San Mateo | $2,455,000 | $1017 | +55% |
| 94070 San Carlos | $2,445,000 | $1037 | +54% |
| 94002 Belmont | $2,270,000 | $1130 | +43% |
| 94030 Millbrae | $2,056,000 | $1030 | +30% |
| 94061 Redwood City | $1,963,000 | $1086 | +24% |
| 94403 San Mateo | $1,809,000 | $915 | +14% |
| 94065 Redwood City | $1,779,000 | $884 | +12% |
| 94404 Foster City | $1,702,000 | $807 | +7% |
| 94019 Half Moon Bay | $1,585,000 | $831 | +0% |
| 94038 Moss Beach | $1,486,000 | $848 | -6% |
Home value appreciation in San Mateo County
Home prices in San Mateo County have risen about 49% over the last 10 years (≈4.1% a year) and +76.1% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at -0.6% — roughly flat. A home worth $1,585,000 today was worth roughly $1,063,045 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, California is +80.3% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for San Mateo County
Run the numbers for San Mateo County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in San Mateo County
To buy the typical $1,585,000 home in San Mateo County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $431,000 a year (about $10,060 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $512,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $79,300 | $12,510/mo | $536,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $158,500 | $11,960/mo | $512,000/yr |
| 20% | $317,000 | $10,060/mo | $431,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in San Mateo County
At about $884 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in San Mateo County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $750k | 850 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $1.00M | 1130 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $1.50M | 1700 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $2.00M | 2260 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $3.00M | 3390 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to California.
Estimate a specific home in San Mateo County
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San Mateo County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all California cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.