San Mateo
San Mateo, California is a central Peninsula city in San Mateo County. The Ohlone were the first inhabitants of the area. In 1776, the Anza expedition, with Father Pedro Font, named San Mateo Creek, and the city later took that name. The railroad first served San Mateo on October 17, 1863, and downtown grew near Main Street and Railroad Avenue. Residents voted to incorporate as a town on September 3, 1894, by a vote of 150 to 25 (City of San Mateo, History of San Mateo; More History). The 2020 Census counted 105,661 residents in the incorporated city; the Census Bureau’s July 1, 2025 estimate is 103,337. The city covers 12.13 square miles of land (U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts).
San Mateo sits between neighboring Peninsula cities, with a downtown core and three Caltrain stations inside the city limits, so many buyers use it as a base for commuting either north or south. I am the broker-owner of Avil Soleiman Brokerage, and I work with buyers and sellers in San Mateo and throughout San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Buyers here often balance the part of the city, school assignment, and whether they want a detached house or a condominium or townhome. I help clients look closely at the setting of each property and how it may work day to day. Sellers benefit from a thoughtful presentation of the home’s real strengths, priced from recent nearby sales. If you are comparing San Mateo with Redwood City, San Carlos, Burlingame, or Foster City, I can walk you through the tradeoffs. Call or text 408-807-5657. DRE #01968159.
Neighborhoods in and around San Mateo
I describe San Mateo first by its downtown and by the three Caltrain stations in the city, because those are official, easy-to-verify reference points. The City also maintains neighborhood association and planning maps, but I did not treat unofficial listing names as formal districts. School assignment and city limits still have to be confirmed for the exact address, especially near Foster City, Burlingame, San Carlos, Hillsborough, or unincorporated county land.
Downtown and the San Mateo station area. Downtown began near Main Street and Railroad Avenue after railroad service arrived in 1863 (City of San Mateo, More History). The San Mateo Caltrain station is at 385 First Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94401 (Caltrain, San Mateo Station). City Hall is at 330 West 20th Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94403 (City of San Mateo). Buyers looking at homes or condominiums near downtown should weigh walkability and rail access against traffic, parking, and commercial activity. Townhomes and condominiums come with homeowners associations, so review dues, rules, reserves, and whether more than one association applies, early in the process.
Hayward Park station area. The Hayward Park Caltrain station is at 401 Concar Drive, San Mateo, CA 94402 (Caltrain, Hayward Park Station). This is a useful reference point for comparing streets south of the downtown station, including a mix of residential blocks and properties closer to the rail line and nearby commercial corridors. Confirm how close a given home is to the tracks, to US 101, and to everyday services, rather than relying on the station name alone.
Hillsdale station area. The Hillsdale Caltrain station is at 50 East 28th Avenue, San Mateo (Caltrain, Hillsdale Station). Buyers often use Hillsdale as a landmark when they are comparing the southern part of the city, including the area toward Foster City. As elsewhere in San Mateo, the mailing city, the incorporated city limit, and the school assignment can differ near the edges, so those should be checked for the specific address.
School districts
San Mateo-Foster City School District (SMFCSD) educates approximately 10,500 students in preschool through eighth grade in 21 schools located in San Mateo and Foster City (San Mateo-Foster City School District). The district office is at 1170 Chess Drive, Foster City, CA 94404.
San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) serves approximately 9,000 ninth- through twelfth-grade students in Burlingame, Foster City, Hillsborough, Millbrae, San Bruno, and San Mateo, and operates six comprehensive high schools (San Mateo Union High School District, Our District). The district office is at 650 North Delaware Street, San Mateo, CA 94401.
School assignment follows the exact address rather than the neighborhood name or the mailing city. I do not assume an elementary or high school from the part of San Mateo alone. Confirm the assignment with each district’s locator before you write an offer.
Price ranges and the local market
These figures are from MLSListings, for sales with a close-of-escrow date from November 2025 through October 2026. The MLS city field is the mailing city.
In that period, 530 single-family homes sold in San Mateo at a median sale price of $2,222,500, with a median of 10 days on market. On a price-weighted basis, those homes sold for about 108.3% of list price. Another 295 condominiums and townhomes sold at a median of $870,000, with a median of 27 days on market. As of November 10, 2026, there were 42 single-family homes and 63 condominiums or townhomes listed as active.
Those medians are a starting point, not a price for any one street. Values can shift with school assignment, lot size, condition, HOA dues, and whether a home sits near downtown, a station, a busy corridor, or a quieter residential block. If you want a value based on recent nearby sales, request a home valuation or call me at 408-807-5657. For context, over the same period the median single-family sale was $2,310,000 in Redwood City, $2,725,000 in San Carlos, $3,205,250 in Burlingame, and $2,200,000 in Foster City (MLSListings, sales November 2025-October 2026).
Lifestyle
San Mateo’s downtown grew up with the railroad, and that central Peninsula location is still what many buyers notice first: a city large enough to have several distinct areas, with rail service at San Mateo, Hayward Park, and Hillsdale, and with everyday access to neighboring Burlingame, Foster City, and Redwood City (City of San Mateo, History of San Mateo; More History; Caltrain station pages). Daily life still comes down to the specific block, including traffic, parking, proximity to the freeway or the tracks, and how a house or condominium actually lives. I spend time on those details with clients rather than treating the city as a single lifestyle.
Commute
The American Community Survey (2020-2024) reports a mean travel time to work of 26.1 minutes for San Mateo workers age 16 and older (U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts). That is a citywide average, not a door-to-door time for any one trip.
Three Caltrain stations serve the city: San Mateo at 385 First Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94401; Hayward Park at 401 Concar Drive, San Mateo, CA 94402; and Hillsdale at 50 East 28th Avenue, San Mateo (Caltrain, San Mateo, Hayward Park, and Hillsdale station pages). US 101 and El Camino Real are the main road corridors. That combination is why many clients consider San Mateo when they need to commute either north or south. I do not quote drive times in minutes to San Francisco, San Jose, or a specific employer, because those times vary by hour and by starting point. If the commute is a deciding factor, we should run the actual trip from the properties you are considering.
Who San Mateo is best for
San Mateo often fits buyers who want a central Peninsula location, a choice of three Caltrain stations, and a wide mix of single-family homes, condominiums, and townhomes. It can also fit sellers who want pricing grounded in recent nearby sales rather than a citywide median alone.
It may be less of a fit if you are looking only at a smaller, lower-inventory city such as San Carlos or Burlingame, or if you want a planned lagoon setting more like Foster City. Those are comparisons I am glad to walk through with current sales in hand.
If you are buying or selling here, or weighing San Mateo against nearby cities, I can help you look at the house, the neighborhood, the schools, and the commute together. Buyers and sellers will find more on how I work, and you can request a home valuation anytime.
San Mateo real estate FAQ
What is the housing market like in San Mateo?
In the November 2025-October 2026 period, 530 single-family homes sold in San Mateo at a median sale price of $2,222,500, with a median of 10 days on market, and sold for about 108.3% of list price on a price-weighted basis (MLSListings). Another 295 condominiums and townhomes sold at a median of $870,000, with a median of 27 days on market. As of November 10, 2026, there were 42 single-family homes and 63 condominiums or townhomes listed as active. Those figures are a starting point. The right price for a specific home still depends on location, condition, school assignment, and recent nearby sales.
How does San Mateo compare with Redwood City, San Carlos, and Burlingame?
San Mateo is a central Peninsula city with three Caltrain stations and a downtown that grew up around the railroad after service arrived in 1863 (City of San Mateo, History of San Mateo; More History). Over the same November 2025-October 2026 period, the median single-family sale was $2,222,500 in San Mateo, $2,310,000 in Redwood City, $2,725,000 in San Carlos, and $3,205,250 in Burlingame (MLSListings). Those medians do not replace a street-by-street comparison of schools, commute, and housing type. I am glad to walk through those tradeoffs with current sales.
What school district is San Mateo in?
Most families look first at San Mateo-Foster City School District, which serves preschool through eighth grade in schools located in San Mateo and Foster City, and at San Mateo Union High School District, which serves ninth through twelfth grade in San Mateo, Foster City, Burlingame, Hillsborough, Millbrae, and San Bruno (San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District, Our District). Assignment follows the exact address. Confirm it with each district’s locator before you write an offer.
What neighborhoods are in San Mateo?
A reliable way to start is with downtown, which began near Main Street and Railroad Avenue, and with the city’s three Caltrain station areas: San Mateo at 385 First Avenue, Hayward Park at 401 Concar Drive, and Hillsdale at 50 East 28th Avenue (City of San Mateo, More History; Caltrain station pages). The City also maintains neighborhood association and planning maps. I confirm the city limit and school assignment for the exact address rather than relying on informal listing names.
How can I find out what my San Mateo home is worth?
You can request a home valuation or call or text me at 408-807-5657. I price homes from recent nearby sales, the property’s condition and setting, and the current inventory, not from a citywide median alone. I am the broker-owner of Avil Soleiman Brokerage, DRE #01968159.
Reach out to Avil
If you are thinking about buying or selling in San Mateo, or comparing it with nearby cities, I would like to hear what you are trying to do.
Phone/text: 408-807-5657
Email: home@avilsoleiman.com
Contact Avil
Avil Soleiman, broker-owner of Avil Soleiman Brokerage, DRE #01968159. 1900 Camden Ave, Suite 101, San Jose, CA 95124.