How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in San Mateo, CA?

Name: Rent by bedrooms in San Mateo, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

In San Mateo, CA, the median gross rent for a two-bedroom home is $3,424 (±$121) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey, table B25031).

A one-bedroom home rents for a median of $2,663 (±$122).

A three-bedroom home rents for a median of $3,500 or more.

HUD’s fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in the San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area is $3,697.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Studio: $2,307 (±$107)
1 bedroom: $2,663 (±$122)
2 bedrooms: $3,424 (±$121)
3 bedrooms: $3,500 or more

Rent by bedroom count in San Mateo

Median gross rent by number of bedrooms, estimate (90% margin of error)
	San Mateo	San Mateo County	California	United States
Studio	$2,307 (±$107)	$2,263 (±$52)	$1,598 (±$13)	$1,248
1 bedroom	$2,663 (±$122)	$2,526 (±$49)	$1,780 (±$6)	$1,235
2 bedrooms	$3,424 (±$121)	$3,215 (±$45)	$2,103 (±$6)	$1,407
3 bedrooms	$3,500 or more	$3,500 or more	$2,351 (±$11)	$1,584
4 bedrooms	$3,500 or more	$3,500 or more	$2,809 (±$22)	$1,957
5 or more bedrooms	$3,500 or more	$3,500 or more	$3,121 (±$59)	$2,074

A median for a bedroom size is published only where enough renting households of that size were surveyed; a dash means the Census Bureau did not publish one.

Census rents against HUD’s Fair Market Rent, fiscal year 2027

Dollars a month; the Fair Market Rent is for the San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area
	Census median, this place	HUD Fair Market Rent
1 bedroom	$2,663 (±$122)	$3,003
2 bedrooms	$3,424 (±$121)	$3,697
3 bedrooms	$3,500 or more	$4,832

A Fair Market Rent is HUD’s estimate of the gross rent of a modest rental home across the whole HUD area, set for the voucher program; the Census median is what renting households in this place reported paying.

The two answer different questions and are not expected to match.

Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms in places near San Mateo

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with San Mateo
Place	Distance	Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms	Compared with this place
San Mateo	—	$3,424 (±$121)	—
Foster City	3.3 mi	$3,500 or more	—
Belmont	3.3 mi	$3,280 (±$182)	Not measurably different
Highlands	3.4 mi	$3,500 or more	—
Burlingame	3.5 mi	$3,342 (±$175)	Not measurably different
San Carlos	4.8 mi	$3,286 (±$464)	Not measurably different
Millbrae	5.7 mi	$3,157 (±$146)	Lower
Redwood City	6.2 mi	$3,366 (±$162)	Not measurably different
Emerald Lake Hills	7.0 mi	$3,500 or more	—

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Millbrae, CA ($3,157).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms across San Mateo County, place by place

Rank	Place	Median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
1 (tie)	Foster City	$3,500 or more
1 (tie)	Menlo Park	$3,500 or more
1 (tie)	Portola Valley	$3,500 or more
1 (tie)	Woodside	$3,500 or more
1 (tie)	Emerald Lake Hills	$3,500 or more
1 (tie)	Highlands	$3,500 or more
7	San Mateo	$3,424 (±$121)
8	Redwood City	$3,366 (±$162)
9	Burlingame	$3,342 (±$175)
10	West Menlo Park	$3,335 (±$571)
11	San Carlos	$3,286 (±$464)
12	Belmont	$3,280 (±$182)
13	Millbrae	$3,157 (±$146)

Showing 13 of 22 places in San Mateo County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about San Mateo

How much is a one-bedroom apartment in San Mateo?

The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in San Mateo, CA is $2,663 (±$122) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How much is a two-bedroom apartment in San Mateo?

The median gross rent for a two-bedroom home in San Mateo, CA is $3,424 (±$121) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How much does a three-bedroom rental cost in San Mateo?

The median gross rent for a three-bedroom home in San Mateo, CA is $3,500 or more a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year detailed tables (acs/acs5) for San Mateo city, California (place:68252, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

B25031_002E, B25031_002M, B25031_003E, B25031_003M, B25031_004E, B25031_004M, B25031_005E, B25031_005M, B25031_006E, B25031_006M, B25031_007E, B25031_007M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.