What percentage of people rent in San Mateo, CA?

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

50.1% (±1.7 points) of the occupied homes in San Mateo, CA are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 19,985 renting households against 19,910 that own their home.

In San Mateo, the share of households that rent went from 45.6% in 2015–2019 to 50.1% in 2020–2024 (+4.5 percentage points), a measurable increase.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 50.1% (±1.7 points)
Renting households: 19,985 (±840)
Median renter income: $127,880 (±$10,969)

Who rents and who owns in San Mateo

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	San Mateo	San Mateo County	California	United States
Renter-occupied share	50.1% (±1.7 points)	41.5% (±0.7 points)	44.1% (±0.2 points)	34.8%
Renting households	19,985 (±840)	109,812 (±1,879)	5,980,523 (±22,985)	45,017,354
Owning households	19,910 (±717)	154,607 (±1,889)	7,567,568 (±37,334)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.5 (±0.1)	2.6 (±0.0)	2.7 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.6 (±0.1)	2.9 (±0.0)	3.0 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$127,880 (±$10,969)	$119,424 (±$3,650)	$71,186 (±$298)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$191,460 (±$11,233)	$197,950 (±$4,038)	$127,456 (±$424)	$100,009

In San Mateo, the renter share is higher than in San Mateo County (41.5%).

It is also higher than in California (44.1%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In San Mateo County, San Mateo ranks 5 of 31 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 174 of 1,076.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in San Mateo has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	45.6% (±1.4 points)	50.1% (±1.7 points)	+4.5 percentage points	Measurable increase
Median gross rent	$2,475 (±$69)	$3,077 (±$100)	+24.3%	No measurable change after inflation
Median household income	$124,842 (±$4,052)	$153,504 (±$7,504)	+23.0%	No measurable change after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near San Mateo

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with San Mateo
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
San Mateo	—	50.1% (±1.7 points)	—
Hillsborough	2.6 mi	6.5% (±2.9 points)	Lower
Baywood Park	2.7 mi	10.3% (±9.0 points)	Lower
Foster City	3.3 mi	49.2% (±2.7 points)	Not measurably different
Belmont	3.3 mi	45.2% (±3.5 points)	Lower
Highlands	3.4 mi	15.3% (±4.9 points)	Lower
Burlingame	3.5 mi	51.8% (±3.0 points)	Not measurably different
San Carlos	4.8 mi	32.2% (±2.8 points)	Lower
Millbrae	5.7 mi	39.2% (±3.0 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Hillsborough, CA (6.5%), Baywood Park, CA (10.3%), Belmont, CA (45.2%).

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

Households that rent across San Mateo County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	North Fair Oaks	52.3% (±5.2 points)
2	Burlingame	51.8% (±3.0 points)
3	Redwood City	51.4% (±1.8 points)
4	East Palo Alto	50.9% (±4.3 points)
5	San Mateo	50.1% (±1.7 points)
6	Foster City	49.2% (±2.7 points)
7	Colma	46.7% (±8.7 points)
8	Menlo Park	45.8% (±3.0 points)
9	Brisbane	45.3% (±12.2 points)
10	Belmont	45.2% (±3.5 points)
11	South San Francisco	41.0% (±2.2 points)

Showing 11 of 31 places in San Mateo County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about San Mateo

How many renters are there in San Mateo?

San Mateo has an estimated 19,985 (±840) renting households, 50.1% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in San Mateo?

In San Mateo, the share of households that rent went from 45.6% in 2015–2019 to 50.1% in 2020–2024 (+4.5 percentage points), a measurable increase.

How big are renting households in San Mateo?

A renting household in San Mateo has 2.5 people on average, against 2.6 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in San Mateo?

The median renting household in San Mateo, CA has an income of $127,880 (±$10,969) a year, against $191,460 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and 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 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

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.