San Mateo County, CA Real Estate & Homes for Sale

By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.

San Mateo County is the Peninsula county wedged between San Francisco and Santa Clara County: its bay side runs from Daly City and Brisbane south to Menlo Park and East Palo Alto, and its Pacific side from Pacifica to Pescadero. In September 2026 the California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) put the median price of an existing single-family house here at $2,327,500, up 8.3% from a year earlier and above both San Francisco ($2,054,000) and Santa Clara County ($1,920,000). Only the City of San Mateo and Hillsborough levy a city transfer tax on top of the county’s, Burlingame and the City of San Mateo test sewer laterals when a home sells, and East Palo Alto is the only city in the county we found with its own rent stabilization law.

Redwood City is the county seat. Buyers usually sort the county into three settings: the bay-side cities along US 101, El Camino Real and Caltrain; the hill towns such as Hillsborough, Woodside and Portola Valley; and the Coastside along Highway 1, where the Coastal Zone adds a layer of permits. Palo Alto and Mountain View often appear in Peninsula searches but are in Santa Clara County, and several communities with familiar names, such as Broadmoor, El Granada and Emerald Hills, are unincorporated. This guide sets out the numbers, every town we cover, and the taxes, inspections, rent rules, hazards and services that change from one side of a boundary to the other.

San Mateo County homes for sale

San Mateo County market report

San Mateo County housing costs at a glance

Measure	Figure	Period and source
Median price, existing single-family homes	$2,327,500 ($2,150,000 a year earlier)	September 2026, C.A.R.
Change in sales from a year earlier	Down 8.6%	September 2026, C.A.R.
Median value, owner-occupied homes	$1,559,600	2020–2024, Census ACS
Median monthly owner costs with a mortgage	$4,000 or more (the survey’s top category)	2020–2024, Census ACS
Median monthly owner costs without a mortgage	$1,113	2020–2024, Census ACS
Median gross rent	$2,922 a month	2020–2024, Census ACS
Owner-occupied share of homes	58.5%	2020–2024, Census ACS
Housing units	292,930	July 1, 2025 estimate, Census
Residential building permits	2,216	2025, Census
Mean travel time to work	26.4 minutes	2020–2024, Census ACS
Land area	448.62 square miles	2020, Census

The Census value figure is an owner estimate averaged over five survey years, so it lags the market; C.A.R.’s median is one month of closed sales. The gap between them, roughly $770,000, is a reminder that neither number prices a particular house. C.A.R. also reported a 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaging 6.86% in September 2026, which matters more to most budgets here than the median does.

Next to its neighbors

Area	C.A.R. median, September 2026	Change in price from a year earlier	Change in sales
San Mateo County	$2,327,500	+8.3%	−8.6%
San Francisco	$2,054,000	+17.4%	+6.2%
Santa Clara County	$1,920,000	−4.0%	+1.5%
Santa Cruz County	$1,250,000	+1.2%	−4.6%
SF Bay Area region	$1,325,000	+1.9%	−3.1%
California	$899,720	+1.7%	−6.5%

By our arithmetic the county median was about 1.76 times the regional figure and about $407,500 above Santa Clara County’s. Inside the county the spread runs from Daly City condos to Atherton estates, so treat the median as a headline, not a price guide.

San Mateo County cities, towns and communities

The table lists every San Mateo County place guide on our site, from north to south and then down the coast. The jurisdiction column matters most: it decides which planning department, building code amendments, transfer tax and point-of-sale rules apply. The transfer tax column comes from the title company guides cited below.

Town or area	Jurisdiction	Setting and what to check	City transfer tax
Daly City	City	North county city of mid-century tracts and fog-belt hillsides beside San Francisco; Daly City BART	None
Broadmoor	Unincorporated	Small county island surrounded by Daly City streets; county handles planning and building	None
Colma	Town	Tiny town known for its cemeteries, with a small amount of housing and its own BART station	None
Brisbane	City	Hillside town on San Bruno Mountain’s east slope above the bay	None
South San Francisco	City	Older bungalows and hillside tracts; BART, Caltrain and the bay-side biotech district	None
San Bruno	City	Postwar ridge-top tracts and flats near SFO; BART and Caltrain	None
Millbrae	City	Hillside neighborhoods above the shared BART and Caltrain station	None
Pacifica	City	Coastal city of valley neighborhoods and bluff-top streets along Highway 1	None
Fairmont	City of Pacifica	Hillside Pacifica neighborhood at the Daly City edge	None
Burlingame	City	Older homes on tree-lined grid streets, a Caltrain station and two downtown districts; sewer lateral test at sale	None
Hillsborough	Town	Almost entirely residential town of large lots in the hills above Burlingame and San Mateo	$0.30 per $1,000
San Mateo	City	Central bayside city with three Caltrain stations and a mix of houses, condos and apartments; lateral inspection at sale	0.5%; 1.5% at $10 million or more
Foster City	City	Planned bay-edge city built around lagoons; check the flood map, levee information and association documents	None
Belmont	City	Hillside streets west of El Camino Real; Caltrain station	None
San Carlos	City	Flatland grid near Laurel Street and canyon and hillside streets to the west	None
Redwood City	City; county seat	Downtown condos near Caltrain, older neighborhoods and the port	None
Redwood Shores	City of Redwood City	Bay-side lagoon neighborhood of detached homes, townhomes and condos	None
Emerald Hills	Unincorporated	Wooded hillside lots west of Redwood City; county permits	None
Atherton	Town	Residential town of acre-plus estate lots between Redwood City and Menlo Park	None
Menlo Park	City	Neighborhoods west of the Caltrain tracks and bay-side neighborhoods east of US 101; Caltrain	None
East Palo Alto	City	Bay-side city east of US 101 with its own rent stabilization law	None
Woodside	Town	Rural-feeling town of horse properties and estates along the ridge	None
Portola Valley	Town	Low-density foothill town; check the state fault zone and fire maps for the parcel	None
Half Moon Bay	City	Coastside city on Highway 1; city planning inside its limits; Coastside County Water District	None
El Granada	Unincorporated	Midcoast community by Pillar Point Harbor; county Local Coastal Program	None
Montara	Unincorporated	Midcoast community; Montara Water and Sanitary District or a private well	None
Moss Beach	Unincorporated	Midcoast community near Fitzgerald Marine Reserve; county coastal rules	None
La Honda	Unincorporated	Redwood hill community on Highway 84; wells, septic and private roads are common	None
Loma Mar	Unincorporated	Small redwood community on Pescadero Creek Road	None
Pescadero	Unincorporated	South Coast farm town; rural coastal policies, wells and septic	None
San Gregorio	Unincorporated	Ranch and farm land at Highways 1 and 84	None
Unincorporated San Mateo County	County	Every community outside a city, from Broadmoor to the South Coast	None

A mailing city is not a boundary. Many Redwood City, Menlo Park and Half Moon Bay addresses sit outside those cities, and a county parcel follows county planning rules. The unincorporated San Mateo County guide linked in the table explains how to confirm which agency answers for a lot.

North county

Daly City, Colma, Brisbane, South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae and Pacifica hold much of the county’s mid-century housing: rows of attached or closely spaced houses, hillside tracts and condos near transit. BART reaches all of them except Brisbane and Pacifica, and fog and wind shape exterior maintenance more than in the central county.

Central bay side

Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo, Foster City, Belmont, San Carlos and Redwood City form the middle of the county. Here most of the county’s local rules gather: two city transfer taxes, two sewer lateral ordinances, and the low-lying lagoon neighborhoods of Foster City and Redwood Shores, where flood maps and levee information belong in the purchase review.

South county and the hill towns

Atherton, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, Woodside and Portola Valley share a border with Santa Clara County but differ sharply. The estate towns set strict design review and lot rules, which our estate town design review comparison lays out, while East Palo Alto has its own rent stabilization law.

Coastside

Pacifica and Half Moon Bay are cities; Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada, Pescadero, San Gregorio, La Honda and Loma Mar are unincorporated. Coastside purchases depend on the Coastal Zone, water and sewer service, and road access, covered below and in more depth in our guide to buying land on the San Mateo coast.

Transfer tax and sewer laterals at sale

Transfer tax

The county tax is $0.55 for each $500 of value, which works out to $1.10 per $1,000, under Revenue and Taxation Code section 11911; loans that stay on the property are excluded. Two cities add their own tax:

Where	City rate	On $2,327,500 (county median)	On $1,500,000
City of San Mateo	0.5% of the price under $10 million; 1.5% at $10 million or more (Measure CC, 2022)	$11,637.50 city; $14,197.75 with county tax	$7,500 city; $9,150 with county tax
Hillsborough	$0.30 per $1,000	$698.25 city; $3,258.50 with county tax	$450 city; $2,100 with county tax
Every other city and unincorporated area	No city tax	$2,560.25	$1,650

San Mateo’s voters approved Measure CC on November 8, 2022, and it took effect December 22, 2022; the ordinance has no provision for adjusting the $10 million line. The higher rate applies to the whole price, so a $10,000,000 sale owes about $150,000 in city tax where a sale just under that line owes about $50,000. Hillsborough’s $0.30 rate appears in both title guides; we did not open the town’s code.

On who pays, the guides differ: Ticor Title’s 2026 guide lists the county tax as a seller cost in San Mateo County and the city tax as split, while Old Republic’s Bay Area sheet shows both split equally. The same Ticor guide shows San Mateo County buyers customarily paying the escrow fee and the owner’s title policy, the reverse of Santa Clara County’s custom. Either way it is custom, not law, and the purchase agreement controls. Our California transfer tax overview compares other Bay Area cities and covers exemptions such as transfers into a living trust.

Sewer lateral rules

Two of the county’s larger cities tie the private sewer lateral, the pipe from the house to the public main, to a sale:

Burlingame requires a lateral test when property with buildings more than 25 years old is transferred. A contractor or plumber runs a water test (in hillside areas, an air test) while a city representative watches; video inspection is not accepted, and repairs must be completed and approved before title transfers.
City of San Mateo requires inspection and testing upon sale, and also before permits for larger additions and remodels. The test is not needed if the lateral was inspected in the past five years with repairs finished, or fully replaced within 25 years under a city permit.

Other cities and sanitary districts in the county have their own rules, which change; our San Mateo County sewer lateral guide compares them. Practical order of work for a seller:

Identify the city or sanitary district from the parcel record and sewer bill.
Ask whether a recent passing test or replacement permit is on file.
Schedule the test before listing, since repairs can need a permit, a contractor and a city sign-off.
Write who pays for any repair into the contract, and keep the city’s final approval for escrow.

Diamond may refer you to partners we work with; you’re free to choose any provider. Statewide items such as smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and water heater bracing apply on top of any city lateral rule.

Rent rules for owners and investors

Where	Rule	What a buyer of a rental should confirm
East Palo Alto	Rent Stabilization and Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance, passed by 79% of voters and in effect since August 2010; it governs residential tenancies in the city except mobile home park spaces	Registered rents with the Rent Board (owners must register new rents after a change in tenancy), the current annual adjustment and any exemptions for the unit type
Other San Mateo County cities and unincorporated areas	State Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) for covered units	Up to 8.8% for increases taking effect August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027, per the Attorney General; whether the unit is exempt; whether the city has adopted a lower cap or its own just cause rules

San Mateo County uses the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ San Francisco-area index for the state cap, which is why its figure matches San Francisco’s and differs from Santa Clara County’s 8.6%. Before buying any occupied property, gather the leases, rent ledger, notices and tenant estoppels; our AB 1482 guide for landlords explains the state rent cap and just cause rules. This is general information, not legal or tax advice; talk to a California real estate attorney or tax adviser about your situation.

The Coastal Zone and Coastside services

San Mateo County’s Local Coastal Program is the plan through which the county carries out the California Coastal Act in its unincorporated coastal communities. The Board of Supervisors and the Coastal Commission approved it in late 1980, and the county took over issuing permits in April 1981. All development in the Coastal Zone needs either a Coastal Development Permit or an exemption, so ask about remodels, accessory dwelling units and grading as well as new houses.

The county’s program has its own maps for the Midcoast, including accessory dwelling parking maps for Moss Beach-Montara and El Granada-Pillar Point, and it directs new building toward existing urban areas and rural service centers. Half Moon Bay and Pacifica are incorporated cities with their own planning departments, so for a parcel inside either city, start with the city and ask how it handles coastal permits. Before paying for a remodel plan or a vacant lot, confirm which agency issues the permit and whether the work needs a coastal permit at all.

Water and sewer service decide much of a coastal property’s value:

Coastside County Water District serves the City of Half Moon Bay and the unincorporated communities of Princeton, Miramar and El Granada.
Montara Water and Sanitary District provides water, sewer and garbage service for Montara, Moss Beach and adjacent areas north of El Granada.
Pescadero, San Gregorio, La Honda and Loma Mar parcels commonly rely on wells, small water systems and septic systems; get the well yield, water quality and septic records into the inspection period.

Coastal bluff erosion is a separate question from permits. On a bluff-top lot in Pacifica or the Midcoast, ask for any geotechnical reports, seawall or shoreline permits and past slope repairs, and consider hiring your own geotechnical engineer during the inspection period.

Faults, fire zones, flooding and bluffs

Earthquakes

The U.S. Geological Survey’s forecast gives the Bay Area a 72% chance of at least one magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake between 2014 and 2043, and puts the San Andreas Fault’s share at 22%. In San Mateo County the San Andreas follows the hills along the Peninsula’s spine, and USGS surveys have mapped its traces through the Crystal Springs reservoir system; hill towns such as Woodside and Portola Valley should check the state fault zone maps parcel by parcel. The Hayward and Rodgers Creek faults, at 33%, are across the bay but would shake the whole region.

The California Geological Survey’s seismic hazard zone maps, covering liquefaction and earthquake-induced landslides, include parts of San Mateo County, and fault zones are drawn separately. Sellers have to check those maps and disclose the result on a Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement, and most new building in a mapped zone needs a geologic or geotechnical investigation before the permit is issued. Low-lying shoreline land is the usual liquefaction question; hillsides raise landslide questions. Read the NHD report during the inspection period, not after it.

Fire hazard severity zones

CAL FIRE’s maps for the State Responsibility Area, which covers much of the rural Coastside and the Santa Cruz Mountains, took effect April 1, 2024. Maps for cities and other Local Responsibility Areas were released in four phases between February 10 and March 24, 2025, and CAL FIRE refers owners to the local jurisdiction for a specific parcel. Woodside, Portola Valley, La Honda, Loma Mar and the hillside edges of Belmont, San Carlos and Emerald Hills are the places to check first. Where a zone applies, read our AB 38 defensible space inspection guide, and get insurance quotes before removing contingencies.

Flood and sea level

Flood questions concentrate in the low-lying bay-edge neighborhoods, including the lagoon communities of Foster City and Redwood Shores and parts of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park, and along creeks that can overflow in heavy storms. On the coast, the questions are bluff retreat and creek mouths. Search the address on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center, check the flood answers in the disclosure report, and ask your lender early whether it will require flood insurance.

Water, transit and getting around

Most bay-side cities buy their water wholesale from the San Francisco regional water system through the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA), whose members include Brisbane, Burlingame, Daly City, East Palo Alto, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Redwood City, San Bruno, the Mid-Peninsula and Westborough water districts, the Coastside County Water District and California Water Service districts serving the Peninsula. The seller’s water bill shows the actual provider, which matters for connection fees and service on hillside or rural lots.

Caltrain runs the length of the bay side. Its San Mateo County stations are South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae, Broadway (a few trips only), Burlingame, San Mateo, Hayward Park, Hillsdale, Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City and Menlo Park. BART serves Daly City, Colma, South San Francisco, San Bruno, San Francisco International Airport and Millbrae, where riders change to Caltrain. SamTrans buses cover the whole county, including the Coastside, and parts of San Francisco and Palo Alto.

The county’s mean commute was 26.4 minutes in the 2020–2024 Census survey. The coast is the exception to easy transit: most Coastside trips depend on Highway 1 and the two-lane crossings of Highway 92 and Highway 84, so test the drive at the hours you would use it.

Property types buyers meet

Estate properties in Atherton, Hillsborough and Woodside: lot minimums, design review, tree and grading rules decide what you can build. See the estate town comparison linked above, the luxury real estate services page and our look at the Atherton estate market.
Postwar tract and row houses in Daly City, South San Francisco, San Bruno and Millbrae: check foundations on hillsides, permits for converted ground floors, and sewer lateral rules where they apply.
Lagoon and levee neighborhoods in Foster City and Redwood Shores: many homes are in associations, so read the budget, reserve study and any levee or flood assessment.
Condos near Caltrain in San Mateo, Burlingame, Redwood City and San Carlos: compare association dues, reserves and special assessments as closely as the unit itself.
Coastside homes and lots: the coastal permit path and water connection come before the view.
Rural and redwood parcels around La Honda, Loma Mar and Pescadero: legal access, road maintenance agreements, wells and septic.
Small apartment buildings: East Palo Alto’s rent law and AB 1482 shape income; see our investment property services.
Inherited homes: our probate and trust sales page covers court-confirmed and trustee sales.

If you are buying, our page on buying a home in San Mateo County explains how we organize a search, and anyone comparing the two Peninsula counties can read our Santa Clara County guide next.

Selling a home in San Mateo County

Local rules, more than the market, decide much of a seller’s cost and schedule here. Take these in order before setting a price:

Confirm the jurisdiction from the parcel record, not the mailing address. In the City of San Mateo or Hillsborough, work out the city tax and settle who pays it.
Handle the sewer lateral early in Burlingame, the City of San Mateo and any other city or district with a sale rule, because a failed test means a permit and repair before closing.
Collect permit history for additions, converted garages and lower levels, which buyers on the Peninsula check closely.
Order the Natural Hazard Disclosure, and if the home is in a high fire zone, the defensible space inspection.
Review tenancy status for any rented unit, especially in East Palo Alto.
Price from comparable closed sales in the same town and property type; a jump of 8.3% in the countywide median says little about a given street.

Beyond the MLS listing, Diamond markets homes to likely buyers in its own client database and through targeted campaigns, following MLS rules and NAR’s Clear Cooperation policy. Our San Mateo County seller services page explains preparation and pricing, or you can request a valuation of your home.

Questions people ask

What is the median home price in San Mateo County?

C.A.R. reported $2,327,500 for existing single-family homes in September 2026, up 8.3% from $2,150,000 a year earlier, while sales fell 8.6%. One month’s median moves with the mix of homes that closed, so price a specific house from comparable sales nearby.

Which San Mateo County cities charge a city transfer tax?

The City of San Mateo and the Town of Hillsborough, according to Ticor Title’s 2026 guide and Old Republic Title’s Bay Area sheet. Everywhere else, including unincorporated areas, only the county’s $1.10 per $1,000 applies.

How much is the City of San Mateo transfer tax?

Measure CC, approved November 8, 2022, set it at 0.5% of the price below $10 million and 1.5% at $10 million or more, on top of the county tax. On a $2,327,500 sale that is $11,637.50 city tax and about $14,198 in all.

Who pays transfer tax in San Mateo County?

Ticor’s 2026 guide lists the county tax as a seller cost and city tax as split between buyer and seller; Old Republic’s sheet shows a 50/50 split. Custom is not law, so the purchase agreement should say who pays.

Do I need a sewer lateral test to sell a house in Burlingame?

Yes, if the property has buildings more than 25 years old. Burlingame requires a witnessed water or air test of the lateral, and any repair must be finished and approved by the city before title transfers; video inspection is not accepted.

Does the City of San Mateo require a sewer lateral inspection at sale?

Yes. City code requires inspection and testing upon sale, unless the lateral was inspected within the past five years with repairs completed, or replaced within 25 years under a city permit.

Is there rent control in San Mateo County?

East Palo Alto does: its current Rent Stabilization and Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance, approved by voters, has been in effect since 2010. Elsewhere, covered rentals fall under AB 1482, which allows up to 8.8% for increases taking effect August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027, unless a city adopts a lower limit.

Do I need a Coastal Development Permit to build on the San Mateo coast?

All development in the Coastal Zone needs a Coastal Development Permit or an exemption. The county issues them for unincorporated communities such as Montara, Moss Beach and El Granada under its Local Coastal Program; inside Half Moon Bay or Pacifica, start with the city’s planning department.

Are Palo Alto and Mountain View in San Mateo County?

No. Both are in Santa Clara County, even though many Peninsula searches include them. Menlo Park, Atherton and East Palo Alto are the southernmost bay-side San Mateo County cities.

Is Broadmoor part of Daly City?

No. Broadmoor is an unincorporated community governed by the county, even though Daly City surrounds it. El Granada, Emerald Hills, Montara and Moss Beach are also unincorporated.

Which San Mateo County towns have BART?

Daly City, Colma, South San Francisco, San Bruno, the airport (SFO) and Millbrae. Millbrae is also a Caltrain station, which makes it the main transfer point between the two systems.

Where does tap water come from on the Peninsula?

Many bay-side cities and districts, from Daly City to East Palo Alto, buy water wholesale from the San Francisco regional water system as members of BAWSCA. On the coast, Coastside County Water District and the Montara Water and Sanitary District serve most homes, and rural parcels often rely on wells.

Which faults affect San Mateo County?

The San Andreas Fault runs through the county’s hills, and the USGS gives it a 22% chance of a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake between 2014 and 2043. The state’s zone maps and the Natural Hazard Disclosure show whether a given parcel is in a mapped zone.

If you are weighing a move, a sale or an investment anywhere from Daly City to Pescadero, contact Diamond Real Estate Group and we will start with the parcel, its jurisdiction and the rules that apply to it.

Sources & notes

Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.