City Guide
San Mateo
Heart of the Peninsula
The county's namesake city — a major mid-Peninsula hub of downtown commerce, bayfront parks, and diverse neighborhoods from the hills to the shore
San Mateo is the largest city in San Mateo County by population and the civic anchor of the mid-Peninsula. From a revitalized downtown along Third Avenue and B Street to bayfront trails at Coyote Point, hillside neighborhoods in the San Mateo Highlands, and the Hillsdale and Bridgepointe commercial corridors, the city offers urban amenities, regional shopping, and residential diversity across more than fifteen square miles.
Indigenous / Early History
For over four thousand years before European contact, Ohlone peoples thrived along the Peninsula creeks and bayshore. A significant village at present-day Laurel Creek and El Camino Real in downtown San Mateo supported a thriving community sustained by freshwater, shellfish, and upland resources. Spanish explorers camped at San Mateo Creek in 1776; a 1793 mission outpost established the first non-native building in the area.
Founding & Early Development
Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza's expedition camps at San Mateo Creek, establishing the name used for the city and county.
William Davis Merry Howard purchases Rancho San Mateo, building an estate that influences Peninsula settlement patterns.
San Mateo incorporates as a city during the railroad-era suburban boom.
The San Francisco and San Jose Railroad, completed in 1864, transformed San Mateo from rancho land into a connected suburb. San Franciscans built summer and year-round homes within a thirty-seven-minute train ride of the city, establishing the residential character that persists along tree-lined avenues.
Twentieth-Century Growth
San Mateo expanded steadily through the twentieth century, annexing neighborhoods and filling the space between the bay and the foothills. Postwar development added tract housing, apartments, and commercial centers. The city's 2020 Census population of 105,661 makes it the county's most populous municipality.
Coyote Point becomes a recreational destination; the city grows as a residential suburb.
Hillsdale Shopping Center and freeway construction reshape commercial and commuting patterns.
Downtown San Mateo revitalization brings restaurants, entertainment, and housing to the historic core.
Economy & Employment
San Mateo's economy includes retail at Hillsdale Shopping Center and Bridgepointe, healthcare at San Mateo Medical Center, technology and finance offices, and a broad service sector. Franklin Templeton Investments and other financial firms maintain a presence in the city. Many residents commute to San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and airport-related employers. Downtown restaurants and entertainment venues employ service workers and contribute to the city's evening economy.
Market & Housing Context
The 2020 U.S. Census recorded 105,661 residents and 42,229 total housing units in San Mateo. Census data indicate approximately 50 percent owner-occupied and 50 percent renter-occupied households — an even tenure split among the county's larger cities. Housing types range from historic homes near Central Park to apartments along El Camino Real, bayfront condominiums, and hillside single-family neighborhoods. The city's size and diversity produce varied housing submarkets across its neighborhoods.
Living in San Mateo
Neighborhoods from Baywood-Aragon to San Mateo Park include distinct architectural periods — from prewar homes near Central Park to mid-century ranches in the highlands. The city's size supports multiple commercial nodes beyond downtown, including Bridgepointe and the Hillsdale area.
Central Park and the Japanese Tea Garden anchor downtown civic life. Coyote Point Recreation Area offers marina access, museums, and bay trails. The San Mateo Performing Arts Center and downtown restaurants support cultural and dining experiences. Public schools are operated by the San Mateo-Foster City School District and San Mateo Union High School District. The College of San Mateo provides higher education within the city. The Hillsdale Caltrain station connects residents to the Peninsula commuter corridor.
San Mateo Today
105,661
Population (2020 Census)
15.9 sq mi
Incorporated Land Area
42,229
Total Housing Units (2020 Census)
1894
Year of Incorporation
Government and Civic Life
San Mateo operates under a council-manager government with a full complement of city services. City planning addresses downtown development, housing element requirements, bayfront resilience, and neighborhood preservation. As the county's namesake city, San Mateo hosts civic institutions and community organizations that serve the broader mid-Peninsula.
Higher Education
College of San Mateo occupies a hillside campus with views of the bay, offering associate degrees and transfer pathways to California universities. The campus hosts community events and cultural performances that extend the city's educational reach beyond K-12 districts. CSM's presence adds a collegiate dimension to San Mateo's civic identity.
Geography & Environment
San Mateo spans bayfront shoreline, flat mid-Peninsula terrain, and hills rising toward the Crystal Springs watershed. Coyote Point extends into the bay, offering waterfront recreation. Multiple creeks drain through the city to the bay. Sea-level rise and bayfront flooding are planning concerns for low-lying districts.
Regional agencies including the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, SamTrans, and Caltrain coordinate service improvements that affect daily commuting patterns for residents employed throughout the Bay Area. City officials participate in these forums to represent local priorities on transit funding, highway maintenance, and Peninsula growth management.
Transportation & Connectivity
U.S. Highway 101 and Interstate 280 pass through San Mateo, providing freeway access throughout the Bay Area. Caltrain's Hillsdale and Hayward Park stations serve the city. SamTrans provides extensive local and regional bus service. San Francisco International Airport lies minutes north. The city's transportation network ranks among the most comprehensive in San Mateo County.
Bay Meadows redevelopment replaced a historic racetrack with mixed-use housing and commercial space, representing one of the largest infill projects in mid-Peninsula history.
Looking Forward
San Mateo continues downtown and bayfront development, evaluates housing along transit corridors, and addresses climate resilience on the bayshore. City officials work with regional partners on Caltrain modernization, El Camino Real planning, and housing element compliance. The city's scale and diversity make it a focal point for Peninsula growth debates.
San Mateo participates in the Grand Boulevard Initiative and regional bus rapid transit planning along El Camino Real, shaping future mobility for the county's largest city.
The City's Character
San Mateo is the Peninsula's urban center — large enough for regional shopping and civic institutions, diverse enough to reflect the Bay Area's demographic breadth, and historic enough to claim both Ohlone heritage and railroad-era roots.
"San Mateo named the county and outgrew the village — a city where Coyote Point, Central Park, and the Caltrain corridor still tie bay to hills."
From morning trails at Coyote Point to evening dining downtown, residents experience a city that functions as the mid-Peninsula's commercial and residential hub — the civic heart of the county that bears its name.