Residential comparison · 13 facts
San Carlos, CA vs San Mateo, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in San Carlos needs about $88,000 in San Mateo to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from San Mateo, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $82,000 in San Carlos.
A few differences
- San Carlos is higher on median household income ($237,470 vs $153,504).
- San Mateo is lower on cost of living index (206 vs 225).
- San Carlos is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($3,286/mo vs $3,424/mo).
San Carlos vs San Mateo · facet by facet
| Facet | San Carlos, CA | San Mateo, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $2,000,001 | $1,618,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,286/mo | $3,424/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 225 | 206 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $237,470 | $153,504 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: San Carlos, CA · San Mateo, CA
Questions & answers
- Is San Carlos cheaper than San Mateo?
- San Mateo has the lower day-to-day cost index (206 vs 225 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in San Mateo equals $85,000 in San Carlos?
- A household earning $85,000 in San Carlos needs about $88,000 in San Mateo to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of San Mateo lifestyle costs about $82,000 in San Carlos.