Situated right in the heart of Silicon Valley, San Mateo is a vibrant and exciting place to live with friendly neighbors, great weather, and easy access to employment opportunities. One of the most prominent cities in San Mateo County, San Mateo has close to 30 distinct neighborhoods, all offering prime real estate and a high quality of life. Residents will find a good mix of peaceful, family-friendly San Mateo neighborhoods and walkable beach neighborhoods along the shoreline.
Often considered a suburb of San Francisco, residents will find more residential neighborhoods than hip areas full of nightlife. However, you will still find many unique local bars, restaurants, and boutiques throughout the area. The city also offers free public transportation to commuters and students to try SanTrans, Caltrain, or San Francisco Bay Ferry if they usually travel alone. As a result, San Mateo is known as one of the best places to live in Northern California, with a wide variety of great neighborhoods for residents to explore. Here is a look at the best San Mateo neighborhoods.
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Baywood-Aragon – A Thriving Neighborhood in the Heart of San Mateo
- Population: ~4,000
- Average rent: $2922
- Median home price: $2.25 million
- Baywood-Aragon crime: 1,065 per 100,000 residents
Baywood-Aragon is a neighborhood in the heart of the city and offers a great mix of residential bliss and urban amenities. Often regarded as one of San Mateo’s most prestigious and sought-after neighborhoods, Baywood-Aragon is known for its gorgeous Mediterranean-style homes and picturesque, tree-lined blocks. With excellent schools, large properties, and low crime, Baywood-Aragon is one of the best neighborhoods in San Mateo for families. However, young professionals will also love its central location and abundance of shopping and restaurants.
Residents will find a wide variety of spacious, pre-war homes in various architectural styles, including Spanish, English, Tudor, and Colonial. Aragon High School, one of the top institutions in the San Mateo Union High School District, is in the neighborhood. The community is also close to San Mateo Central Park, a 16-acre green space with Japanese Gardens and an Ice-Skating Rink. So with historic architecture and a wide variety of attractions, most locals agree that Baywood-Aragon is one of the best places to live in San Mateo.
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San Mateo Park – A Exclusive San Mateo Neighborhood with Great Architecture
- Population: 2,640
- Average rent: $3,133
- Median home price: $3,650,000
- San Mateo Park crime: 981 per 100,000 residents
San Mateo Park is an exclusive neighborhood in the northern central part of the city offering diverse attractions and architectural styles. The planned community was designed according to the principles of “the City Beautiful” movement, which favors open space and greenery as a juxtaposition to the overcrowded urban conditions of the late 20th Century. As a result, the roads are not laid out on a grid but as many landscaped traffic circles developed for horse-drawn carriages. Residents can expect spacious lots, gorgeous, tree-lined streets, and a variety of architectural styles, including Colonials, Tudors, Mediterranean, and Craftsman.
San Mateo Park is also less than a mile away from shopping and dining on Burlingame Ave, where residents will find plenty of Mexican cantinas, Asian noodle shops, sushi, diners, steakhouses, and more. The top-rated San Mateo Park Elementary School is also located in the neighborhood, making it an excellent area for families and young professionals.
Hillsdale – A Bustling San Mateo Neighborhood Full of Shopping and Recreation
- Population: 4,405
- Average rent: $3,382
- Median home price: $1,797,500
- Hillsdale crime: 2599 per 100,000 residents
Hillsdale is a beautiful community in northern San Mateo, offering great schools and easy access to attractions. Hilldale was a creation of the famed Bay Area contractor and home builder David Bohannon, who designed the community for functional suburban living. Residents will find a wide selection of modest two and three-bedroom homes in quiet, well-maintained Cul-de-sacs. The neighborhood is also home to the Hillsdale Shopping Center, an indoor mall featuring various popular retailers, and a food terrace with cuisine from around the world.
Hillsdale High School is also in the neighborhood, a school within the San Mateo Union High School district which ranks among the top 2000 schools in the country, according to US News and World Report. Beyond shopping and educational institutions, residents can easily access Laurelwood Park, Beresford Park, and the Peninsula Golf and Country Club for more recreation. With walkable streets, quaint homes, and easy access to recreation, Hillsdale is one of the best San Mateo neighborhoods for families.
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Shoreview – A Modest, Affordable San Mateo Neighborhood on the San Francisco Bay
- Population: 6,577
- Average rent: $3,355
- Median home price: $1,305,000
- Shoreview crime: 2,520 per 100,000 residents
Shoreview is a modest family-friendly neighborhood offering scenic views of the San Francisco Bay. Although there are many multi-million estates, Shoreview is one of San Mateo’s more affordable neighborhoods and was originally developed for the city’s working-class community. Residents easily access many parks and recreation centers, including Coyote Point Recreation Area, Seal Point Park, and Mariners Point Golf Center.
With direct access to the bay, Shoreview is an excellent community for watersports, such as swimming, fishing, and windsurfing, making it one of the best neighborhoods in San Mateo for young professionals. The Bayside Performing Arts Center is also in Shoreview and hosts local art, dance, and music shows open to the public. So with affordable homes, great views, and an abundance of recreational activities available, Shoreview is well-known as one of the best places to live in San Mateo.
Baywood Park – A Peaceful San Mateo Neighborhood with Low Crime
- Population: 567
- Average rent: $2,922
- Median home price: $2,400,000
- Baywood Park crime: 1603 per 100,000 residents
Baywood Park is a slender and spread-out neighborhood in the southwest section of San Mateo, offering a serene, natural atmosphere. A large portion of the community is covered by woodlands, which makes the population density much lower than in the rest of the city. The neighborhood has a quiet suburban ambiance. However, it’s only three miles from downtown and has access to major highways like I-280 and State Route 92.
Located adjacent to the College of San Mateo, Baywood Park is one of the best neighborhoods in San Mateo with good schools, and students will attend the top-rated Highlands Elementary, Borel Middle School, and Aragon High School. It’s also a very safe neighborhood, with a crime rate 32% lower than the national average. While certainly not the most affordable neighborhood in the city, residents will find a decent selection of ranch-style single-family homes and easy access to shopping and dining. Baywood Park offers suburban living with easy access to amenities, which makes it one of the most desirable San Mateo neighborhoods.
Beresford Manor – A Fast-Growing Neighborhood with Affordable Homes
- Population: 4362
- Average rent: $3,382
- Median home price: $925,000
- Beresford Manor crime: 905 per 100,000 residents
Beresford Manor is a fast-growing San Mateo neighborhood in a central location. The community gets its name from Beresford Park, a local green space with tennis courts, bocce ball courts, ball fields, a skating rink, and the San Mateo Garden Center. It’s also adjacent to the Peninsula Golf and Country Club for additional recreational opportunities. Junipero Serra High School, a Catholic preparatory school for boys, is also located in Beresford Manor, as is The Carey School, an independent co-educational school serving kindergarten through grade 5.
Residents will also find a wide variety of shopping and dining options along El Camino Real, from coffee shops to Japanese grocery stores. Beresford Manor also has a crime rate that is 61% lower than the national average, making it one of the safest neighborhoods in San Mateo. It also features some of the lowest housing prices in the city, making it ideal for both families and young professionals.
Laurelwood/Sugarloaf – A Walkable, Family-Friendly San Mateo Neighborhood
- Population: 3,241
- Average rent: $3,382
- Median home price: $1,720,000
- Laurelwood/Sugarloaf crime: 5503 per 100,000 residents
Laurelwood Park/Sugarloaf is a neighborhood in the middle of San Mateo. It’s one of the city’s younger communities and features many newer developments built within the last 50 years. The neighborhood gets its name from the sprawling 225-acre Laurelwood Park, which features scenic trails leading to Sugarloaf Mountain. Residents will also find several churches and schools in the neighborhood, including Laurel Elementary School and Abbott Middle School.
Located adjacent to Hillsdale, the neighborhood also offers easy access to attractions like the Hillsdale Shopping Center and the Hillsdale Branch of the San Mateo County Public Library System. It’s a calm, walkable neighborhood with diverse housing options and stunning views. With ample opportunity for outdoor recreation and excellent schools within walking distance, Laurelwood/Sugarloaf is a great San Mateo neighborhood for families.
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Western Hills – The Home of San Mateo College
- Population: ~2,000
- Average rent: $2,922
- Median home price: $545,000
- Western Hills crime: 1924 per 100,000 people
Western Hills is a small yet vibrant neighborhood in south central San Mateo. The College of San Mateo, a top-ranked community college offering various academic and athletic programs, is located in Western Hills and serves as the neighborhood’s main cultural center. The College of San Mateo Theatre and College Heights Stadium are two major attractions associated with the college. The San Mateo Farmers Market is also held every Saturday on campus. It’s a very walkable neighborhood with plenty of churches, community centers, restaurants, and bars immediately accessible.
Plus, State Route 92 borders the neighborhood, offering residents easy access to downtown San Mateo and other parts of the Bay Area. Western Hills also offers a low crime rate and some of the lowest housing prices in the city, making it a perfect area for anyone searching for affordable living in a central location.
San Mateo Neighborhoods Map
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