Moved here 15 years ago for work. San Mateo has a solid community for young professionals. Income levels are solid here — median is around $152,669. Rent runs about $3,079/month for a typical apartment. The social scene is pretty active with lots of meetups. Would I recommend it? Absolutely..
78 upvotes
18 Replies
Samuel E.
Rent tip: look for places in fall. Prices drop and there's more availability.
33 upvotes
Joseph R.
Respectfully disagree about the cost of living assessment. In my experience, there are good opportunities if you network.
32 upvotes
Justin B.
Downtown is overrated and overpriced. The suburbs offer way better value.
29 upvotes
Jacob L.
I work in education and finding a job wasn't hard. Took about 4 months.
28 upvotes
Daniel R.
Can confirm the safety issue. But it really depends on the neighborhood. Old Town and Midtown are perfectly safe.
28 upvotes
Edward S.
Totally agree with this. I've been here 9 years and my experience is very similar.
27 upvotes
Judith M.
Public transit needs work but they're investing in it. Should improve in next few years.
27 upvotes
Joseph R.
Don't sleep on Lakewood. It's up and coming and still affordable.
24 upvotes
Edward S.
I'd add that the parks here are amazing for families. Otherwise spot on!
24 upvotes
Judith M.
Public transit needs work but they're investing in it. Should improve in next few years.
20 upvotes
Edward S.
Check out the Riverside area. Way more affordable and still close to everything.
18 upvotes
Edward S.
Weather is the biggest factor for us. Four seasons are nice, not too extreme either way.
16 upvotes
Zachary G.
This is so helpful, thanks for sharing! We're moving to San Mateo next month.
10 upvotes
Daniel R.
Been here 20 years. The city has changed a lot but overall for the better.
7 upvotes
Justin B.
Moved here last year. No regrets. People are super nice.
6 upvotes
Justin B.
If you can afford it, Eastside is the best place to live. Period.
6 upvotes
Daniel R.
Check out the Southside area. Way more affordable and still close to everything.
1 upvotes
Justin B.
As someone who moved here from Philadelphia, I can confirm most of this. The cost of living surprised me the most.
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