samuel_vibes best-worst Nov 2, 2025

Things that make San Mateo unique

Hi all, I'm a nurse at the local hospital and Crime rate is something to consider -San Mateo sits at 250.9 per 100K. It's a a mid-size city city with about 104K people. Downtown has improved a lot in recent years. Honestly, I think it's a great place if you know where to look. Am I overthinking this? Property taxes are high but you get good services. It's a very car-dependent city, for better or worse. Downtown has improved a lot in recent years. The city has invested a lot in new development.

45 upvotes

2 Replies

Richard S. Nov 26, 2025

glad someone said it

15 upvotes

Wyatt Garcia Dec 2, 2025

Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem tough.

I've been here 9 years and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. The thing nobody mentions is walkability. It's affordable and it affects daily life more than you'd think.

That said, the job market is legit. And if you're into hiking, this place is pretty good.

Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The Cedar Grove side vs the Eastside side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.

Happy to answer more specific questions..

1 upvotes

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