Lafayette, CA vs San Mateo, CA

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Lafayette

62.7

#1832 nationally

vs

San Mateo

63

#1808 nationally

Lafayette leads in crime level (2.2 vs 6.7). San Mateo leads in walk score (68 vs 26). Lafayette leads in median household income ($219,250 vs $149,152).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric Lafayette, CA San Mateo, CA
WhereAtHome Score 62.7 (#1832) 63 (#1808)
Population 25,048 101,327
Typical Home Value (ZHVI) $1,941,109 $1,685,162
Median Household Income $219,250 $149,152
Average Commute 29.7 min 28.5 min
Walk Score 26 68
Crime Level 2.2 6.7
School Rating N/A N/A
Cost of Living Index 280 249
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored D+38.0 D+50.3