Lake Stevens, WA 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.

Lake Stevens

66.2

#1574 nationally

vs

San Mateo

63

#1808 nationally

San Mateo leads in walk score (68 vs 23). Lake Stevens leads in crime level (3.2 vs 6.7). Lake Stevens leads in cost of living index (137 vs 249).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric Lake Stevens, WA San Mateo, CA
WhereAtHome Score 66.2 (#1574) 63 (#1808)
Population 40,521 101,327
Typical Home Value (ZHVI) $698,093 $1,685,162
Median Household Income $111,821 $149,152
Average Commute 35.1 min 28.5 min
Walk Score 23 68
Crime Level 3.2 6.7
School Rating N/A N/A
Cost of Living Index 137 249
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored D+19.0 D+50.3