New York City, NY 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.

New York City

62.5

#1851 nationally

vs

San Mateo

63

#1808 nationally

San Mateo leads in median household income ($149,152 vs $74,694). San Mateo leads in average commute (28.5 min vs 41.2 min). New York City leads in cost of living index (187 vs 249).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric New York City, NY San Mateo, CA
WhereAtHome Score 62.5 (#1851) 63 (#1808)
Population 8,258,035 101,327
Typical Home Value (ZHVI) $832,934 $1,685,162
Median Household Income $74,694 $149,152
Average Commute 41.2 min 28.5 min
Walk Score 89 68
Crime Level Moderate 6.7
School Rating 6 N/A
Cost of Living Index 187 249
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored D+64.8 D+50.3