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New Report Fall 2026 Housing Affordability Report: every state is less affordable than in late August as average 30-year mortgage rates passed 7%. Read the report

San Mateo, CA Housing Affordability Index

San Mateo, California has an MBR Housing Affordability Index score of 59.9 (Significantly Less Affordable) as of October 30, 2026, ranking 729th most affordable of 785 scored California cities, compared with 67.5 statewide and 97.4 nationally. On a median-priced $1,618,700 home with 20% down, a jumbo loan at 7.50% means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $9,055, or 71% of the city’s $153,504 median household income.

The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) for San Mateo is updated every night from live California mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income, home value and housing cost data for the city. A score of 100 equals the national average; higher scores mean homeownership is more affordable.

San Mateo MBR-HAI 59.9 Significantly Less Affordable
Rank in California 729 of 785 1 = most affordable
California 67.5 Statewide score
National 97.4 100 = baseline
Avg 30-yr rate 7.25% California lenders
Median home value $1,618,700 U.S. Census Bureau

San Mateo is 7.6 points below the California score. Scores as of October 30, 2026. See the California index

View San Mateo Mortgage Rates

What It Takes to Buy in San Mateo

$9,055/mo
Principal & Interest
Median home, 20% down, 7.50% jumbo
$388,100
Income Needed
To keep the payment at 28% of income
$153,504
Median Household Income
California: $99,122
10.5x
Price-to-Income Ratio
California: 7.4x
$3,480/mo
Median Owner Costs
Mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities
$5,839/yr
Median Property Tax
California figure
36.8%
Owner Cost Burden
Owners spending 30%+ of income on housing
44.8%
Renter Cost Burden
Renters spending 30%+ of income on rent

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024) for San Mateo, California. The rate is the California average 30-year fixed rate from MonitorBankRates, since lenders publish rates by state. A 20% down loan on the median home here is above the $1,249,125 conforming limit, so the index adds 0.25% for jumbo pricing.

Cite the San Mateo Score

“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, October 30, 2026. San Mateo, California score: 59.9 (Significantly Less Affordable), ranked 729 of 785 California cities. monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/california/san-mateo”