Property taxCaliforniaCensus ACS 2020–2024
San Mateo County, California property tax rate
Homeowners in San Mateo County pay a median $9,519 a year in property tax, an effective rate of 0.61% of home value.The median home is worth $1,559,600. That rate is 12% lower than the California rate (0.70%) and 35% lower than the US rate (0.94%). It is the 57th highest of 58 counties in California.
Compared with the state and the US
San Mateo County's rate is 35% lower than the US rate
Effective property tax rate (median tax ÷ median home value). Grey ticks: the other 57 counties in California.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates.
Estimate your property tax in San Mateo County
Home value × the county's effective rate. Change the value to see your estimate.
$793 a month at 0.61%, the effective rate for San Mateo County.
| At the California rate (0.70%) | $10,877 |
| At the US rate (0.94%) | $14,621 |
An estimate from Census averages, not your bill. Your tax depends on your assessed value, local levies and any exemptions (homestead, senior, veteran) you claim.
Neighbouring counties
Alameda County has the highest rate next to San Mateo County
Effective property tax rate of every county that borders San Mateo County
| County | Effective rate |
|---|---|
| Alameda County median $8,474 | 0.78% |
| San Francisco County median $9,862 | 0.71% |
| Santa Clara County median $10,000+ | 0.68% |
| Santa Cruz County median $6,538 | 0.64% |
| San Mateo County median $9,519 | 0.61% |
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates; county adjacency file 2024.
What homeowners pay
86% of San Mateo County homeowners pay $3,000 or more a year (US 49%)
Owner-occupied homes by yearly real estate taxes paid, with and without a mortgage combined
| Yearly property tax paid | Share of homeowners |
|---|---|
| No real estate taxes paid | 2% |
| Less than $800 | 2% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 2% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 3% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 5% |
| $3,000 or more | 86% |
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table B25102.
Median tax with a mortgage: $10,000+; without a mortgage: $6,502. Homes with a mortgage tend to be newer, bought more recently and worth more.
Five years earlier
The median tax bill rose 40% between the 2015–2019 and 2020–2024 surveys while median home value rose 43%, so the effective rate went down from 0.63% to 0.61%.
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median property tax paid | $6,819 | $9,519 | +40% |
| Median home value | $1,089,400 | $1,559,600 | +43% |
| Effective rate | 0.63% | 0.61% | -0.02 pts |
Where to check your own bill
Your actual bill is set locally: the county assessor values your home, and the county, city, school district and other local districts each set a rate on that value. Exemptions such as a homestead exemption can cut the bill. Check your assessment and bill with the San Mateo County assessor or tax collector.
State rules and exemptions: California State Board of Equalization, property taxes.
Questions and answers
- What is the property tax rate in San Mateo County?
- The effective rate is 0.61%: homeowners paid a median $9,519 a year on a median home value of $1,559,600 (Census ACS 2020-2024). The California rate is 0.70% and the US rate 0.94%.
- How much is property tax on a $300,000 house in San Mateo County?
- About $1,831 a year ($153 a month) at the county's effective rate of 0.61%. Your bill depends on your assessed value, local levies and exemptions.
- Is property tax in San Mateo County high?
- San Mateo County's rate is 12% lower than the California rate and 35% lower than the US rate. It ranks 57th of 58 counties in California and 2,225 of 3,134 US counties (1 = highest).
- Why might my bill be different?
- The rate here is an average across homeowners. Bills depend on when the home was last assessed, the levies of your city and school district, and exemptions or caps you qualify for.
Related
- California property tax rates by county0.70%
- Property taxes by stateall 50 states and DC
- Property tax calculatorany US county
- Where do my state taxes go in California?state budget
- California income tax calculatortake-home pay
Sources and notes
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (released December 2025), tables B25103 (median real estate taxes paid by mortgage status), B25077 (median value), B25102 (mortgage status by real estate taxes paid), B25090 and B25082 (aggregate taxes paid and aggregate value) and B25003 (tenure). Owner-occupied homes. Public domain.
- Five years earlier: ACS 2015–2019 5-year estimates, tables B25103 and B25077. Dollars are nominal.
- Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid ÷ median home value. Taxes are what homeowners report paying for the year; values are what they say the home would sell for. Where the Census Bureau caps the median tax at “$10,000+”, the rate is total taxes paid ÷ total home value instead. ± figures are the Census 90% margins of error.
- Page built 2026-10-10.