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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in San Mateo County, California

San Mateo County has an effective property tax rate of 0.61%. On the median home value of $1,559,600, that's roughly $9,519 per year. Median household income is $158,855.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.61%
median tax $9,519 ÷ median home $1,559,600
Median Home Value1
$1,559,600
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$158,855
per-capita $84,288
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$9,519
at 0.61% effective rate

What you'll pay, at a glance

Property taxes are the largest local tax most homeowners pay. The effective rate measures the real tax bill as a share of home value — a more useful number than the nominal “mill rate,” because assessment practices vary county to county.

MetricSan Mateo CountyCalifornia (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.61%0.70%
Median home value1$1,559,600—
State income tax3top rate 13.30%top rate 13.30%
State sales tax39.03% combined9.03% combined

How this is calculated

The effective property tax rate is the median real-estate tax bill divided by the median home value — both for owner-occupied homes, from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-year estimates)1. Median income is also from the ACS1. Federal and state income-tax figures use IRS2 and Tax Foundation3 data.

About San Mateo County, CA

Buying in San Mateo County means grappling with a median home value of $1,559,600, among the steepest in California. The compensating factor is the tax rate itself: at 0.610%, it sits below the statewide median of 0.698% and well under the national figure of 0.794%. That lower rate translates into a median annual real-estate tax bill of $9,519. Set against a median household income of $158,855, the yearly tax equals roughly six percent of earnings, a ratio that eases some of the strain created by the purchase price. Per-capita income here reaches $84,288. Within California, the county ranks 57th of 58 for property tax rate, so buyers in Redwood City, San Mateo, or Daly City pay comparatively little per dollar of assessed value, even though the absolute dollars remain substantial given what homes cost.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in San Mateo County, CA?
The effective rate is 0.61% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.61% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($1,559,600), the estimated annual bill is about $9,519.
Is San Mateo County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 0.70% and the national average near 1.1%.
How does the effective rate differ from my mill rate?
A mill rate is the nominal levy per $1,000 of assessed value. The effective rate reflects what you actually pay after exemptions and assessments — it's the median tax bill as a share of median home value, so it better predicts your real cost.
Will a reassessment raise my tax bill?
Not necessarily. If your home's assessed value rises, your bill can go up, but only if the mill rate and exemptions stay flat. Contact the San Mateo County assessor's office to review your current assessment.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment?
Yes. Most counties allow an appeal when you believe the assessed value exceeds the market value. File with the San Mateo County assessor within the local deadline, typically with comparable sales as evidence.
Sources
[1] U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year (2023) — Median home value (B25077), median real-estate taxes (B25103), median household income (B19013), per-capita income (B19301).
[2] IRS — Statistics of Income — County income, AGI, and real-estate taxes paid.
[3] Tax Foundation — State income, sales, corporate, and estate/inheritance tax rates.