What income do you need to buy a house in San Mateo, CA?
It takes about $448,000/yr to afford the typical San Mateo, CA home ($1.67M, +5.7% past year) at today's rates. Starter homes run around $996K. See if you can afford a house in San Mateo (2026 data) — free, no signup.
Market snapshot (2026-09)
- Income needed to buy the typical home: about $448,000/yr (28% front-end ratio, 20% down, 7.24% 30-yr fixed, CA property tax and insurance)
- Typical home value: $1.67M (Zillow ZHVI, 2026-09)
- 1-year change: +5.7%
- Bottom 35% of homes: $996K
- Top 35% of homes start around: $2.55M
- Typical rent: $3,968/mo
- Median household income: $154K
- Price-to-income ratio: 10.9
- Estimated payment on the typical home: $9,132/mo principal & interest (20% down, 7.24% 30-yr fixed)
Nearby housing markets
The most affordable cities to buy a house in California
Home values are Zillow Group public data (ZHVI, updated monthly); income and population are US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates. Estimates only — not financial advice.
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