San Mateo Neighborhoods
San Mateo's neighborhood names largely follow the boundaries of roughly three dozen neighborhood and homeowner associations registered with the city, running from historic subdivisions around downtown and west of El Camino Real to postwar tracts and lagoon-side developments east of Highway 101. Two hillside communities with San Mateo addresses, the San Mateo Highlands and Baywood Park, are unincorporated parts of San Mateo County.
27 neighborhoods across 6 areas. For current market data, schools and buying strategy, see the San Mateo real estate guide. Browse other cities on the Silicon Valley neighborhoods page.
Downtown & North/Central
Downtown San Mateo
Commercial core roughly between Tilton Avenue, 9th Avenue, Delaware Street and El Camino Real, with more than 800 shops and restaurants, many in late-19th and early-20th-century buildings. Central Park (16.3 acres, city-owned since 1922) has a Japanese tea garden, rose garden and arboretum.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Central
Neighborhood between 4th and 9th Avenues from Amphlett Boulevard to Railroad Avenue, beside downtown.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
North Central
Area from 4th Avenue north to the Burlingame border, between San Mateo Drive and Highway 101.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Sunnybrae
Neighborhood from the south side of 9th Avenue to East 16th Avenue, including Afton Court and Haddon Drive, between South Amphlett Boulevard and South Railroad Avenue.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
San Mateo Park
Neighborhood bounded by Hillsborough, Barroilhet Avenue, El Camino Real and Engle Road, subdivided from the Clark holdings after the 1889 Burlingame Park subdivision.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
West of El Camino (Baywood & Aragon)
Baywood
Neighborhood bounded by El Camino Real, the Hillsborough border, Notre Dame Avenue and Crystal Springs Road.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
El Cerrito
Area between Baywood Avenue and West Santa Inez Avenue centered on El Cerrito Way, from El Camino Real west to the Hillsborough line; originally El Cerrito Park, subdivided from the Bowie Estate.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District · Association name: Gramercy-Mounds El Cerrito
Aragon
Mostly single-family neighborhood on streets including Aragon Boulevard, Castilian Way, Hobart Avenue, Edinburgh Street and Harvard Road, plus condos on streets such as 9th Avenue and Hayward Avenue; Central Park and downtown are nearby.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Borel
Area from Hobart Street to El Camino Real, State Route 92 and the Hillsborough limits; the Borel Estate, developed near Borel Creek in 1874, was redeveloped for offices and shops from the late 20th century.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Central-South (Hayward Park to Hillsdale)
Hayward Park
Early-1900s subdivision named for Alvinza Hayward's 1880 estate, later The Peninsula Hotel, which burned in 1920. Hayward Park Caltrain station (401 Concar Dr, just north of Highway 92) was relocated here in 1999.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
19th Avenue Park
Eichler neighborhood bordered by Delaware Street, Concar Drive and Grant Street, with more than 200 Eichler homes built in the mid-1950s.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District · Eichler homes
Fiesta Gardens
Neighborhood along Delaware Street south of 19th Avenue to the San Mateo Expo Center, east to Highway 101.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Bay Meadows
83-acre transit-oriented, mixed-use development on the former Bay Meadows Racetrack (closed 2008), with residences, offices, retail, parks and a town square; construction began in 2012. Its master association covers roughly South Delaware Street, 28th Avenue, Saratoga Drive and East 31st Avenue.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Hillsdale
Area centered on Hillsdale Shopping Center, which has more than 120 stores and was expanded in 2019, and served by the Hillsdale Caltrain station.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Glendale Village
Neighborhood bounded by McLellan Street, East 41st Avenue, Pacific Avenue and the Bayshore Freeway.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
South & Southwest Hills
Beresford
Area from El Camino Real to Alameda de las Pulgas between 28th Avenue and the Belmont border, plus the area west of the Alameda to Highway 92 excluding Laurelwood; it was an established residential district by 1916.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District · Association name: Beresford Hillsdale
Hacienda
Neighborhood from 28th Avenue to Highway 92 between El Camino Real and Alameda de las Pulgas.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Laurelwood
Hillside neighborhood bounded by Glendora, Cherrywood, De Anza Boulevard, Highway 92 and Palos Verdes.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Sugarloaf
Neighborhood near Highway 92 and De Anza Boulevard, south of Highway 92, beside Sugarloaf Mountain, preserved as park and open space and home to the endangered mission blue butterfly.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Clearview / San Mateo Woods
Hillside enclave near Highway 92 and West Hillsdale Boulevard around Clearview Way, Hounds Ridge Court and Bayridge Way.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
East of Highway 101
North Shoreview
Bayside neighborhood from 3rd Avenue north to Poplar Creek Golf Course, between Highway 101 and the Bay.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Shoreview & Parkside
Bayside neighborhoods from Highway 92 north to 3rd Avenue, between Highway 101 and the Bay.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District · Association name: Shoreview-Parkside
Lakeshore
Neighborhood from Fashion Island Boulevard south to East Hillsdale Boulevard and from South Norfolk Street west to Highway 101, including Budd Court.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District · Formerly Hillsdale Manor
Mariners Island
Area along Mariners Island Boulevard with condominium and townhome associations such as Las Casitas, bounded by Mariners Island Boulevard, Armada Way, Neptune Court and Benoit Park.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Los Prados
Mixed neighborhood near Highways 101 and 92 with single-family homes on streets such as Los Prados Street, Casanova Drive and Holland Street, plus townhomes (Laguna Vista) and condos (Lauriedale).
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Unincorporated Hillside Communities
San Mateo Highlands
Community on Pulgas Ridge overlooking Lower Crystal Springs Reservoir, with more than 700 single-story Eichler homes built 1956-1964, one of the largest Eichler communities, including the steel-framed X-100. The Highlands Recreation District (1957) runs a pool, tennis courts and gym; Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve borders it.
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District · Eichler homes · Unincorporated San Mateo County (Highlands CDP)
Baywood Park
Hillside census-designated place (elevation about 528 ft) in ZIP 94402, created for the 2020 census when the former Highlands-Baywood Park CDP was split; population 1,693 (2020).
Schools: San Mateo-Foster City School District; San Mateo Union High School District · Unincorporated San Mateo County
Neighborhood names follow city sources where they exist; informal names are noted. School assignments can change, so confirm by address with the district. Source: City of San Mateo.
Questions about a street or tract in San Mateo? Call 408.373.1660 or email homes@boyenga.com.