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Living in
Burlingame.
The Census tops out at $2,000,000+ for home value; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.
About
Life in Burlingame
Burlingame offers the stability of an established, affluent community on the Peninsula, but you're paying premium Bay Area prices to get it—median homes are around $2 million and rent averages $2,785 monthly. The job market is solid with biotech, tech, and airline-adjacent companies clustered here, plus good regional transit via Caltrain and proximity to BART, which helps with commuting to San Francisco or the South Bay, though expect a 31-minute average commute. The schools are genuinely strong, with elementary schools ranking among California's best and families steadily moving in, which speaks to the appeal but also keeps housing competitive.
Burlingame at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.1%
Foreign-Born
31.6%
Broadband Internet
94.8%
of households
Population Growth
+1.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics31.6% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Burlingame: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Burlingame, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (12.7%), and 9.5% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
22.4%
of residents
65 and Older
16.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.5%
of households
Married Couples
49.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.44
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 37% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Burlingame
In Burlingame, rent runs 37% above the CA average, and home values are 172% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
115.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
48.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1957
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $2,845,047 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.6 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Burlingame and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Burlingame is 1.6 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Burlingame Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA metro area
Commute30.7 min avg
How Burlingame residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Burlingame, most residents drive alone to work (53%), and 50% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Major hub26.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 50% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Burlingame runs 50% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
165.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,954.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Burlingame Police Department
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
99.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
San Mateo County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In San Mateo County, which includes Burlingame, the most common type is strong wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Flood | $10 |
| 2024 | 14 | Flood | $30 |
| 2023 | 15 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 11 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 21 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 25 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 42 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 23 | Strong Wind | $10,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
285 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Mateo County, county-wide
Burlingame is about 4% of San Mateo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality27 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2024)
Air quality in San Mateo County, which includes Burlingame, is typically good — 281 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
27
Good Days
281
per year
Moderate Days
38
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
San Mateo County, county-wide
Burlingame is about 4% of San Mateo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate73°F summers, 45°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Burlingame has mild summers (avg high 73°F) and warm winters (avg low 45°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/49°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
73°/55°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
70°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
59°/45°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
19.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
4
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
65
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 45°F | 3.89" |
| Feb | 61°F | 46°F | 3.96" |
| Mar | 63°F | 48°F | 2.73" |
| Apr | 66°F | 49°F | 1.36" |
| May | 68°F | 52°F | 0.48" |
| Jun | 72°F | 54°F | 0.14" |
| Jul | 73°F | 55°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 73°F | 56°F | 0.04" |
| Sep | 75°F | 56°F | 0.07" |
| Oct | 72°F | 53°F | 0.79" |
| Nov | 64°F | 49°F | 2.04" |
| Dec | 58°F | 45°F | 4.14" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Burlingame
Burlingame has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Peninsula Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Peninsula Medical Center · 1501 Trousdale Drive
- Hospital campus: Mills-Peninsula Medical Center - San Mateo Campus · 100 S San Mateo Dr, San Mateo
- Hospital campus: Menlo Park Surgical Hospital · 570 Willow Rd, Menlo Park
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
San Mateo Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.4 mi away · San Mateo
Ahmc Seton Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.7 mi away · Daly City
Sequoia Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.6 mi away · Redwood City
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education22.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Burlingame
Burlingame's student/teacher ratio is 22.1:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 64.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
64.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Burlingame (within 15 miles)
San Francisco State University
11 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 18,639 students · in-state tuition $8,324 · 67% graduate · median earnings $73,299 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 7,977 students · in-state tuition $1,332 · 30% graduate · median earnings $60,507 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 7,620 students · in-state tuition $1,332 · 27% graduate · median earnings $62,578 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,287 students · in-state tuition $62,462 · 75% graduate · median earnings $94,613 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 4,487 students · in-state tuition $1,258 · 21% graduate · median earnings $47,627 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 3,587 students · in-state tuition $32,224 · 25% graduate · median earnings $44,567 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Presidio of San Francisco, 15 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Burlingame
Burlingame has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Presidio of San Francisco (15 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Presidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
15 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
16 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
16 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
17 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
22 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
23 mi awayMuir Woods National Monument
National Monument
24 mi awayEugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
25 mi awayPublic Libraries in Burlingame
Burlingame Main Library
480 Primrose Road, Burlingame
Easton Branch
1800 Easton Drive, Burlingame
Cities Near Burlingame
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Burlingame?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Burlingame FAQ
Is Burlingame, California affordable?⌄
Burlingame's median rent is $2,785/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $174,000/year. Median home value is $2,000,000+.
Is Burlingame, California safe?⌄
Burlingame's violent crime rate was 166 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1955 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Burlingame, California?⌄
Burlingame has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Burlingame, California?⌄
The cost of living in Burlingame is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,785/month and median household income is $174,000/year. The median home value is $2,000,000+. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Burlingame, California?⌄
The average commute in Burlingame is 31 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from