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Living in
North Fair Oaks.
North Fair Oaks is an unincorporated community in San Mateo County, CA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in North Fair Oaks
North Fair Oaks is a community of 13,327 people in California. The median household income is $104,884, median rent runs about $2,314 per month, and median home values are around $1,276,900. Unemployment is low at 3.7%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
North Fair Oaks at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
32.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.0%
Foreign-Born
41.4%
Broadband Internet
92.2%
of households
Population Growth
-7.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics41.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in North Fair Oaks: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In North Fair Oaks, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (52.6%), and 58.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.2%
of residents
65 and Older
12.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.8%
of households
Married Couples
46.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.37
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 14% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in North Fair Oaks
In North Fair Oaks, rent runs 14% above the CA average, and home values are 74% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
115.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,492
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
47.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1958
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.3%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.6 pts below CA average
Unemployment in North Fair Oaks and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in San Mateo County, which includes North Fair Oaks, is 1.6 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
North Fair Oaks: San Mateo County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
San Mateo County (county-wide) · Annual averages
North Fair Oaks is about 2% of San Mateo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What North Fair Oaks 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
Commute22.1 min avg
How North Fair Oaks residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In North Fair Oaks, most residents drive alone to work (62%), and 74% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 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 45% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, which covers North Fair Oaks, runs 45% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
181.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,075
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by San Mateo County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
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 North Fair Oaks, 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.
282 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Mateo County, county-wide
North Fair Oaks is about 2% 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 North Fair Oaks, 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
North Fair Oaks is about 2% of San Mateo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate80°F summers, 41°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
North Fair Oaks has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and mild winters (avg low 41°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
69°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/56°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
60°/41°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
19.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
18
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
6
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
55
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 41°F | 3.81" |
| Feb | 62°F | 43°F | 3.65" |
| Mar | 65°F | 45°F | 3.02" |
| Apr | 69°F | 47°F | 1.15" |
| May | 73°F | 50°F | 0.46" |
| Jun | 79°F | 54°F | 0.16" |
| Jul | 81°F | 57°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 81°F | 57°F | 0.04" |
| Sep | 79°F | 54°F | 0.07" |
| Oct | 75°F | 50°F | 0.87" |
| Nov | 65°F | 44°F | 1.87" |
| Dec | 59°F | 40°F | 3.92" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in North Fair Oaks
Uninsured
7.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside North Fair Oaks's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Redwood City
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1.6 mi away · Redwood City
Sequoia Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.9 mi away · Redwood City
Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hsp at Stanford
Childrens · 3.1 mi away · Palo Alto
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.
Education19.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in North Fair Oaks
North Fair Oaks's student/teacher ratio is 19.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 28.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
28.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near North Fair Oaks (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 15,264 students · in-state tuition $1,577 · 42% graduate · median earnings $62,175 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-East Bay
14.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 9,809 students · in-state tuition $7,993 · 69% graduate · median earnings $73,868 (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)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,554 students · in-state tuition $68,544 · 96% graduate · median earnings $125,340 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 5,784 students · in-state tuition $1,438 · 22% graduate · median earnings $56,661 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 455 students · in-state tuition $22,480 · 44% graduate · median earnings $59,124 (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: Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site, 26 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for North Fair Oaks
North Fair Oaks has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (26 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
26 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
26 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
27 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
27 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
27 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
31 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
34 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
35 mi awayCities Near North Fair Oaks
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to North Fair Oaks?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
North Fair Oaks FAQ
Is North Fair Oaks, California affordable?⌄
North Fair Oaks's median rent is $2,314/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $104,884/year. Median home value is $1,276,900.
Is North Fair Oaks, California safe?⌄
North Fair Oaks is policed by the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 181 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 1075 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in North Fair Oaks, California?⌄
San Mateo County, which includes North Fair Oaks, has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in North Fair Oaks, California?⌄
The cost of living in North Fair Oaks is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,314/month and median household income is $104,884/year. The median home value is $1,276,900. About 59% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in North Fair Oaks, California?⌄
The average commute in North Fair Oaks is 22 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