© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
San Bruno.
About
Life in San Bruno
Living in San Bruno means accepting a fundamentally car-dependent lifestyle despite decent transit options—BART and Caltrain stations are convenient, but many daily errands still require driving on the interstates that bisect the city. You're paying top-tier Bay Area prices with a median home value around $1.2 million and rents averaging $2,700 monthly, though the median household income of $141,000 is among the region's higher ones. The job market is strong with YouTube headquarters anchoring employment, and the unemployment rate sits at 4.1%, but your commute will likely take 25 minutes even with proximity to transit.
San Bruno at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Foreign-Born
35.9%
Broadband Internet
94.6%
of households
Population Growth
-3.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics35.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in San Bruno: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In San Bruno, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (17.3%), and 18.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
16.9%
of residents
65 and Older
18.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.7%
of households
Married Couples
50.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.74
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 36% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in San Bruno
In San Bruno, rent runs 36% above the CA average, and home values are 64% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
115.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,212
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1962
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,286,954 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts below CA average
Unemployment in San Bruno and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in San Bruno is 1.4 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 San Bruno 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
Commute23.7 min avg
How San Bruno residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In San Bruno, most residents drive alone to work (63%), and 65% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 2 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 42% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in San Bruno runs 42% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
192.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,477.6
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
San Bruno 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 San Bruno, 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.
278 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Mateo County, county-wide
Air Quality27 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2024)
Air quality in San Mateo County, which includes San Bruno, 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
Climate70°F summers, 46°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
San Bruno has cool summers (avg high 70°F) and warm winters (avg low 46°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
70°/52°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
69°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
59°/46°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
27.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
2
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
89
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 45°F | 6.14" |
| Feb | 60°F | 46°F | 6.48" |
| Mar | 61°F | 46°F | 4.45" |
| Apr | 64°F | 48°F | 2.36" |
| May | 67°F | 49°F | 1.00" |
| Jun | 69°F | 51°F | 0.25" |
| Jul | 69°F | 52°F | 0.01" |
| Aug | 71°F | 53°F | 0.08" |
| Sep | 72°F | 53°F | 0.11" |
| Oct | 70°F | 52°F | 1.50" |
| Nov | 64°F | 50°F | 2.86" |
| Dec | 59°F | 46°F | 6.64" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in San Bruno
Uninsured
4.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside San Bruno's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Peninsula Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.4 mi away · Burlingame
Ahmc Seton Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.4 mi away · Daly City
Jewish Home & Rehab Center
Psychiatric · 7.1 mi away · San Francisco
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.
Education22.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in San Bruno
San Bruno's student/teacher ratio is 22.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 45.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
45.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in San Bruno
Public · 2-year · 7,620 students · in-state tuition $1,332 · 27% graduate · median earnings $62,578 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
San Francisco State University
7.1 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 · 6,842 students · in-state tuition $1,258 · 20% graduate · median earnings $42,812 (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, 12 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for San Bruno
San Bruno has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Presidio of San Francisco (12 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Presidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
12 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
13 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
13 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
14 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
19 mi awayMuir Woods National Monument
National Monument
20 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
20 mi awayEugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
26 mi awayPublic Libraries in San Bruno
San Bruno Public Library
701 Angus Ave. W., San Bruno
Cities Near San Bruno
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to San Bruno?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
San Bruno FAQ
Is San Bruno, California affordable?⌄
San Bruno's median rent is $2,773/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $141,272/year. Median home value is $1,207,500.
Is San Bruno, California safe?⌄
San Bruno's violent crime rate was 192 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 1478 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in San Bruno, California?⌄
San Bruno has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in San Bruno, California?⌄
The cost of living in San Bruno is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,773/month and median household income is $141,272/year. The median home value is $1,207,500. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in San Bruno, California?⌄
The average commute in San Bruno is 24 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