Living in San Mateo

Neighborhoods

Eleven places, one slope

San Mateo is easier to understand as a cross section than as a map.

Eleven neighborhoods, by elevation

Elevation cross section of San Mateo, west to east: the Crystal Springs watershed at 560 feet falls to San Francisco Bay at sea level in roughly four miles. 500 ft 60 ft sea level I-280 past the reservoir ALAMEDA DE LAS PULGAS the old ridge road EL CAMINO · CALTRAIN road and rail together US-101 along the Bay edge BAY TRAIL on the levee San Mateo Highlands — 310 ft Laurelwood & Sugarloaf — 330 ft Baywood — 130 ft Aragon — 90 ft North Central — 38 ft Downtown — 28 ft Hillsdale — 22 ft Bay Meadows — 14 ft Sunnybrae — 11 ft Shoreview & Fiesta Gardens — 8 ft Coyote Point & North Shoreview — 5 ft
The hills Four miles, 560 feet, eleven neighborhoods. Vertical scale exaggerated below 60 ft so the flats stay readable. The Bay Drag toward the Bay →
The same eleven on the map. Click a circle for its elevation and nearest platform.
Every neighborhood, downhill from the ridge to the Bay.
Neighborhood Elev. Band Nearest platform
Laurelwood & Sugarloaf 330 ft The hills Hillsdale 25–30 minutes on foot
San Mateo Highlands 310 ft The hills Hillsdale 2.5 miles and 300 feet
Baywood 130 ft The slope San Mateo 20–25 minutes down on foot
Aragon 90 ft The slope Hayward Park 15 minutes
North Central 38 ft The corridor San Mateo 5–12 minutes
Downtown 28 ft The corridor San Mateo Under 5 minutes
Hillsdale 22 ft The corridor Hillsdale 5–20 minutes depending which side
Bay Meadows 14 ft The flats Hillsdale 2–8 minutes
Sunnybrae 11 ft The flats Hayward Park 20 minutes
Shoreview & Fiesta Gardens 8 ft The flats Hayward Park 2 miles over the Third Avenue bridge
Coyote Point & North Shoreview 5 ft The shoreline San Mateo 2 miles and a freeway