Where Are People Moving in San Mateo, CA?
IRS county-to-county migration, 2023 tax year (released about two years after the tax year it covers).
People moving in
19,120
People moving out
21,581
Net migration
-6,243
San Mateo, CA is a net loser of residents. In the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), 19,120 people moved in and 21,581 moved out, for a net loss of -6,243. Net outflows can soften local rent and price growth over time, though the cause matters as much as the number.
Migration is most useful read alongside the rest of the market. People move for jobs, affordability, climate, and lifestyle, and where they come from and go to says a lot about what a county is competing on. Below are the specific counties driving San Mateo, CA’s flows in each direction.
Top counties people moved to San Mateo, CA from
| Origin county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CACalifornia | 4,514 | 7,071 |
| Santa Clara, CACalifornia | 3,879 | 5,845 |
| Alameda, CACalifornia | 2,026 | 3,205 |
| Los Angeles, CACalifornia | 977 | 1,347 |
| Contra Costa, CACalifornia | 839 | 1,317 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | 439 | 608 |
| Sacramento, CACalifornia | 352 | 550 |
| King, WAWashington | 329 | 458 |
| Orange, CACalifornia | 325 | 444 |
| San Joaquin, CACalifornia | 245 | 412 |
Top counties people left San Mateo, CA for
| Destination county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara, CACalifornia | 3,874 | 5,963 |
| San Francisco, CACalifornia | 3,710 | 5,242 |
| Alameda, CACalifornia | 2,498 | 4,032 |
| Contra Costa, CACalifornia | 1,313 | 2,428 |
| Los Angeles, CACalifornia | 900 | 1,260 |
| Sacramento, CACalifornia | 635 | 1,104 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | 600 | 936 |
| San Joaquin, CACalifornia | 416 | 852 |
| King, WAWashington | 397 | 556 |
| Solano, CACalifornia | 381 | 717 |
“Returns” counts tax returns (a household proxy) that moved along each flow; “People” counts the individuals on those returns, when reported. IRS aggregate and foreign pseudo-rows are excluded. Informational only, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Are people moving to San Mateo, CA or leaving?
San Mateo, CA had a net loss of -6,243 residents in the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), with 19,120 people moving in and 21,581 moving out. Net migration is inflow minus outflow.
Where are people moving to San Mateo, CA from?
The largest sources of new San Mateo, CA residents are San Francisco, CA, Santa Clara, CA, Alameda, CA. The full top-ten list of origin counties is in the table above.
Where do people leaving San Mateo, CA go?
People leaving San Mateo, CA most often move to Santa Clara, CA, San Francisco, CA, Alameda, CA. The full top-ten list of destination counties is in the table above.
What does San Mateo, CA migration mean for housing?
Migration is a leading demand signal. Sustained net inflows tend to support rents and home prices when supply cannot keep up, while net outflows can soften them. Read this alongside San Mateo, CA's price forecast, building permits, and affordability on the full county dashboard before drawing a conclusion.
How current is this San Mateo, CA migration data?
It comes from IRS Statistics of Income county-to-county migration data, which is released about two years after the tax year it covers; the figures above reflect the 2023 tax year. That lag is normal for this dataset, which counts actual tax returns rather than survey estimates.