Home Value Trail

San Mateo County Unincorporated Area, CA home price history and building permits

San Mateo CountySan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CACalifornia

  • Price trail: San Mateo County
  • FHFA annual index 1975 to 2025
  • Developmental index
  • Permits through

The annual files of FHFA have no index for a city. The line on this page is the index of San Mateo County, the county of San Mateo County Unincorporated Area. The FHFA annual house price index for San Mateo County increased by 49.1% from 2015 to 2025. Building permits in San Mateo County Unincorporated Area authorized 273 housing units in the 12 months to August 2026.

2015

The annual files of FHFA have no index for a city. These figures are for the index of San Mateo County, the county of San Mateo County Unincorporated Area.

+49.1%

From 2015 to 2025, the FHFA annual all-transactions index for San Mateo County increased by 49.1%.

From 2015 to 2025, the average change in each year is +4.1%, compounded.

Same span at each level: 2015 to 2025
AreaChangeBar
San Mateo County+49.1%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA+59.1%
California+80.3%
United States+85.0%
San Mateo County FHFA annual all-transactions index, 100 in 1975
  • San Mateo County
  • United States, set to the same start
  • Recession (NBER dates)
  • Your span

This is the price trail of San Mateo County, not of San Mateo County Unincorporated Area. The annual files of FHFA have no index for a city.

Index values for each year
FHFA annual all-transactions index for San Mateo County, 1975 to 2025
YearIndexChange from the year before
20252,603.37−0.6%
20242,619.37+2.0%
20232,567.95+5.3%
20222,438.88+13.6%
20212,147.18+1.0%
20202,125.46−5.2%
20192,242.25−0.3%
20182,248.61+11.3%
20172,020.23+3.9%
20161,943.72+11.3%
20151,745.84+10.1%
20141,585.77+14.7%
20131,383.10+11.4%
20121,242.06+2.8%
20111,208.57−3.9%
20101,257.37−1.9%
20091,281.63−10.7%
20081,434.60−9.9%
20071,592.56−0.5%
20061,600.22+8.2%
20051,478.50+22.0%
20041,212.33+10.3%
20031,099.03+4.5%
20021,051.89+3.6%
20011,015.24+11.1%
2000913.67+26.3%
1999723.25+9.3%
1998661.45+12.2%
1997589.77+8.4%
1996543.86+1.0%
1995538.26+0.6%
1994534.90−0.5%
1993537.48−3.4%
1992556.17−1.9%
1991566.70−5.1%
1990597.18+2.9%
1989580.53+25.4%
1988463.08+24.1%
1987373.24+12.4%
1986332.19+9.9%
1985302.31+8.5%
1984278.70+4.8%
1983265.91+16.5%
1982228.32−8.6%
1981249.75+3.8%
1980240.69+22.7%
1979196.21+19.5%
1978164.16+11.4%
1977147.41+25.8%
1976117.20+17.2%
1975100.00n/a

Each figure is the change of the FHFA annual all-transactions index, from the year that you pick to 2025. It is a change for the area. It is not the change in the value of your home, and it does not use the price that you paid.

The average for each year is a compounded annual change. The guide to values explains more.

When using the FHFA House Price Calculator, please note that it does not project the actual value of any particular house.

FHFA, about its own House Price Calculator: Federal Housing Finance Agency, House Price Index Datasets, HPI Calculator, copied on . The calculator of FHFA uses quarterly figures. For the states and the 100 largest metro areas it uses the purchase-only index. Its figures can differ from the figures here.

Since the last FHFA release

No recorded FHFA release changed a figure of San Mateo County. The record of releases starts with the next FHFA release. FHFA releases recorded by this site

Same span, every level

Change in the FHFA annual index to 2025: San Mateo County and the areas above it
Area1 year2024 to 20255 years2020 to 202510 years2015 to 202520 years2005 to 2025Since 20002000 to 2025Each yearaverage of 10 years
San Mateo County−0.6%+22.5%+49.1%+76.1%+184.9%+4.1%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA−1.3%+24.7%+59.1%+57.7%+188.8%+4.8%
California+0.8%+39.8%+80.3%+56.4%+224.1%+6.1%
United States+2.8%+47.0%+85.0%+79.1%+158.3%+6.3%

The annual files of FHFA have no index for San Mateo County Unincorporated Area. The first row is the index of San Mateo County.

Building permits in San Mateo County Unincorporated Area

In the 12 months to August 2026, building permits in San Mateo County Unincorporated Area authorized 273 housing units. In the 12 months before, permits authorized 171 units.

Housing units authorized by month, latest 24 months
  • Units in buildings with 1 unit
  • Units in buildings with 2 or more units
Units for each month
Housing units authorized by building permits in San Mateo County Unincorporated Area, by month
MonthAll units1 unit2 or more units
Aug 202617413
Jul 202616412
Jun 202618612
May 202617413
Apr 202615510
Mar 202620317
Feb 202635233
Jan 202627225
Dec 202537334
Nov 202523221
Oct 202524321
Sep 202524420
Aug 202524222
Jul 202517314
Jun 202528325
May 202526422
Apr 202521318
Mar 2025835
Feb 2025835
Jan 2025835
Dec 2024835
Nov 2024725
Oct 2024835
Sep 2024835
Housing units authorized in the 12 months to August 2026, by size of building
FigureSan Mateo County Unincorporated AreaSan Mateo CountyCaliforniaUnited States
All units2731,600111,5381,418,086
In buildings with 1 unit42 (15%)468 (29%)55,792 (50%)888,241 (63%)
In buildings with 2 units34384,17234,814
In buildings with 3 or 4 units691,19317,298
In buildings with 5 or more units191 (70%)1,085 (68%)50,381 (45%)477,733 (34%)
Units for each 1,000 residentsn/a2.22.84.1
Change from the 12 months before+59.6%−15.7%+13.8%−0.1%
Housing units authorized by year, 1995 to 2025
  • Units in buildings with 1 unit
  • Units in buildings with 2 or more units
Units for each year
Housing units authorized by building permits in San Mateo County Unincorporated Area, by year
YearAll units1 unit2 or more units
202518353130
202424240202
20231043569
20221163977
20211284979
2020984652
20191083969
201848480
2017705416
2016764630
2015584117
201456560
201355550
201251510
201144440
201051510
200953530
200820687119
20072092090
20061911847
20052142140
20042092045
2003342187155
200219818513
200125724611
20005085062
199927423440
19982472434
199720218418
19961251250
199513211022

A permit authorizes construction. It does not show that the work started or that it is complete. For a place that does not report each month, the Census Bureau imputes the monthly figures.

Agency pages

  • Building Permits SurveyUS Census BureauThe survey of housing units that building permits authorize.
  • FHFA House Price IndexFederal Housing Finance AgencyThe index page of FHFA: data, tools and the release dates.
  • FHFA HPI CalculatorFederal Housing Finance AgencyThe calculator of FHFA. It works by quarter, for a state or a metro area.

Each link loaded on .

Cite this page

Home Value Trail. San Mateo County Unincorporated Area, CA home price history and building permits. https://homevaluetrail.com/city/ca/san-mateo-county-unincorporated-area/. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey; Federal Housing Finance Agency, annual house price index for San Mateo County. FHFA release of .

Where the figures come from

Building permits
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, place files through August 2026, permit office 403000. County, state and national figures from the county and state files.
Price trail
FHFA annual house price index for San Mateo County, 1975 to 2025. Release of March 31, 2026.
County of the place
The county code of the Building Permits Survey row, and the Census Bureau 2020 place by county file.
Residents
US Census Bureau, population estimates for 2025.

All files are works of the US government, in the public domain. To report an error, see Corrections.

Questions

What kinds of buildings have permits in San Mateo County Unincorporated Area?
In the 12 months to August 2026, 42 units are in buildings with one unit. 40 units are in buildings with two to four units. 191 units are in buildings with five or more units.
How does the count compare with the 12 months before?
Permits authorized 171 housing units in the 12 months before. Permits authorized 273 housing units in the 12 months to August 2026. The count increased by 59.6% between the two periods.
How many units have permits from 1995?
Permits in San Mateo County Unincorporated Area authorized 4,855 housing units from 1995 to 2025. The year with the most units is 2000, with 508.