Who moves to San Mateo, and where they go
Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for San Mateo County, CA, home of San Mateo, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 31,710from other US counties
- Moved out
- 37,953to other US counties
- Net
- −6,243more departures than arrivals
- From abroad
- 406tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| San Francisco County, CA (San Francisco) | 7,071 |
| Santa Clara County, CA (San Jose) | 5,845 |
| Alameda County, CA (Oakland) | 3,205 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 1,347 |
| Contra Costa County, CA (Concord) | 1,317 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 608 |
| Sacramento County, CA (Sacramento) | 550 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 458 |
| Orange County, CA (Anaheim) | 444 |
| San Joaquin County, CA (Stockton) | 412 |
| Solano County, CA (Vallejo) | 311 |
| New York County, NY | 279 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Santa Clara County, CA (San Jose) | 5,963 |
| San Francisco County, CA (San Francisco) | 5,242 |
| Alameda County, CA (Oakland) | 4,032 |
| Contra Costa County, CA (Concord) | 2,428 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 1,260 |
| Sacramento County, CA (Sacramento) | 1,104 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 936 |
| San Joaquin County, CA (Stockton) | 852 |
| Solano County, CA (Vallejo) | 717 |
| Placer County, CA (Roseville) | 612 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 556 |
| Orange County, CA (Anaheim) | 555 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 23,610 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in California and 8,100 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 1,347 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 608 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 458 |
| Orange County, CA (Anaheim) | 444 |
| New York County, NY | 279 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 277 |
| Middlesex County, MA (Cambridge) | 216 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 206 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 1,260 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 936 |
| Placer County, CA (Roseville) | 612 |
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 556 |
| Orange County, CA (Anaheim) | 555 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 441 |
| New York County, NY | 381 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 327 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to San Mateo come from?
Most people moving into San Mateo County, CA come from nearby counties, led by San Francisco County, CA (7,071 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Los Angeles County, CA.
Where do people leaving San Mateo move to?
The top destination is Santa Clara County, CA (5,963 people). Farther away, the most popular is Los Angeles County, CA.
Are more people moving to San Mateo or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 31,710 people moved into San Mateo County, CA from elsewhere in the US and 37,953 moved out, a net loss of 6,243 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare San Mateo with any city it trades people with, like San Mateo vs Los Angeles, San Mateo vs San Diego, San Mateo vs Seattle, San Mateo vs Anaheim.
Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of San Mateo.