The Town FilesBurlingame, California
City in San Mateo County · population 31,386 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $2,000,001
- Household income
- $174,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 45° / 73°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 41.2
Burlingame is a city of 31,386 people in San Mateo County, California. The median home is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better transit than 99% of California towns, more walkable than 97% of California towns, better for young professionals than 96% of California towns.
How Burlingame ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Burlingame is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 11.5 times the median household income of $174,000, which is more affordable than 3% of California towns. Median rent is $2,785 a month. 48.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Burlingame | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,785 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $174,000 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 11.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 48.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Burlingame
| People | Burlingame | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 31.6% | — |
| Work from home | 27.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 30.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in Burlingame
July highs average 72.6°F and January lows 44.5°F. About 19.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burlingame since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on March 20, 2005 about 5.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 20, 2005.
Severe weather in San Mateo County since 1996
San Mateo County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in San Mateo County
San Mateo County had 416,422 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $196,441 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Burlingame itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Burlingame
10 public schools with 5,044 students, about 22.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlingame High | 9-12 | 1,540 | 20.0 |
| Burlingame Intermediate | 6-8 | 1,059 | 22.1 |
| McKinley Elementary | K-5 | 569 | 24.7 |
| Lincoln Elementary | K-5 | 411 | 25.7 |
| Washington Elementary | K-5 | 399 | 24.9 |
| Franklin Elementary | K-5 | 360 | 24.0 |
| Roosevelt Elementary | K-5 | 305 | 27.7 |
| Hoover Elementary | K-5 | 215 | 21.5 |
| Peninsula High (Continuation) | 9-12 | 186 | 15.5 |
| BSD Preschool | Other | — | — |
Towns near Burlingame
- Millbrae, CA2.2 mi · 23,216 people · home $1,934,900
- Hillsborough, CA2.3 mi · 11,387 people · home $2,000,001
- San Mateo, CA3.5 mi · 105,661 people · home $1,618,700
- San Bruno, CA4.5 mi · 43,908 people · home $1,207,500
- South San Francisco, CA4.6 mi · 66,105 people · home $1,188,800
- Brisbane, CA6.0 mi · 4,851 people · home $1,232,200
- Pacifica, CA6.3 mi · 38,640 people · home $1,249,800
- Foster City, CA6.4 mi · 33,805 people · home $1,838,200
Burlingame questions
Is Burlingame, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Burlingame scores better for retirees than 48% of California towns and quieter than 12%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in Burlingame?
The median owner-occupied home in Burlingame is valued at $2,000,001 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $174,000, so homes cost about 11.5 times income. Median rent is $2,785 a month.
What is the weather like in Burlingame?
July highs average 72.6°F and January lows 44.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Burlingame get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burlingame since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on March 20, 2005. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)