Population
1,636
−15.9% since 2010
Typical home
$1.07M
+1.8% in a year
Household income
$148K
median
Jobs based here
4,174
A job hub
What makes Colma stand out The 3 things Colma does most differently from other towns.
A shrinking town Colma has shrunk 15.9% since 2010 1,792 people in 2010; 1,636 today.
What’s changed most in Colma? 1,792 2010
1,507 2020
1,636 Today
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Residents weigh in
Live in Colma? Is a D− for safety right?
Agree Disagree
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Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar. Add an event
The data Ordered by what stands out in Colma. Another town gets a different order.
Safety
Less crime per resident than 0% of U.S. towns Colma reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 100% report less.
D− Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents Colma 12.8
California 4.3
U.S. 3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents Colma 447.9
California 18.2
U.S. 15.5
0th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
0th
percentile among CA towns
18
violent crimes reported in 2025
632
property crimes reported in 2025
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Colma Most working residents leave Colma for work: only 4% work in town. The top destinations are San Francisco (33%), South San Francisco (7%) and Daly City (6%). Half commute less than 8 miles.
4% work in town
Where working residents work In Colma 4%
San Francisco 33%
South San Francisco 7%
Daly City 6%
San Mateo 5%
8 mi
median commute distance
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with earthquakes at the top Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 91% of U.S. communities.
91 risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
91 Very high risk Lower Higher Earthquakes Inland flooding
1
paid flood claims since 1987
1
federal disasters paid out here
Housing
A typical Colma home is worth about $1.07M The typical Colma home is worth about $1,075,000, up 1.8% in a year, 41% above the California typical home.
$1.07M Zillow home value
Typical home value Colma $1.07M
California $764K
+1.8%
value change, 1 year
Health
Healthier than 68% of U.S. towns Colma beats the California average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
B+ Health Grade
32 measures vs. California
What stands out Colma CA Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off 6% 7.3% Fewer adults in frequent mental distress 14% 16.4%
Ahmc Seton Medical Center
1.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
58th
percentile among CA towns
Climate
Mild winters, pleasant summers Colma has warm winters and cool summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 72°, a January night drops to 43°, and snow is almost unheard of.
74° summer high
Typical low → high °F Winter 43–58°
Spring 47–64°
Summer 53–72°
Fall 50–70°
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
Outdoors
0.1% of Colma is conserved land 0.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
0.1% conserved
Green: conserved land · dashed: trails · numbers: the places below 0.1%
conserved · 1 of 1,205 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
Biggest places to walk Trails Acres 1. San Bruno Mountain State and County Park — 4 2. Sterling Park 0.1 mi 1 3. Colma Historical Park — 1
A job hub Every workday, about 4,145 people come to Colma for work Where Colma’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
33% → San Francisco San Francisco 33%
7% → South San Francisco South San Francisco 7%
6% → Daly City Daly City 6%
5% → San Mateo San Mateo 5%
4% → Burlingame Burlingame 4%
3% → San Jose San Jose 3%
Colma · 4% stay
4,174 jobs based in Colma
4% of working residents work in town
8 mi median commute distance
How do you get to work from Colma?
Census LEHD 2023
1907 · Panorama, crowds at Squires - Burns international contest from centre of ring, Colma, July 4th, 1907 · Wikimedia Commons
Colma’s story
102 years in pictures
12 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
Explore the history →
Colma (Ohlone for 'springs') is a small incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States, on the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 1,507 at the 2020 census. The town was founded as a necropolis in 1924. With most of Colma's land dedicated to cemeteries, the population of the dead—not specifically known but speculated to be around 1.5 million—outnumbers that of the living by a ratio of nearly a thousand to one. This has led to Colma being called "the City of the Silent" and has given rise to a humorous motto, formerly featured on the city's website: "It's great to be alive in Colma".
From Wikipedia , licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Established 1924
Population 1,507
Area 1.9 sq mi
Elevation 121 ft
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