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Compare towns

La Palma vs Millbrae

356 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (2× in Millbrae) and trails (4.8× in Millbrae).

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La Palma, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 15,272 people
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Millbrae, CAHomes around $2.05MCalifornia · 22,689 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $4,790 more a month in Millbrae

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

La Palma$6,830/mo
Typical home $1.19M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.61% · or rent about $2,262/mo · Housing →
Millbrae$11,620/mo
Typical home $2.05M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.52% · or rent about $3,272/mo · Housing →

The difference: $4,790 a month, about $57,400 a year, between Millbrae and La Palma.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Millbrae places higher on 13 of 20 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
La PalmaMillbrae
Snow a year0″0″
January low—45°F
July high—69°F
Growing season (days)—365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)91st91st
Outdoors & history
La PalmaMillbrae
Trails1 mi4 mi
Conserved land3.1%3.8%
Settled1955—
National Register places—1
Archive photos4—
Community
La PalmaMillbrae
Library hours a week44 hrs57 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

356 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

La Palma ↔ Millbrae356 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

La PalmaMillbrae
People
Population 15,272Lowest 22,689Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.1%Lowest CA: +6.1% +7.8%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 45.1±2.7Highest 19% above CA 43.7±1.8Lowest 15% above CA
La Palma and Millbrae are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.6%±2.6Highest CA: 22% 19%±1.9Lowest CA: 22%
La Palma and Millbrae are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.2%±2.6Lowest CA: 15.7% 20.3%±1.9Highest CA: 15.7%
Millbrae and La Palma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 52.9%Highest CA: 37.1% 52.7%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.4%±1.7Highest CA: 7.6% 6.4%±1.3Lowest CA: 7.6%
La Palma and Millbrae are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $117,989±$17kLowest 19% above CA $163,476±$11kHighest 65% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $973,600±$38kLowest 33% above CA $1,934,900±$91kHighest 163% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,262±$113Lowest 11% above CA $3,272±$163Highest 61% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,959Lowest 16% above CA $9,996Highest 95% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 64.6%±11.9Highest CA: 55.3% 49.5%±9Lowest CA: 55.3%
La Palma and Millbrae are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5%Lowest CA: 12% 6%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 67.6%Highest CA: 55.9% 60.8%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1972Highest 4 yrs older than CA 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 33 minHighest 13% above CA 29 minLowest about the CA average
Work from home 15.8%±2.9Lowest CA: 17.2% 22.2%±3.1Highest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 2.2%Lowest 5.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.8 miLowest 12.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.76Highest 0.49Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (11%)San Francisco (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MillbraeFew work in La Palma
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.1%Lowest 3.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miLowest 4.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miLowest 1.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 15Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 168Highest 136Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #128 of 574 in CA#63 of 574 in CA
School district Anaheim Union High · Centralia ElementaryMillbrae Elementary · San Mateo Union High
High school in town John F. Kennedy HighMills High
Students per teacherat that high school 23.8Highest 20.5Lowest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

La Palma neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to La Palma’s Town Square.

Millbrae neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Millbrae’s Town Square.

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Bordering La Palma

Towns like La Palma

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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