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Compare towns

Millbrae vs La Palma

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

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Millbrae, CAHomes around $2.05MCalifornia · 22,689 people
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La Palma, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 15,272 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.

Millbrae$11,620/mo
Typical home $2.05M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.52% · or rent about $3,272/mo · Housing →
La Palma$6,830/mo
Typical home $1.19M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.61% · or rent about $2,262/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
MillbraeLa Palma
Snow a year0″0″
January low45°F—
July high69°F—
Growing season (days)365d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)91st91st
Outdoors & history
MillbraeLa Palma
Trails4 mi1 mi
Conserved land3.8%3.1%
Settled—1955
National Register places1—
Archive photos—4
Community
MillbraeLa Palma
Library hours a week57 hrs44 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.

Millbrae ↔ La Palma356 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.

MillbraeLa Palma
People
Population 22,689Highest 15,272Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.8%Highest CA: +6.1% +0.1%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 43.7±1.8Lowest 15% above CA 45.1±2.7Highest 19% 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 19%±1.9Lowest CA: 22% 20.6%±2.6Highest 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+ 20.3%±1.9Highest CA: 15.7% 20.2%±2.6Lowest 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+ 52.7%Lowest CA: 37.1% 52.9%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.4%±1.3Lowest CA: 7.6% 8.4%±1.7Highest 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 $163,476±$11kHighest 65% above CA $117,989±$17kLowest 19% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,934,900±$91kHighest 163% above CA $973,600±$38kLowest 33% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $3,272±$163Highest 61% above CA $2,262±$113Lowest 11% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $9,996Highest 95% above CA $5,959Lowest 16% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49.5%±9Lowest CA: 55.3% 64.6%±11.9Highest 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 6%Highest CA: 12% 5%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 60.8%Lowest CA: 55.9% 67.6%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than CA 1972Highest 4 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minLowest about the CA average 33 minHighest 13% above CA
Work from home 22.2%±3.1Highest CA: 17.2% 15.8%±2.9Lowest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 5.8%Highest 2.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.8 miHighest 11.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.49Lowest 0.76Highest
Top workplaceoutside town San Francisco (22%)Los Angeles (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in La PalmaFew work in Millbrae
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.8%Highest 3.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 4.3 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.3 miHighest 0.5 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 15Highest 4Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 136Lowest 168Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #63 of 574 in CA#128 of 574 in CA
School district Millbrae Elementary · San Mateo Union HighAnaheim Union High · Centralia Elementary
High school in town Mills HighJohn F. Kennedy High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.5Lowest 23.8Highest
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.

Millbrae neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Millbrae’s Town Square.

La Palma neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to La Palma’s Town Square.

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Bordering Millbrae

Towns like Millbrae

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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