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Compare towns

Millbrae vs Pleasant Hill

30 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (+80% in Millbrae) and trails (2.9× in Pleasant Hill).

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Millbrae, CAHomes around $2.05MCalifornia · 22,689 people
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Pleasant Hill, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 34,235 people
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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.

MillbraeHomes around $2.05M
Housing$2.05M typical home168% above the CA typical home Outdoors#82 most walkable in CA4.3 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves Schools#63 for schools in CAof 574 towns All about Millbrae →
Pleasant HillAn outdoors town
Outdoors#37 most walkable in CA12 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves Schools#93 for schools in CAof 574 towns HealthHealthier than 92%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Pleasant Hill →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

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

Home values+80%
Homes cost more in Millbrae
Millbrae $1,934,900Pleasant Hill $1,077,100
Trails2.9×
Pleasant Hill has more miles of trail
Pleasant Hill 12.4 miMillbrae 4.3 mi
Rent+29%
Rent runs higher in Millbrae
Millbrae $3,272Pleasant Hill $2,533
Property tax bill+31%
Tax bills are bigger in Millbrae
Millbrae $9,996Pleasant Hill $7,616
Jobs per worker2×
Pleasant Hill is more of a job hub
Pleasant Hill 1.00Millbrae 0.49
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $5,930 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 →
Pleasant Hill$5,690/mo
Typical home $975K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.71% · or rent about $2,533/mo · Housing →

The difference: $5,930 a month, about $71,200 a year, between Millbrae and Pleasant Hill.

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

Grades and rankings, side by side

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.

Safety
–MillbraeNot graded DPleasant HillSafer than 9% of U.S. towns
Schools
A−MillbraeBetter than 80% of districts in the state B−Pleasant HillBetter than 54% of districts in the state
Health
AMillbraeHealthier than 92% of U.S. towns APleasant HillHealthier than 92% of U.S. towns
10Millbrae
10Pleasant Hill

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most new homesHousing · 438 towns #88#428 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 422 towns #77#258 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #16#308 Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #272#512 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #20#288 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #262#412 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #296#191 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #36#155

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Millbrae’s rankings →

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
MillbraePleasant Hill
Snow a year0″0″
January low45°F42°F
July high69°F88°F
Growing season (days)365d346d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)91st90th
Outdoors & history
MillbraePleasant Hill
Trails4 mi12 mi
Conserved land3.8%3.9%
Settled—1961
National Register places11
Archive photos—9
Famous people born here—6
Community
MillbraePleasant Hill
Library hours a week57 hrs46 hrs
Colleges in town—1
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

30 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MillbraeCAPleasant HillCA
Millbrae ↔ Pleasant Hill30 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.

MillbraePleasant Hill
People
Population 22,689Lowest 34,235Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.8%Highest CA: +6.1% +4.4%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 43.7±1.8Highest 15% above CA 42±1.1Lowest 11% above CA
Millbrae and Pleasant Hill 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% 20.2%±1.9Highest CA: 22%
Pleasant Hill 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% 17.6%±1.7Lowest CA: 15.7%
Millbrae and Pleasant Hill 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% 54.6%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.4%±1.3Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.9%±1.6Highest CA: 7.6%
Pleasant Hill 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 $145,029±$13kLowest 46% above CA
Millbrae and Pleasant Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,934,900±$91kHighest 163% above CA $1,077,100±$29kLowest 47% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $3,272±$163Highest 61% above CA $2,533±$164Lowest 24% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $9,996Highest 95% above CA $7,616Lowest 49% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49.5%±9Lowest CA: 55.3% 57.7%±9.5Highest CA: 55.3%
Pleasant Hill and Millbrae are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6%Lowest CA: 12% 7.3%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 60.8%Lowest CA: 55.9% 62.6%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 30 minHighest 5% above CA
Work from home 22.2%±3.1Lowest CA: 17.2% 26.2%±2.8Highest CA: 17.2%
Pleasant Hill and Millbrae are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.8%Highest 5.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.8 miLowest 15.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.49Lowest 1.00Highest
Top workplaceoutside town San Francisco (22%)San Francisco (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Pleasant HillFew work in Millbrae
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.8%Lowest 3.9%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 4.3 miLowest 12.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.3 miLowest 1.8 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 15Highest 12Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 136Lowest 152Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #63 of 574 in CA#93 of 574 in CA
School district Millbrae Elementary · San Mateo Union HighContra Costa County ROP · Mt. Diablo Unified
High school in town Mills HighCollege Park High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.5Lowest 22.9Highest
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.

Pleasant Hill neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Pleasant Hill’s Town Square.

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Bordering Millbrae

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San Bruno42,307 people · $1.21M homes
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Burlingame30,525 people · $2M homes

Towns like Millbrae

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Dana Point32,790 people · $1.32M homes
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Pacifica37,261 people · $1.25M homes
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La Palma15,272 people · $974K homes
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Coronado19,015 people · $2M homes

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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