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Pacifica vs San Bruno

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (8.6× in Pacifica) and conserved land (+34.9 pts in Pacifica).

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Pacifica, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 37,261 people
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San Bruno, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 42,307 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 · Report cards

Pacifica places higher on 11 of 23 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.

Where they are

Pacifica and San Bruno share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

PacificaSan BrunoPacificaSan Bruno
Pacifica ↔ San Bruno3.1 miles apart · They share a border
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Pacifica$7,250/mo
Typical home $1.26M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $3,098/mo · Housing →
San Bruno$7,310/mo
Typical home $1.29M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.51% · or rent about $2,773/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between San Bruno and Pacifica.

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.

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
PacificaSan Bruno
Snow a year0″0″
January low45°F45°F
July high69°F69°F
Growing season (days)365d365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th90th
Outdoors & history
PacificaSan Bruno
Trails42 mi5 mi
Conserved land42.7%7.8%
National Register places2—
Archive photos129
Famous people born here6—
Community
PacificaSan Bruno
Library hours a week57 hrs52 hrs
Colleges in town—1
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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.

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.

PacificaSan Bruno
People
Population 37,261Lowest 42,307Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.8%Lowest CA: +6.1% +6.8%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 44.6±1.4Highest 18% above CA 39.8±1.1Lowest 5% above CA
Kids under 18 18.2%±1.7Highest CA: 22% 16.9%±1.7Lowest CA: 22%
Pacifica and San Bruno are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.4%±1.7Highest CA: 15.7% 18%±1.5Lowest CA: 15.7%
Pacifica and San Bruno are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 48.9%Highest CA: 37.1% 45.2%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.1%±1.2Lowest CA: 7.6% 6.7%±1.1Highest CA: 7.6%
San Bruno and Pacifica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $160,523±$13kHighest 62% above CA $141,272±$9kLowest 43% above CA
Pacifica and San Bruno are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,249,800±$36kHighest 70% above CA $1,207,500±$42kLowest 64% above CA
Pacifica and San Bruno are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $3,098±$184Highest 52% above CA $2,773±$119Lowest 36% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $7,933Highest 55% above CA $6,212Lowest 21% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 51.4%±7.1Lowest CA: 55.3% 52.5%±6.9Highest CA: 55.3%
San Bruno and Pacifica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.8%Lowest CA: 12% 6%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 67.7%Highest CA: 55.9% 62.1%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1966Highest 10 yrs older than CA 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 5% below CA 24 minLowest 17% below CA
Work from home 23.6%±2.5Highest CA: 17.2% 18%±2.6Lowest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 8.1%Highest 5.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miHighest 11.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.27Lowest 0.63Highest
Top workplaceoutside town San Francisco (33%)San Francisco (30%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in San BrunoFew work in Pacifica
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 42.7%Highest 7.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 42.1 miHighest 4.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 3.4 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 17Highest 14Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 57.7Lowest 133Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #75 of 574 in CA#176 of 574 in CA
School district Jefferson Union High · PacificaSan Bruno Park Elementary · San Mateo Union High
High school in town Terra Nova HighCapuchino High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.0Highest 18.6Lowest
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.

Pacifica neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Pacifica’s Town Square.

San Bruno neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 5d

Discovering Hidden Gems

1 neighbor in San Bruno can answer.

Add a town

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Bordering Pacifica

Towns like Pacifica

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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