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San Bruno vs Brea

362 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4.4× in Brea) and jobs per worker (3.2× in Brea).

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San Bruno, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 42,307 people
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Brea, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 47,469 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.

San BrunoAn outdoors town
Outdoors#88 most walkable in CA4.9 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 90%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$1.29M typical home69% above the CA typical home All about San Bruno →
BreaKnown for its schools
Schools#80 for schools in CAof 574 towns HealthHealthier than 88%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#205 most trails in CA22 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves All about Brea →
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.

Trails4.4×
Brea has more miles of trail
Brea 21.5 miSan Bruno 4.9 mi
Jobs per worker3.2×
Brea is more of a job hub
Brea 1.99San Bruno 0.63
Growth since 2010+13.7 pts
Brea has grown faster since 2010
Brea +20.5%San Bruno +6.8%
Home values+31%
Homes cost more in San Bruno
San Bruno $1,207,500Brea $922,300
Average commute8 min
San Bruno has the shorter commute
Brea 31 minSan Bruno 24 min
Kids under 18+5.8 pts
Brea has more kids
Brea 22.7%San Bruno 16.9%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $770 more a month in San Bruno

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.

San Bruno$7,310/mo
Typical home $1.29M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.51% · or rent about $2,773/mo · Housing →
Brea$6,540/mo
Typical home $1.12M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $2,397/mo · Housing →

The difference: $770 a month, about $9,200 a year, between San Bruno and Brea.

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

San Bruno places higher on 11 of 22 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.

Safety
CSan BrunoSafer than 29% of U.S. towns C−BreaSafer than 21% of U.S. towns
Schools
BSan BrunoBetter than 59% of districts in the state A−BreaBetter than 81% of districts in the state
Health
ASan BrunoHealthier than 90% of U.S. towns ABreaHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns
11San Bruno
10Brea

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

Most new homesHousing · 438 towns #137#421 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #207#606 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #415#205 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #311#64 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #88#235 Best schoolsSchools · 574 towns #176#80 SafestSafety · 411 towns #212#280 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #92#230

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of San Bruno’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
San BrunoBrea
Snow a year0″0″
January low45°F—
July high69°F—
Growing season (days)365d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)90th89th
Outdoors & history
San BrunoBrea
Trails5 mi22 mi
Conserved land7.8%10.1%
National Register places—1
Archive photos91
Famous people born here—20
Community
San BrunoBrea
Library hours a week52 hrs42 hrs
Colleges in town1—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

362 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

San BrunoCABreaCA
San Bruno ↔ Brea362 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.

San BrunoBrea
People
Population 42,307Lowest 47,469Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.8%Lowest CA: +6.1% +20.5%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 39.8±1.1Highest 5% above CA 39.7±1.4Lowest 5% above CA
San Bruno and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 16.9%±1.7Lowest CA: 22% 22.7%±1.9Highest CA: 22%
Age 65+ 18%±1.5Highest CA: 15.7% 17.2%±1.4Lowest CA: 15.7%
San Bruno and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 45.2%Lowest CA: 37.1% 52.2%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.7%±1.1Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.2%±1.1Highest CA: 7.6%
Brea and San Bruno are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $141,272±$9kHighest 43% above CA $131,129±$12kLowest 32% above CA
San Bruno and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,207,500±$42kHighest 64% above CA $922,300±$24kLowest 26% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,773±$119Highest 36% above CA $2,397±$82Lowest 18% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,212Lowest 21% above CA $6,740Highest 32% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52.5%±6.9Lowest CA: 55.3% 53.3%±5.2Highest CA: 55.3%
Brea and San Bruno are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6%Lowest CA: 12% 6.6%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62.1%Highest CA: 55.9% 59.7%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than CA 1978Highest 2 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minLowest 17% below CA 31 minHighest 9% above CA
Work from home 18%±2.6Highest CA: 17.2% 15.4%±2.1Lowest CA: 17.2%
San Bruno and Brea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.3%Lowest 8.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 12.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.63Lowest 1.99Highest
Top workplaceoutside town San Francisco (30%)Anaheim (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BreaFew work in San Bruno
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.8%Lowest 10.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 4.9 miLowest 21.5 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miLowest 1.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 14Lowest 15Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 133Highest 101Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #176 of 574 in CA#80 of 574 in CA
School district San Bruno Park Elementary · San Mateo Union HighBrea-Olinda Unified
High school in town Capuchino HighBrea Olinda High
Students per teacherat that high school 18.6Lowest 21.3Highest
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.

San Bruno neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 6d

Discovering Hidden Gems

1 neighbor in San Bruno can answer.

Brea neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Brea’s Town Square.

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Bordering San Bruno

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South San Francisco64,305 people · $1.19M homes
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Millbrae22,689 people · $1.93M homes
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Pacifica37,261 people · $1.25M homes

Towns like San Bruno

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Placentia52,826 people · $921K homes
N
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Newark46,903 people · $1.14M homes
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Temple City35,430 people · $962K homes
U
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Union City67,464 people · $1.1M 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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