San Mateo County Zip Codes

     If you love the ocean and being outdoors, Pacifica is absolutely the perfect place to live. Located just 15 minutes south of San Francisco, Pacifica is a transcendent retreat for those that want to get away. Pacifica offers many amazing outdoorsy activities, ranging from the panoramic vistas atop the 100+ miles of hiking and biking trails to the expansive beaches dotting Pacifica’s shoreline. 

     While Pacifica feels worlds apart from the densely populated attractions along the west coast, it still neighbors many of the big cities and companies of the Bay area. This means, that you can live in your own miniparadise, while still receiving all the benefits from working for a top notch company.

     Pacifica was discovered during the same 1769 expedition that founded the entire San Francisco Bay. Led by Gaspar de Portola of Os de Balaguerm Spain, the expedition discovered the Mediterranean climate and fertile farmland that later beckoned immigrants from Ireland and Italy. 

     While the name Pacifica means “peace” in Spanish, the City of Pacifica was named not by its Spanish immigrants, but through a contest in 1957 that was held to find a name for the newly incorporated coastal city. The winning name, Pacifica, was based on the 80-foot statue by sculptor Ralph Stackpole, which was created as the theme lady for the Golden Gate International Exposition. Two of the sculptor’s working models have been saved. One is over the front stairs at City Hall and the other sits in the City Council Chambers.

     In 1957, Pacifica was offically established, consolidating the nine small communities of Fairmont, Westview, Pacific Manor, Sharp Park, Fairway Park, Vallemar, Rockaway Beach, Linda Mar and Pedro Point. Although early plans sought to expand Pacifica to about 100,000 inhabitants, preservationists in the early 1970’s saved much of its hillside open space as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and an effective limit of about 40,000 inhabitants was put into place.