Blog > San Mateo Houses Under $2 Million: Where They Sold, Neighborhood by Neighborhood
San Mateo Houses Under $2 Million: Where They Sold, Neighborhood by Neighborhood
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Shopping for a house in San Mateo on a budget near $2 million? Of the 975 single-family houses that sold in the two years to October 27, 2026, by the MLS records we can read with repeat records removed, 425 (44%) sold for less than $2 million. Here is where those sales happened, inside each of our neighborhood guides, with two other price levels for context.
The short answer
- Across the city: 16% of house sales closed under $1.5M, 44% under $2M and 65% under $2.5M. The median house sold for $2.15M.
- Where most sold under $2M (guides with at least 8 house sales): Shoreview & Parkside (95%), Mariner's Island & Lakeshore (84%), North Central & San Mateo Heights (82%), Downtown & Central (79%), San Mateo Village & Lauriedale (65%), Fiesta Gardens & Bay Meadows (58%) and Sunnybrae & 19th Avenue Park (56%).
- Where almost none did: San Mateo Park (4%) and The Highlands (4%).
- What it bought: the houses that sold under $2M had a median of 1,300 sq ft, against 1,720 sq ft for all houses.
Next steps in San Mateo
- What’s my San Mateo home worth? Request an estimate, and ask us for the recent sales on your street.
- See San Mateo homes for sale, then use Save Search to get new listings by email.
- Book a strategy call with a Property Nerd.
Neighborhood by neighborhood
Guides with at least 8 house sales, highest share under $2M first. Each cell shows how many houses sold under that price and their share of the guide’s house sales. Each name opens its guide, with live listings and the last 12 months of sales.
| Neighborhood | House sales | Median price | Under $1.5M | Under $2M | Under $2.5M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoreview & Parkside | 148 | $1.45M | 83 (56%) | 141 (95%) | 145 (98%) |
| Mariner's Island & Lakeshore | 32 | $1.6M | 9 (28%) | 27 (84%) | 32 (100%) |
| North Central & San Mateo Heights | 51 | $1.56M | 22 (43%) | 42 (82%) | 48 (94%) |
| Downtown & Central | 28 | $1.55M | 11 (39%) | 22 (79%) | 28 (100%) |
| San Mateo Village & Lauriedale | 75 | $1.82M | 13 (17%) | 49 (65%) | 67 (89%) |
| Fiesta Gardens & Bay Meadows | 31 | $1.85M | 0 (0%) | 18 (58%) | 26 (84%) |
| Sunnybrae & 19th Avenue Park | 73 | $1.92M | 6 (8%) | 41 (56%) | 71 (97%) |
| Beresford & Hillsdale | 203 | $2.28M | 6 (3%) | 55 (27%) | 130 (64%) |
| Laurelwood & Sugarloaf | 41 | $2.43M | 0 (0%) | 10 (24%) | 23 (56%) |
| Hayward Park & Glazenwood | 17 | $2.78M | 1 (6%) | 4 (24%) | 6 (35%) |
| Baywood & Aragon | 128 | $3M | 0 (0%) | 9 (7%) | 23 (18%) |
| Baywood Park & College Heights | 45 | $2.65M | 1 (2%) | 3 (7%) | 17 (38%) |
| San Mateo Park | 50 | $4.24M | 2 (4%) | 2 (4%) | 3 (6%) |
| The Highlands | 52 | $2.69M | 0 (0%) | 2 (4%) | 15 (29%) |
Reading it right
- These are sale prices, not list prices. Many San Mateo houses sell over asking, so a house listed under your budget can close above it.
- Houses only. Condos and townhomes, which sell for less, have their own post.
- The houses differ. Under-budget sales are often smaller (see the size comparison above), and a neighborhood’s mix of sizes and lots drives its numbers.
- Small samples swing. Every cell shows its count.
- Past sales aren’t a forecast of what you’ll find next month.
- Each sale counts once; none falls inside two of our guide outlines.
How we counted
Closed sales of single-family houses reported to the MLS, read through the IDX feeds that power our home search, with one record per MLS number and only sales with a recorded living area and a map position, placed inside each guide’s outline. A sale counts as under a price if it closed below it.
Go deeper
The Budget Lab shows what your budget bought in up to three cities, and the Price Ladder shows where San Mateo’s entry price and top end sit. For the top end, see where San Mateo houses sold for $3.5 million or more. For San Mateo, see house prices by bedrooms, neighborhoods ranked by price per square foot and where homes sell over asking; the San Mateo city guide links every guide. Across every city we cover: where houses still sell under $2M, neighborhood by neighborhood.
Common questions
Where can I find a house under $2 million in San Mateo?
In the two years to October 27, 2026, 425 of 975 house sales (44%) closed under $2M. The most were in Shoreview & Parkside (141), Beresford & Hillsdale (55) and San Mateo Village & Lauriedale (49).
What are the most affordable San Mateo neighborhoods for houses?
By median house price over the same two years, among guides with at least 8 house sales: Shoreview & Parkside ($1.45M), Downtown & Central ($1.55M) and North Central & San Mateo Heights ($1.56M).
How big is a house under $2 million in San Mateo?
Houses that sold under $2M had a median of 1,300 sq ft, against 1,720 sq ft for all San Mateo houses.
The San Mateo data series: housing market by the numbers · neighborhoods ranked by price per sq ft · where homes sell over asking · ten years of prices by neighborhood · condos and townhomes · house prices by bedrooms · houses at $3.5M and up · the best month to sell · the most expensive streets · lots by neighborhood
Shopping on a budget in San Mateo?
A Property Nerd will set up alerts for houses near your price, pull the recent sales in the neighborhoods that fit, and tell you how far over asking homes like the one you want have been selling. Call (408) 373-1660 or (650) 383-8606, or book a strategy call. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.