Living in San Carlos
I grew up just up the road in Burlingame, and San Carlos is one of my favorite towns to work in. It calls itself the City of Good Living, and with a walkable downtown on Laurel Street, a Caltrain stop and quiet hillside streets, it is easy to see why. Here is a neighborhood by neighborhood look to help you find your fit.
San Carlos incorporated on July 8, 1925. About 30,700 people live here according to the 2020 census, in a compact 5.4 square miles that runs from the business district and San Carlos Airport near the bay, across the flats around Laurel Street, and up into the hills toward Interstate 280.
The town has deep tech roots. Charles Litton, who founded Litton Engineering Laboratories in Redwood City in 1932, later moved his work to San Carlos, and Dalmo Victor opened the city's first large electronics plant in 1944. Today the genetic testing company Natera is one of the largest employers in town, and the Hiller Aviation Museum sits beside the airport.
San Carlos Neighborhood Map
Every neighborhood I cover in San Carlos, numbered and outlined. Tap an area to open its guide.
Disclaimer: neighborhood borders shown on this map are approximate. Neighborhoods on the Peninsula have no official boundaries and names and lines vary by source. These shaded areas follow San Mateo County Assessor parcel lines, grouped by the original subdivision tracts, and city limits come from San Mateo County GIS. They are for general reference only and are not official city, school or MLS boundaries, so please confirm the neighborhood, school assignment and jurisdiction for any specific address. Freeways, El Camino Real and Caltrain come from San Mateo County GIS. Numbers circled with a dashed line are unincorporated county areas that share a mailing city. Tap any area to open its neighborhood guide.
Neighborhood by Neighborhood
Numbers match the pins on the map above.
Cordes
North San Carlos, from San Carlos Avenue up to the Belmont border, with both flat blocks and hillside streets, some with bay views. Many homes date to the 1950s on lots larger than in the flats to the south, and the north end of Laurel Street and the Caltrain station are an easy walk from much of the area. Arundel Elementary and Arguello Park are close by.
Clearfield Park
The east side of El Camino, between the Caltrain line and the business district toward US 101. Homes and lots tend to be smaller and many have been rebuilt or updated, with condos mixed in, so this is often the most attainable way into San Carlos. Downtown, Caltrain, the Hiller Aviation Museum and the freeway are all minutes away.
Howard Park
The northern flats between San Carlos Avenue and Brittan Avenue, from El Camino to the Alameda. Laurel Street's shops and restaurants run through it, Burton Park is its centerpiece, and Eucalyptus Avenue lights up every December. Expect bungalows and remodeled 1940s homes, larger homes with bay views on Knoll Drive, and condos near downtown.
Beverly Terrace
One of the largest neighborhoods in San Carlos, covering the hills west of the Alameda between San Carlos Avenue and Brittan Avenue. Winding streets mix cabins, ranch homes, Tudors and new custom homes on larger lots, many with views. Highlands Park sits at its center, with Heather Elementary nearby and Interstate 280 a short drive away.
Devonshire
An unincorporated pocket of San Mateo County in the hills around Devonshire Avenue and Winding Way. Homes have San Carlos mailing addresses but county services instead of city services, on hillside lots. Please confirm schools and permits for each address.
White Oaks and El Sereno Corte
The flats south of Brittan Avenue between El Camino and the Alameda, including the original White Oaks and Oak Park tracts. Cottages, bungalows and craftsman homes sit on smaller lots under tall trees, and the walk to Laurel Street and Burton Park is easy. White Oaks Elementary is right in the neighborhood.
Alder Manor
The southwest corner of town, west of the Alameda and south of Brittan Avenue toward Redwood City, including Brittan Heights. Hillside streets bring canyon and bay views, larger homes and lots, and quick access to Eaton Park and the Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve. Some homes here are in the Redwood City School District, so check by address.
Video Tours in San Carlos
A few of the San Carlos homes I've walked through on camera. Press play for a quick look inside.
Double lot with San Carlos hill views
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Alder Manor home with a backyard waterfall
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Home in the San Carlos hills
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A Short History
The Ohlone were the first known people here. The land later became part of Rancho de las Pulgas, the Argüello family ranch, and the family began selling parcels in the 1850s. The Peninsula rail line came through in 1863, and in 1888 the Southern Pacific opened the San Carlos depot, built of Almaden sandstone in the Richardsonian Romanesque style and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Local legend holds that Portolá's party first saw San Francisco Bay from these hills on November 4, the feast of St. Charles, which is one story behind the name. San Carlos incorporated in 1925 and grew quickly with the electronics industry, from about 5,000 residents in 1941 to more than 14,000 by 1950. During World War II the Army trained about 4,500 dogs at a War Dog center in the hills off what is now Club Drive.
Schools, Parks and Local Traditions
Public Schools
The San Carlos School District splits grades by campus: Arundel, Brittan Acres, Heather and White Oaks serve kindergarten through third grade, Arroyo and Mariposa serve fourth and fifth, and Central and Tierra Linda serve sixth through eighth. Teens attend Carlmont High in Belmont or Sequoia High in Redwood City. District lines don't cover the whole city, so check by address.
Charter and Private Schools
The San Carlos Charter Learning Center offers a public charter option from kindergarten through eighth grade, and St. Charles School is a Catholic school of the Archdiocese of San Francisco right in town.
Parks
Burton Park is the home of the city's biggest celebrations. Highlands Park was built on the former San Carlos High School playing fields, and Eaton Park, Big Canyon Park and the nearby Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve add hillside trails.
Traditions
Hometown Days fills Burton Park every May with a parade, live music and rides. The Sunday farmers market sets up on Laurel Street between Cherry Street and San Carlos Avenue, and the Chamber of Commerce hosts the Art and Wine Faire in the fall.
San Carlos Market Report
Home sales for San Carlos pulled directly from MLSListings, the Bay Area's MLS: how many homes sold, what they sold for, and price per square foot.
Last 30 days
September 26 to October 25, 2026
Last 90 days by home type
July 28 to October 25, 2026
| Home type | Homes sold | Median price | Median price per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| All homes | 80 | $2.39M | $1,377 |
| Single family homes | 63 | $2.55M | $1,491 |
| Condos and townhomes | 17 | $948K | $837 |
Last 12 months, single family homes
October 26, 2025 to October 26, 2026.
Source: MLSListings closed sales for San Carlos, CA, all residential property types, as of October 25, 2026. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Ask me for a full report on your street or price range.
Getting Around
San Carlos sits between US 101 and Interstate 280 with El Camino Real through the middle of town. The historic depot downtown has electrified Caltrain service, SamTrans buses serve the city, and San Carlos Airport serves private pilots.
San Carlos FAQ
What neighborhoods are in San Carlos?
This guide covers 7 areas: Cordes, Clearfield Park, Howard Park, Beverly Terrace, Devonshire, White Oaks and El Sereno Corte and Alder Manor. Devonshire is an unincorporated county area with San Carlos mailing addresses. See the map above for approximate borders.
What schools serve San Carlos?
Most homes are in the San Carlos School District, which assigns kindergarten through third grade, fourth and fifth grade, and middle school to different campuses. High schoolers attend Carlmont High in Belmont or Sequoia High in Redwood City, both in the Sequoia Union High School District. Some addresses fall in the Redwood City or Belmont school districts, so always check by address.
Is there Caltrain service in San Carlos?
Yes. The San Carlos station is downtown at the historic 1888 depot on El Camino Real, a short walk from Laurel Street.
What is my San Carlos home worth?
Every San Carlos street prices a little differently. Request a free home valuation and Joseph will send a local estimate based on recent nearby sales. Request a free home valuation
How can I hear about San Carlos homes before they hit the market?
Join Joseph's off-market list. You'll hear about coming-soon and off-market homes that match what you want before they're listed publicly. Join the off-market list
Sources
The facts on this page come from the public sources below. Neighborhood names and borders vary by source, and details like school assignments change, so please confirm anything important for a specific address.
- Wikipedia: San Carlos, CaliforniaIncorporation July 8, 1925; 2020 population 30,722; 5.41 sq mi; Dalmo Victor 1944; Natera; 1941 and 1950 population; War Dog center; Portola legend; Rancho de las Pulgas
- San Carlos School District: SchoolsSchool names and grade spans (TK to 3, 4 to 5, 6 to 8)
- San Carlos School District: School BoundariesDistrict lines differ from city lines; assignment by address; Charter Learning Center
- Wikipedia: San Carlos School DistrictSchool opening years; Arroyo and Mariposa on middle school campuses; Charter Learning Center K to 8
- City of San Carlos: Parks and FacilitiesPark list and acreage
- City of San Carlos: Burton ParkBurton Park amenities, Hometown Days and summer concerts
- City of San Carlos: Farmers' MarketSunday market on Laurel Street between Cherry Street and San Carlos Avenue
- San Mateo Daily Journal: Hometown DaysHometown Days in May at Burton Park with parade, live music and rides
- Caltrain: San Carlos StationStation at 599 El Camino Real
- Wikipedia: San Carlos station1888 Almaden sandstone depot, Richardsonian Romanesque, NRHP 1984
- NoeHill: National Register sites in San Mateo CountySouthern Pacific depot NRHP listing #84001191, 1984
- History San Jose: Charles LittonLitton started his business in Redwood City and later moved to San Carlos
- Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District: Pulgas RidgePulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve near San Carlos
- Wikipedia: SamTransSamTrans San Carlos headquarters and planned Millbrae move
- MLSListings: closed sales data for the market reportMarket report figures
Header photo: Laurel Street in downtown San Carlos by the City of San Carlos, Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.