Burlingame in brief
Burlingame sits on the Bay side of the Peninsula in San Mateo County, north of San Mateo, south of Millbrae, and east of Hillsborough, with San Francisco International Airport just to the north.
The city grew up around its rail station in the early 1900s, and its residential character was set early: tree-lined streets of single-family houses, with commercial life concentrated along Burlingame Avenue and Broadway. It has been recognized as a Tree City USA community for decades, and its street trees are part of both its identity and its rules. Because the city is largely built out, single-family inventory is limited and new supply comes mostly from rebuilds.
Burlingame guides
Neighborhood guide
Burlingame Park, Easton Addition, Mills Estate, and more.
Read → 02Buying a home
Schools, jurisdiction, inspections, and competing on an offer date.
Buyer guide → 03Selling a home
Preparation, point-of-sale items, pricing, and timing.
Seller guide → 04Burlingame vs. neighbors
San Mateo, Hillsborough, and Millbrae.
Compare → 05Market report & home values
Single-family only, sourced and dated.
View report →The single-family housing stock
- Early 1900s–1920s: Craftsman, Colonial Revival, Tudor, and Spanish-style houses in the older neighborhoods near downtown and toward Hillsborough, often on larger lots in areas like Burlingame Park.
- 1930s–1950s: traditional and ranch houses in neighborhoods built out between the wars and after.
- 1950s–1960s hillside development: mid-century houses in the western hills, such as Mills Estate, some with bay views.
- Rebuilds: new houses replacing older ones, subject to the city’s design review.
What drives single-family value in Burlingame
- Location relative to downtown, Caltrain, and US-101 or I-280.
- School assignment for the specific address.
- Lot size and usability, including trees that may be protected.
- Airport and rail noise, which varies meaningfully within the city.
- Condition and rebuild potential under design review.
Thomas’s perspective · opinion
In Burlingame I look at the lot as carefully as the house. A tired house on a flat, usable lot with no protected trees in the building envelope can be worth more to the right buyer than a nicer house with constraints.
Schools
Most of Burlingame is served by the Burlingame School District for elementary and middle school, and by the San Mateo Union High School District for high school, with Burlingame High School located in the city. Boundaries do not follow city limits exactly, so confirm assignment for the specific address with the districts.
The investment lens
Most Burlingame buyers are owner-occupants, but ADUs, lot potential, and multi-unit properties along the city’s apartment corridors bring investment questions into play. Thomas’s multifamily background helps quantify rental income, construction costs, and what an ADU or rebuild actually adds to value.