| District | City | Rating | Students | Schools | Grades | Zip Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough City Elementary School District | Hillsborough | 10/10 Excellent · 99th pct | 1,294 | 4 | K–8 | 0 |
| Las Lomitas Elementary School District | Menlo Park | 10/10 Excellent · 99th pct | 1,151 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Portola Valley Elementary School District | Portola Valley | 10/10 Excellent · 99th pct | 515 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary School District | Belmont | 10/10 Excellent · 98th pct | 3,945 | 7 | K–8 | 0 |
| Palo Alto Unified School District | Palo Alto | 10/10 Excellent · 98th pct | 10,318 | 19 | K–12 | 1 |
| San Carlos Elementary School District | San Carlos | 10/10 Excellent · 98th pct | 2,700 | 9 | K–8 | 0 |
| Woodside Elementary School District | Woodside | 10/10 Excellent · 98th pct | 371 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Menlo Park City Elementary School District | Atherton | 10/10 Excellent · 97th pct | 2,705 | 4 | K–8 | 0 |
| Burlingame Elementary School District | Burlingame | 10/10 Excellent · 95th pct | 3,284 | 8 | K–8 | 0 |
| Millbrae Elementary School District | Millbrae | 10/10 Excellent · 90th pct | 2,075 | 5 | K–8 | 1 |
| Brisbane Elementary School District | Brisbane | 9/10 Excellent · 87th pct | 455 | 3 | K–8 | 0 |
| Sequoia Union High School District | Menlo Park | 9/10 Excellent · 86th pct | 8,599 | 6 | 9–12 | 8 |
| San Mateo Union High School District | Burlingame | 9/10 Excellent · 85th pct | 8,942 | 7 | 9–12 | 5 |
| Pacifica School District | Pacifica | 8/10 Good · 79th pct | 2,759 | 8 | K–8 | 0 |
| San Mateo-Foster City School District | San Mateo | 8/10 Good · 78th pct | 10,067 | 22 | K–8 | 1 |
| South San Francisco Unified School District | South San Francisco | 7/10 Good · 66th pct | 7,868 | 17 | K–12 | 2 |
| Jefferson Union High School District | Brisbane | 7/10 Good · 65th pct | 3,884 | 5 | 9–12 | 3 |
| San Bruno Park Elementary School District | San Bruno | 7/10 Good · 64th pct | 2,019 | 6 | K–8 | 0 |
| Redwood City Elementary School District | Redwood City | 6/10 Average · 59th pct | 6,346 | 12 | K–8 | 1 |
| La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District | La Honda | 6/10 Average · 58th pct | 258 | 3 | K–12 | 3 |
| Jefferson Elementary School District | Daly City | 6/10 Average · 56th pct | 4,956 | 14 | K–12 | 1 |
| Cabrillo Unified School District | El Granada | 6/10 Average · 51st pct | 2,748 | 7 | K–12 | 5 |
| Bayshore Elementary School District | Daly City | 4/10 Below Average · 31st pct | 322 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Ravenswood City Elementary School District | East Palo Alto | 1/10 Poor · 3rd pct | 1,489 | 4 | K–8 | 0 |
How San Mateo County compares
Together they enroll 89,070 students across 176 schools. The largest is Palo Alto Unified School District with 10,318 students. Districts here average 8.0/10, above the California average of 5.7/10. Ratings range from 1/10 to 10/10.
School Districts in San Mateo County, California
San Mateo County has 24 public school districts covering 31 zip codes. The top-rated district in San Mateo County is Hillsborough City Elementary School District (10/10). Ratings are based on the share of students proficient in reading and math on state assessments (CAASPP 2023–24), ranked against all districts in California. Directory details come from NCES CCD 2024–25.
Enter your zip code on any page to confirm your exact district assignment — district boundaries are address-specific and may not follow county or city lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many school districts are in San Mateo County, CA?
24 school districts serve zip codes in San Mateo County, CA. This page lists each one with its rating, enrollment, grade span and the zip codes it covers.
What is the best-rated school district in San Mateo County, CA?
Of the districts serving San Mateo County, Hillsborough City Elementary School District has the highest rating on this site at 10/10. That places it in the 99th percentile among California school districts.
How are these school district ratings calculated?
Each rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above on California reading and math assessments, ranked against other districts in California and converted to a 1–10 scale. Percentiles compare districts within California only, never across state lines.