City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Millbrae, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Millbrae - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

22,589
Residents
$157,567
Median income
$1,929,700
Median home
$3,604
Median rent (state)

Millbrae - the verdict

Nationally, Millbrae sits in the 95th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

95th
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
99th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Millbrae, CA

Millbrae is a small city in California, home to 22,589 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Millbrae brings in $157,567 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.4%. Millbrae's housing stock carries a median value of $1,929,700, and the median resident age is 45.3 years. Educational attainment runs 50.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 61.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 255 residential building permits were authorized in Millbrae (Active), per Census BPS data.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $3,604 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Millbrae report an average commute of 23.1 minutes, with 57.9% driving alone and 19.9% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.2 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

22,589 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$157,567 /yr

Poverty 3.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Millbrae compare to other US cities?

Here's how Millbrae stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 95% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 99% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Millbrae's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

95thIncome percentile

95th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Millbrae's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,929,700 1st percentile more affordable than 1% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Millbrae $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Millbrae, CA Millbrae, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Millbrae, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Millbrae, CA median $157,567/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Millbrae, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Millbrae, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 50.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
22,589
Median Income
$157,567
Median Home Value
$1,929,700
Median Age
45.3
Poverty Rate
3.4%
Labor force participation
61.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
50.5%

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
22,000 residents22,500 residents23,000 residents23,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 23,138 residents 22,869 residents ▼ -1.2%
Millbrae's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Active
Total Permits (2024)
255
housing units authorized
Single-Family
19
detached homes
Multifamily
236
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
11.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 400
2021 80
2022 0
2023 7
2024 255

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.1 minutes
Drive Alone
57.9%
Carpool
9.5%
Public Transit
9.1%
Walk
1.6%
Work from Home
19.9%
Other
2.0%

Based on 11,199 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Millbrae sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,604/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

West Rancho Dominguez
22,560 people
Corcoran
22,626 people
Laguna Beach
22,777 people
Ashland
22,784 people
Ramona
22,829 people
Cudahy
22,325 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Millbrae's 22,589 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Albertville, AL
22,584 people
DeBary, FL
22,602 people
Bear, DE
22,604 people
Waynesboro, VA
22,574 people
Kihei, HI
22,564 people
Anthem, AZ
22,622 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Millbrae's $157,567 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Plumsteadville, PA
$157,614 median income
Ringwood, IL
$157,500 median income
Sunnyvale, TX
$157,500 median income
Ames Lake, WA
$157,500 median income
South Wilton, CT
$157,446 median income
Albertson, NY
$157,690 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Millbrae, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Millbrae, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 34.0% 49.0% 9.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.1% White 34.0% Black or African American 0.5% Asian 49.0% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 1.3% Some other race 5.6% Two or more races 9.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Millbrae compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Millbrae (this city) 22,589 $157,567
West Rancho Dominguez 22,560 $81,585
Corcoran 22,626 $55,909
Laguna Beach 22,777 $140,508
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Millbrae, CA?

What is the population of Millbrae, CA? +

22,589 people live in Millbrae, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Millbrae, CA? +

In Millbrae, the typical household earns $157,567 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Millbrae? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Millbrae; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Millbrae, CA? +

Millbrae's median home value sits at $1,929,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.