San Mateo ( SAN mə-TAY-oh; Spanish for '"Saint Matthew"') is a city in San Mateo County, California, about 20 miles (32 km) south of San Francisco and 31 miles (50 km) northwest of San Jose. San Mateo had an estimated 2019 population of 104,430.  It has a Mediterranean climate, and is known for its rich history. The biggest economic contributors to the city include the Medical Center, one of the local school districts, and Sony's Sony Interactive Entertainment division. Finally, being in the center of the San Francisco Bay Area, it has many ways to travel between the major cities of that area.


San Mateo was first visited by Europeans when Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolà arrived at San Francisco Bay in 1769. At the time, it was a small rural village. In 1846, during the Mexican-American War, San Mateo and its neighbor Belmont were briefly occupied by Mexico forces who took prisoners of war on July 7th and 8th before retreating from American forces led by John C.

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