San Mateo County (unincorporated) minimum wage
Minimum wage in San Mateo County (unincorporated), California, in effect since January 1, 2026
$17.95 an hour
San Mateo County (unincorporated) sets its own minimum wage, $1.05 above the California rate of $16.90. Employers in San Mateo County (unincorporated) pay the higher local rate.
Next increase: $18.58 on January 1, 2027.
Tipped employees
San Mateo County (unincorporated) doesn't allow a tip credit. Tipped employees must get the full $17.95 an hour from the employer, and tips are on top.
Scheduled increases
| Effective date | Standard rate | Tipped cash wage | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 (current) | $17.95 | $17.95 | In effect |
| January 1, 2027 | $18.58 | $18.58 | Announced County employer bulletin published October 1, 2026. |
How future increases are set
Adjusted each January 1 by the lesser of 3.5% or the August-to-August change in the national CPI-W.
Exceptions and details
- Applies only in unincorporated San Mateo County (for example North Fair Oaks); cities set their own rates or follow the state.
Other local minimum wages in California
- Alameda $17.76
- Belmont $18.95
- Berkeley $19.61
- Burlingame $17.86
- Cupertino $18.70
- Daly City $17.50
- East Palo Alto $17.90
- El Cerrito $18.82
- Emeryville $20.34
- Foster City $17.85
- Fremont $18.05
- Half Moon Bay $17.91
- Hayward $17.79
- Los Altos $18.70
- Los Angeles $18.42
- Los Angeles County (unincorporated) $18.47
- Malibu $17.91
- Menlo Park $17.55
- Milpitas $18.50
- Mountain View $19.70
- Novato $17.46
- Oakland $17.34
- Palo Alto $18.70
- Pasadena $18.57
- Petaluma $18.31
- Richmond $19.18
- San Carlos $17.75
- San Diego $17.75
- San Francisco $19.61
- San Jose $18.45
- San Mateo $18.60
- Santa Clara $18.70
- Santa Monica $18.47
- Santa Rosa $18.21
- Sonoma $18.47
- South San Francisco $18.15
- Sunnyvale $19.50
- West Hollywood $20.25
Running payroll in San Mateo County (unincorporated)?
Recent changes
Last verified against the official source on October 9, 2026.
No changes recorded since we started tracking this page.
Sources
- County of San Mateo, Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement · data as of January 1, 2026 · last checked October 9, 2026
We copy figures from official sources and re-check them against the source before every update. See our methodology. This is general information, not legal advice.