The minimum wage in the unincorporated parts of San Mateo County (unincorporated) County is $17.95 an hour as of January 1, 2026 – $1.05 above California’s $16.90 state floor.
The rates in San Mateo County (unincorporated)
| Who | Per hour |
|---|---|
| Standard rate | $17.95 |
| California state floor | $16.90 |
San Mateo County (unincorporated) sets one rate for all employers. There is no reduced small-business tier here, so employer size does not change what you are owed.
The city publishes its own minimum wage page: official San Mateo County (unincorporated) minimum wage information. That is the authority for coverage questions specific to this ordinance.
This rate changes on 1 January
San Mateo County (unincorporated) adjusts on 1 January, while the California state minimum changes on 1 January. A local rate can therefore rise mid-year while the state figure stays put, and a rate quoted from the wrong side of 1 January will be out of date.
How San Mateo County (unincorporated) compares
Of the 40 California cities and counties that set their own minimum wage, San Mateo County (unincorporated) ranks #27. The highest is Emeryville at $20.34; the lowest local rate is Oakland at $17.34. The statewide floor, which applies anywhere without a local ordinance, is $16.90.
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Other San Mateo County cities with their own rate
Neighbouring cities in San Mateo County do not share one number. If you work shifts in more than one of these, each one’s rate applies to the hours worked there:
| City | Rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| Belmont | $18.95 | January 1, 2026 |
| Redwood City | $18.65 | January 1, 2026 |
| San Mateo | $18.60 | January 1, 2026 |
| South San Francisco | $18.15 | January 1, 2026 |
| Half Moon Bay | $17.91 | January 1, 2026 |
| East Palo Alto | $17.90 | January 1, 2026 |
| Burlingame | $17.86 | January 1, 2026 |
| Foster City | $17.85 | January 1, 2026 |
| San Carlos | $17.75 | January 1, 2026 |
| Menlo Park | $17.55 | January 1, 2026 |
| Daly City | $17.50 | January 1, 2026 |
Anywhere else in San Mateo County without its own ordinance falls back to the $16.90 state minimum.
It follows the work, not your address
Local ordinances generally apply based on where the work is performed. Shifts worked in San Mateo County (unincorporated) are usually covered even if you live and your employer is based elsewhere, and some ordinances bite after only a few hours in the jurisdiction per week – a threshold set by the ordinance, not by the state.
If you are paid less than this
That is a wage claim. The California Labor Commissioner’s Office accepts them, and cities that set their own minimum often run a local enforcement office that can act on the ordinance directly. Keep pay stubs and a record of hours and locations worked. Compare any California city with the minimum wage checker.
Rate from the UC Berkeley Labor Center inventory of local minimum wage ordinances, the list the California DLSE directs workers to. Verified 25 August 2026. Not legal advice.