San Francisco's Southern Neighbor
Welcome to Daly City, a diverse San Mateo County city immediately south of San Francisco, known for its fog, hills, and large Filipino-American community.
Daly City is a city in northern San Mateo County, California, immediately south of San Francisco and running from the Pacific coastline up into the San Bruno hills. Its position on the southern edge of San Francisco has defined its growth, its climate, and its role as one of the region's most densely settled suburbs. The city takes its name from John Daly, an Irish immigrant who arrived from Boston in 1853 as a teenager and went to work on a dairy farm. He built a successful dairy business in the area, and in 1906 he earned local renown by donating dairy products and providing shelter to San Franciscans displaced by the great earthquake. The city was incorporated in 1911. Its defining growth came after World War II, when developer Henry Doelger built the massive Westlake district of homes and a shopping center, transforming the former farmland into a postwar suburb. Beginning in the 1950s, Filipino Americans began purchasing homes east of Junipero Serra Boulevard, establishing the community that has made Daly City home to one of the largest Filipino-American populations in the United States. Today roughly 105,000 people live in Daly City. The city is served by the Jefferson elementary and high school districts, and by BART stations at Daly City and nearby Colma that opened in 1973. The Cow Palace arena and the Westlake and Serramonte shopping areas are long-standing local landmarks. For homebuyers, Daly City offers terraced hillside homes, strong transit access, and a diverse, close-knit community at the doorstep of San Francisco.
Daly City is located in San Mateo County, California, immediately south of San Francisco. The city runs along the coast and the San Bruno hills and is part of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Daly City is known for its large Filipino-American community, among the largest in the United States, and for the fog that rolls in from the Pacific. The city is also known for its terraced hillside neighborhoods and the Cow Palace arena.
Daly City is served by the Jefferson Elementary School District for elementary and middle grades, and by the Jefferson Union High School District for high school. Jefferson High School was the first school established in the district.
Yes. Daly City is served by BART stations at Daly City and nearby Colma, providing rail service to San Francisco, Oakland, and the wider Bay Area. The Daly City station opened in 1973.
The Cow Palace is an arena and event venue in Daly City's Bayshore area. It has hosted concerts, rodeos, and large events, and was the site of the 1956 and 1964 Republican National Conventions.
City Guide
Daly City's housing is dominated by the dense, terraced single-family homes and row houses built during its postwar boom, most famously the thousands of "Doelger homes" that Henry Doelger constructed in the Westlake district beginning in the late 1940s. These mid-century houses, often set on the city's hillsides, give Daly City its signature look. Alongside them are apartment buildings, condominiums, and newer infill development, particularly near the BART stations and commercial corridors. The stock offers a range of options for buyers seeking proximity to San Francisco.
Daly City's neighborhoods are shaped by its hills and its postwar development. Westlake, built by Henry Doelger, is a defining district of mid-century homes and the Westlake Shopping Center. Serramonte anchors the city's southern commercial core, while Bayshore, near the Cow Palace, and St. Francis Heights reflect the city's varied terrain and eras of growth. The adjacent unincorporated community of Broadmoor and the nearby city of Colma share the area's dense, foggy, hillside character, together forming the built-up northern edge of San Mateo County.
Daly City's lifestyle blends a dense, close-in suburban setting with a distinctive cultural character. The city's large Filipino-American community has shaped its restaurants, businesses, and civic life, giving it a strong sense of identity within the Bay Area. The ocean fog and terraced hillsides define the physical environment, while BART stations keep San Francisco minutes away. Residents enjoy the convenience of major shopping at Westlake and Serramonte, the events at the Cow Palace, and easy access to both the coast and the city, making Daly City a practical, vibrant home for commuters and families.
Daly City is served by the Jefferson Elementary School District for elementary and middle grades, and by the Jefferson Union High School District for secondary education. Jefferson High School, the first school in the district, is located in the city, and the high school district also serves Brisbane, Pacifica, Colma, Broadmoor, and part of San Bruno. Families have access to a range of public, private, and parochial options, with higher education available nearby at San Francisco State University, Skyline College, and other Bay Area institutions.
Daly City is a major transit hub for northern San Mateo County. BART stations at Daly City and nearby Colma provide direct rail service to San Francisco, Oakland, and the wider Bay Area, with the Daly City station having opened in 1973. Interstate 280 and Skyline Boulevard run through the city, and U.S. Route 101 lies just to the east, providing freeway access to San Francisco and the Peninsula. San Francisco International Airport is a short drive to the south, making Daly City among the region's best-connected suburban cities.
Daly City's recreation is anchored by the Cow Palace, a long-running arena and event venue that hosts concerts, rodeos, and large gatherings. The city's parks and the hiking trails of the San Bruno hills and San Bruno Mountain State Park offer open space and views over the Bay Area. Nearby Thornton State Beach and the Pacifica coast provide ocean access, while the Serramonte and Westlake shopping centers serve as everyday gathering places. The city's BART access also makes San Francisco's cultural and recreational amenities a short ride away.
MARKET SNAPSHOT
How homes have been selling here over the last 90 days.
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