New Census Data Show Economic Trends for San Bruno

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released new statistics as part of its American Community Survey three-year data file from 2008-10. The California State Census Data Center then extracted selected data—including income, educational attainment, health insurance coverage and housing—for California cities with populations of 20,000 people or more. 

The data for San Bruno might surprise some in that the news isn't all bad for folks living here. For the most part, San Bruno, which historically has a reputation for being a town with blue-collar roots and full of small business owners who have made a decent living for themselves, fares in the middle. 

Income 

The median income in San Bruno is $76,066, according to 2010 figures. Compared with the rest of San Mateo County, which has a median income of $85,569, San Bruno has the fifth lowest median household income, which is more than Burlingame and slightly less than Redwood City. 

Unemployment 

Despite being in the lower rung of the county when it comes to income, San Bruno has the third lowest unemployment rate in the county at 6.4 percent, compared with 7.5 percent countywide. 

Poverty 

Poverty does exist in San Bruno, according to census data. But compared with the rest of the county, San Bruno falls in the middle of the pack with a poverty rate of 6.3 percent. In San Mateo County overall, the poverty rate is 7.1 percent. 

Interestingly enough, only 34.7 percent of San Bruno residents have a bachelor's degree or higher, which means the city ranks 10th among cities in the county for those who have at least a four-year college degree. 

So what does this all mean for the city as a whole? 

Could these figures help explain why the economic growth on San Mateo Avenue continues to remain stagnant? 

Could these figures help explain why some city services keep getting cut year after year? 

What about school spending? Why does the San Bruno Park School District, for example, only spend $8,352 on each student while more than half of the other districts in the county spend more. 

How much of San Bruno's current economic state can be attributed to the recent recession?

San Bruno Patch will continue to explore these questions and update this story as more information becomes available.