Burlingame Neighborhoods: East vs. West of El Camino, by the Numbers

Burlingame neighborhoods west of El Camino are not more expensive per s/f than the flat neighborhoods east of El Camino; they just have bigger homes. Over the last year, 235 single family homes sold in Burlingame, and when you compare flat neighborhood to flat neighborhood, buyers paid $1,548 per s/f east of El Camino and $1,612 per s/f west of El Camino, a difference of only $64. The median home east of El Camino is also about 700 s/f smaller, so you are not paying a premium to live west of El Camino in this San Mateo County city; you are buying a bigger house.

I'm Raziel Ungar, and I have been the number 1 agent in Burlingame over the last 10 years. Below, I walk through the data and every neighborhood on both sides of El Camino so you can decide which side fits you.

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How Did We Compare Burlingame Neighborhoods?

We compared Burlingame neighborhoods using real, transaction-level data rather than averages pulled from a website. I looked at the size of every lot in Burlingame, all 6,168 of them, and cross-referenced it against every home sold in the last 12 months, which was 235 sales, with each neighborhood's price per s/f and total sales metrics.

El Camino Real runs north to south through the middle of Burlingame, and people often use it as shorthand for better and worse. That framing is too simple. The real difference is flat and walkable neighborhoods with older character homes on both sides, versus hillier and more spacious neighborhoods on the west side.

Is West of El Camino More Expensive Than East of El Camino?

West of El Camino is more expensive overall, but not per s/f once you compare flat neighborhoods. The west side flat neighborhoods, which are Easton Addition, Burlingame Park and Ray Park, came in at $1,612 per s/f, compared with $1,548 per s/f for the flat neighborhoods east of El Camino.

The bigger lots are real. Of all 6,168 lots, 76% of the lots in Easton Addition, Burlingame Park and Ray Park are 6,000 s/f or larger, compared with 37% on the east side. Yet buyers paid almost the same per s/f on both sides, so the market values the bigger lot at about $64 more per s/f of house. Many buyers decide that the extra land is not worth changing their lifestyle or budget for, and a smaller home on a smaller lot is the better fit for them. You can see every lot in Burlingame on a color-coded map in my post on the distribution of lot sizes in Burlingame.

Which Burlingame Neighborhoods Have the Highest Price Per S/F?

Ray Park had the highest price per s/f of any Burlingame neighborhood over the last year, at $1,752 per s/f. Several neighborhoods east of El Camino, including Burlingame Village, Burlingame Gables and Lyon Hoag, came in above Easton Addition.

The most expensive homes by sale price are west of El Camino, in Burlingame Park, Ray Park and Easton Addition, followed by Burlingame Hills and Mills Estates, because those homes are bigger. Price per s/f is the great equalizer, and on that measure the east side holds its own. Easton Addition led in number of sales with over 40 in the last year, and it typically accounts for about 25% of all home sales in Burlingame.

Ray Park: Buyers Pay for the Neighborhood, Not the Land

Nearly half the lots in Ray Park are under 6,000 s/f, which is about the same range as Lyon Hoag and Burlingame Terrace east of El Camino. Buyers still paid $1,752 per s/f there, so they are paying for the neighborhood itself: the ranch-style floor plans, Ray Park, Lincoln Elementary School and how pretty the streets are.

Lyon Hoag Outpaced Easton Addition Per S/F

Lyon Hoag, east of El Camino and California Drive and just south of Burlingame Gables, came in at $1,638 per s/f last year, which was higher than Easton Addition at $1,556 per s/f. Many people call Lyon Hoag Burlingame's entry price point, yet its median sale price was around $3M, and homes sold in a median of 8 days.

What Are the Neighborhoods East of El Camino Like?

The neighborhoods east of El Camino are flatter and more walkable, with older homes and smaller lots, and they are bookended by Burlingame's 2 main commercial corridors, Burlingame Avenue and Broadway.

Burlingame Terrace

Burlingame Terrace is the most walkable neighborhood in Burlingame. It is between Broadway to the north and Burlingame Avenue to the south, and between El Camino and California Drive, so you can walk to both downtowns. Most homes are 1,200 to 2,200 s/f with a lot of character, and a newer build on Crossway recently sold for a little under $5M. McKinley Elementary anchors the neighborhood and has the only Spanish immersion program in Burlingame public schools, with a lottery to get in. The median price over the last year was $2.5M, and the price per s/f was $1,512.

Burlingame Gables

Burlingame Gables has some of the highest tree density in Burlingame, which says a lot in a city with over 18,000 trees. It is east of downtown, north of Lyon Hoag, near Washington Park, Burlingame High School, the Peninsula Tennis Club and the new $52M community center. Homes are typically 1,000 to 2,000 s/f, mostly 2 and 3 BR with some 4 BR, and most have attached garages, which makes adding an ADU easier than in Easton Addition, where most garages are detached. The median sale price over the last year was $2.9M, the top sale was $4.1M, lots are around 5,000 s/f, and the price per s/f was $1,641.

Lyon Hoag

Lyon Hoag is within walking distance of downtown Burlingame, just south of Burlingame Gables. As covered above, it came in at $1,638 per s/f with a median sale price around $3M and a median of 8 days on market.

Burlingame Grove

Burlingame Grove is east of El Camino, north of Broadway, west of California Drive and south of Burlingame Village, and Google Maps also calls it Burlingame Gate. Homes are typically 1,100 to 1,800 s/f with 2 and 3 BR, and several new builds have gone up on Capuchino, Paloma and Mills, including 7 or 8 on one block of Mills. Cambridge and Oxford are 2 of the best streets in Burlingame, with very high tree density. You can walk to Broadway, and the Millbrae BART and Caltrain station is a short distance away. The price per s/f was $1,547.

Burlingame Village

Burlingame Village is the northeastern neighborhood in Burlingame, anchored by Village Park, which has a soccer field, a playground, a basketball court and a small preschool. A handful of Burlingame's rare cul-de-sacs are here on Hamilton, Celci and Carney. Many homes are 3 BR ranch-style homes, and a new-build 4 BR sold in the high $3M range a few years ago. The price per s/f over the last year was $1,681.

Burlingame Gardens

Burlingame Gardens is the most affordable neighborhood in Burlingame. It is west of 101, north of Oak Grove and east of Carolan Avenue and the train tracks, near the Audi and Porsche dealerships. Homes are about 1,200 to 1,700 s/f with 2 and 3 BR, and you can walk to Burlingame High School and the aquatic center, with Broadway and Washington Park about 4-5 minutes away. The median sale price was about $2.3M, and the top sale last year was over $4M.

What Are the Neighborhoods West of El Camino Like?

The neighborhoods west of El Camino include the flat, walkable Easton Addition, Burlingame Park and Ray Park, plus the hillier and more spacious Mills Estates and Burlingame Hills.

Mills Estates and Burlingame Hills Offer the Best Value Per S/F

If price per s/f is your main measure, the hilly west side has the best value in Burlingame. Mills Estates came in at $1,324 per s/f last year and Burlingame Hills at $1,204 per s/f, both well below any flat neighborhood on either side of El Camino. In these 2 neighborhoods, 99% of lots are over 6,000 s/f and most are over 8,000 s/f. You trade walkability for space, privacy and access to 280, and for the right buyer, that trade is worth it.

Mills Estates

Mills Estates has larger lots, typically 7,000 to 10,000 s/f, with one-level ranch-style homes and attached 2-car garages. It has some of the best floor plans in Burlingame, many bay views and a collection of Eichler homes. It is close to 280 for commutes to San Francisco or the South Bay, but it is hilly, so it is not walkable day to day, and you will drive down the hill for groceries. The median price over the last year was $3.2M, and a larger 3 BR home there starts in the high $2Ms to low $3Ms, with mid to high $3Ms being more typical.

Burlingame Hills

Burlingame Hills is the most private neighborhood in Burlingame and has the largest average lot size in the city, with some lots of an acre or more. It is wooded, most streets have no sidewalks, and many homes have views north toward San Francisco. Mills Canyon runs through the neighborhood with about 1.35 miles of hiking trails. The median price over the last year was $3.3M, the top sale was $5.6M, and some lots sell for $3M for the land alone.

Burlingame Park

Burlingame Park is arguably the crown jewel of Burlingame real estate. It has the third largest lot size in Burlingame after Mills Estates and Burlingame Hills, and it is within walking distance of Burlingame Avenue. Last year, a home on Pepper sold for $17M after asking $14M, and another original-condition home on Pepper sold for around $9M on a flat lot of more than half an acre. I recently represented buyers there at $3.8M on a lot under 5,000 s/f, which is unusual for the neighborhood. The median price over the last year was $3.9M, with an average of $1,641 per s/f. I have had clients who could afford many homes in Hillsborough choose Burlingame Park for its location and the feeling of knowing their neighbors.

How Does Burlingame Compare With Hillsborough in San Mateo County?

Burlingame and Hillsborough were almost identical on price per s/f in 2025, at $1,474 per s/f in Burlingame and $1,494 per s/f in Hillsborough. In Hillsborough, you get a larger lot for the same price per s/f, while in Burlingame you get walkability and closer neighbors. Demand in both towns is strong at the low end, the middle and the high end of the market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is west of El Camino more expensive than east of El Camino in Burlingame?

West of El Camino is more expensive overall because the homes and lots are bigger, but not per s/f. Last year, flat neighborhoods west of El Camino averaged $1,612 per s/f, compared with $1,548 per s/f east of El Camino.

Which Burlingame neighborhood has the highest price per s/f?

Ray Park had the highest price per s/f in Burlingame over the last year, at $1,752 per s/f.

What is the most affordable neighborhood in Burlingame?

Burlingame Gardens is the most affordable neighborhood in Burlingame, with a median sale price of about $2.3M over the last year.

Where do you get the most space for your money in Burlingame?

Mills Estates and Burlingame Hills give you the most space for your money, at $1,324 and $1,204 per s/f last year. Most lots in both neighborhoods are over 8,000 s/f, but they are hilly and less walkable.

No side of El Camino is wrong. Every Burlingame neighborhood has something real to offer, and the best fit depends on what you are optimizing for. If you are trying to figure out which side of Burlingame fits your budget and lifestyle, I would love to help you think it through.

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This article is copyrighted by Raziel Ungar and may not be reproduced or copied without express written permission.