Millbrae

Living in Millbrae

Millbrae is one of the Peninsula's best-kept residential secrets: a compact hillside city of roughly 23,000 residents that punches far above its weight in transit access and culinary culture. Its name derives from the Scottish term for "mill on the hillside," a nod to the 19th-century Darius Ogden Mills estate that once occupied the land. Today the city is defined by the Millbrae Intermodal Station, one of the Bay Area's only direct BART-to-Caltrain connections, and by Broadway, a walkable commercial strip widely regarded as one of the finest dim sum and Asian dining corridors on the entire Peninsula.

The residential neighborhoods climb westward from El Camino Real into the foothills, offering increasingly expansive Bay views at elevation. Mills Estate, a well-planned 1950s-era development in the southern reaches of the city, is one of the most sought-after enclaves, with ranch and split-level homes on generous lots and a neighborhood feel that has remained remarkably stable for decades. Central Millbrae's post-war single-family homes attract families who want walkability to schools and Broadway's restaurants, while the hillside properties above Skyline Boulevard command premium pricing and panoramic vistas stretching from SFO to the East Bay hills.

The Millbrae School District serves grades K through 8, with Taylor Middle School feeding into Mills High School in the San Mateo Union High School District. Mills High is well-regarded for its academic programs and diverse student body. For buyers who commute to San Francisco, the airport corridor, or anywhere along the Caltrain spine, Millbrae offers a rare combination: genuine neighborhood character, outstanding food, and a transit hub that makes a car optional for the daily commute. SFO is literally one BART stop away.