Census Data for Woodside
Population ...
The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave Woodside a population of 5,559 people.
The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave Woodside a population of 5,287 people.
The town of Woodside is located in San Mateo County. The 2010 Census gave San Mateo County; a population of 718,451 people. This means that Woodside had 0.74% of the county's total population, making it San Mateo's 17th most populous community.
At the same time, California had a population of 37,253,956 people, meaning that Woodside had 0.01% of the total population of California - making it the state's 419th most populous community.
Area ...
The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Woodside has a total area of 11.73 square miles [30.4 km²].
San Mateo County has a land area of 448.4 square miles [1,161.4 km²]. At 11.73 square miles [30.4 km²], Woodside has 2.62% of the county's total land area.
- Continue Reading ...
- When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a town like Woodside, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the town.
- Things like population, area and housing for Woodside reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Woodside might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
- Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
- Lat: 37° 25' 19" (or 37.42°)
- Lon: -122° 15' 32" (or -122.26°)
- More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Housing Units ...
At the time of the 2010 Census, Woodside had 2,157 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 5,287 people, this averages 2.45 people per Housing Unit.
- Continue Reading ...
- The 2010 Census shows Woodside had a land area of 11.73 square miles [30.4 km²]. This translates to 183.9 Housing Units per square mile [71 housing units/km²].
- From the Census of 2000: Woodside had 2,030 Housing Units, a population of 5,352 people and a land area of 11.76 square miles [30.5 km²]. This gives a density of 2.64 people per Housing Unit and 172.6 Housing Units per square mile [66.7 housing units/km²].
- Note: Repeating the caution above (under Population Density), be aware that when comparing Housing Units between the 2010 and the 2000 Census, there were changes in the sampling area for Woodside and you need to be careful when comparing numbers between the censuses. More information about the nature of these the changes can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
San Mateo County ...
The community of Woodside is located in San Mateo County<4>.
The county had a population of 718,451 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 5,287 people, Woodside represented 0.74% of the county's total.
In addition, where the town of Woodside has a population density of 450.6 people per square mile [174 people/km²], San Mateo County averages 1,602 people per square mile [618 people/km²].
For more information, please visit our Census Page for San Mateo County.
Census-to-Census Observations ...
Introduction ...
When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Woodside, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of Woodside. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.
- Continue Reading ...
- Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for Woodside or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
- If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.
Location ...
While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of Woodside, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Woodside.
- Continue Reading ...
- For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
- Lat: 37.422157° (or 37°25'19" N)
- Lon: -122.259081° (or -122°15'32" W)
- For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
- Lat: 37.420704° (or 37°25'14" N)
- Lon: -122.259777° (or -122°15'35" W)
- The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 566 feet to the north<5> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#2413509) to Woodside. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Woodside. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
- Lat: 37.422042° (or 37°25'19" N)
- Lon: -122.258950° (or -122°15'32" W)
- The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 56.5 feet to the northwest<6> of the point given by the GNIS for Woodside. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Woodside.
Miscellaneous Information for Woodside ...
The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either San Mateo County or the town of Woodside:
- The GNIS Codes ...
- The FIPS Codes ...
- An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
- State Code: 06 (California)
- County Code: 081 (San Mateo County)
- Place Code: 86440 (Woodside)
- State & County Code: 06/081 (California / San Mateo County)
- State & Place Code: 06/86440 (California / Woodside)
- Misc. Census Codes ...
- Woodside is located in Census Region #4 (the West Region) and Division #9 (the Pacific Division).
For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Woodside.
Off-the-Road Links ...
The official website for Woodside: www.woodsidetown.org/
The official website for San Mateo County: www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/
The official website for State of California: https://www.ca.gov/
The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau
The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Every year, the US Census Bureau creates a population estimate for the preceeding year. Keep in mind that this value is an estimate and not an actual count. The most recent Census estimate is for the year 2019. |
| <2> | Every 10 years (eg- 1990, 2000, 2010), the US Census Bureau conducts a Constitutionally-mandated count (or enumeration) of people living within the United States. This count is called a Decennial Census. The last Decennial Census was the 2010 Census, with the next one planned for 2020. |
| <3> | A Housing Unit is a broad term for those places where people live (whether occupied or temporarily vacant), such as a house, an apartment, a mobile home, or an area that is considered as a separate living quarter. Separate living quarters (consisting of one or more rooms) are considered to be those places where people live, sleep and eat separately from others and that have access to the outside (either directly or by a shared hallway). |
| <4> | If you're interested in how the shape of California's counties, including San Mateo, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. |
| <5> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2010 Census location is 339 degrees and a distance of 566 feet. |
| <6> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 42 degrees and a distance of 56.5 feet. |