Editing Millbrae, California

{{Short description|City in California, United States}}
{{distinguish|millibar}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the table at Template:Infobox settlement for all fields and descriptions of their usage.-->
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
| official_name      = City of Millbrae
| native_name        = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
| other_name         = 
| settlement_type    = [[List of municipalities in California|City in California]]
| image_skyline      = Millbrae California.jpg
| image_caption      = View of Millbrae, facing southeast from [[Junipero Serra Park]], with [[SFO]] runways, the Westin SFO, and [[Millbrae station]] visible behind the trees on the left, [[Coyote Point Recreation Area]] and the [[San Mateo–Hayward Bridge]] visible behind them, The Magnolia of Millbrae, [[Mills-Peninsula Medical Center]] visible near the center of the image, and the [[Santa Cruz Mountains]] and the suburbs in their foothills on the right.
| image_flag         = 
| flag_size          = 
| image_seal         = Citysealmillbrae.png
| nickname           = 
| motto              = A City In The Sun
<!-- images and maps  ----------->
| image_map          = San_Mateo_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Millbrae_Highlighted.svg
| map_caption        = Location in [[San Mateo County, California|San Mateo County]] and the state of [[California]]
| pushpin_map        = USA
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States
| pushpin_relief     = 1
| named_for          = [[Darius Ogden Mills]]
<!-- Location ------------------>
| coordinates        = {{coord|37|36|3|N|122|24|5|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in California|County]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[California]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[San Mateo County, California|San Mateo]]
<!-- Politics ----------------->
| established_title  = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date   = January 14, 1948<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
 |title=California Cities by Incorporation Date
 |format=Word
 |publisher=California Association of [[Local Agency Formation Commission]]s
 |access-date=August 25, 2014
|url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017052413/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
 |archive-date=October 17, 2013
}}</ref>
<!-- Area------------------>
| government_type    = [[Council–manager government|Council–manager]]<ref name=govt>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/index.aspx?page=3|title=Government|publisher=City of Millbrae|access-date=February 4, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217071839/http://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/index.aspx?page=3|archive-date=February 17, 2015}}</ref>
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Anders Fung (preceded by Ann Schneider)<ref>{{Cite web
 | url = https://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/380/City-Council
 | title = City Council
 | publisher = City of Millbrae
 | access-date = December 13, 2023}}</ref>
| leader_title1      = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
| leader_name1       = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 1, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 8.53
| area_total_sq_mi   = 3.29
| area_land_km2      = 8.47
| area_land_sq_mi    = 3.27
| area_water_km2     = 0.06
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.02
| area_water_percent = 0.36
| area_metro_sq_mi   = 
<!-- Population   ----------------------->
| elevation_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite GNIS|1659756|Millbrae}}</ref>
| elevation_ft       = 33
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
| population_total   = 23216
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name=quif>{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/millbraecitycalifornia|title=Millbrae (city) QuickFacts|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| population_est     = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = <ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>
| population_metro   = 
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = 
<!-- General information  --------------->
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 94030
| area_code          = [[Area code 650|650]]
| website            = {{URL|www.ci.millbrae.ca.us}}
| timezone           = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific]]
| utc_offset         = -8
| timezone_DST       = PDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -7
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
| blank_info         = {{FIPS|06|47486}}
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = {{GNIS 4|1659756}}
| population_density_km2 = 2645.20
}}

'''Millbrae''' is a city located in northern [[San Mateo County, California|San Mateo County]], [[California]], United States. To the northeast is [[San Francisco International Airport]]; [[San Bruno, California|San Bruno]] is to the northwest, and [[Burlingame, California|Burlingame]] is to the southeast. It is bordered by [[San Andreas Lake]] to the southwest. The population was 23,216 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Millbrae_city,_California?g=160XX00US0647486 |access-date=December 13, 2023 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> Millbrae has [[Sister City]] relationships with [[La Serena, Chile]] and [[Mosta, Malta]], as well as a friendship city agreement with [[Hanyū, Saitama|Hanyu, Japan]], [[Taishan, Guangdong|Taishan, China]], [[Ramallah|Ramallah, Palestine]], and [[Dongguan|Dongguan, China]].<ref name=":8">{{cite web |title=City of Millbrae : Sister Cities Commission |url=http://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/index.aspx?page=172 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815032408/http://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/index.aspx?page=172 |archive-date=August 15, 2009 |access-date=September 13, 2009}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |title=Sister Cities Commission {{!}} Millbrae, CA |url=https://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/389/Sister-Cities-Commission |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=www.ci.millbrae.ca.us}}</ref>

==History==
{{See also|History of California before 1900}}
The [[oral tradition]] of the [[Ohlone#Present day|Ohlone]] people suggests they have been living in the [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area]] for thousands of years.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=The Association of Ramaytush Ohlone |url=https://www.ramaytush.org/ |access-date=December 14, 2023 |website=The Association of Ramaytush Ohlone |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=ThemeZaa |title=Muwekma Ohlone Tribe {{!}} American Indian {{!}} Native American Tribes |url=http://www.muwekma.org/ |access-date=December 14, 2023 |website=Muwekma Ohlone Tribe |language=en}}</ref> Anthropological evidence suggests Ohlone [[ethnogenesis]] occurred around 700 CE following a wave of migration from the [[Central Valley (California)|Central Valley]].<ref name=":7">For origin, arrival and displacement based on "linguistic evidence" in 500 CE per Levy, 1978:486, also Bean, 1994:xxi (cites Levy 1978). For Shell Mound dating, F.M. Stanger 1968:4.</ref> The local Ohlone people are today called the [[Ramaytush|Ramaytush Ohlone]]; however, this name is a linguistic designation that arose relatively recently. Prior to colonization, the Ohlone did not operate as a single consolidated unit; they identified more with their local tribe and village than with the [[nation]] at large. The several local tribes that lived in the area prior to colonization coalesced into the modern Ramaytush people following the [[California genocide|precipitous decline of their population]] in the 1800s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ramaytush Ohlone |url=http://www.ramaytush.com/ramaytush-ohlone.html |access-date=December 13, 2020 |website=Ramaytush Ohlone |language=en}}</ref> The closest villages to what is now Millbrae were located by the banks of [[San Bruno Creek]], and they are known as [[Ramaytush#Ramaytush tribes and villages|Urebure and Siplichiquin]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rancho Buri Buri {{!}} Resolute|url=https://resoluteoldwest.obsidianportal.com/wikis/rancho-buri-buri|access-date=August 15, 2020|website=resoluteoldwest}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Milliken|first=Randall|url=http://www.muwekma.org/images/Ohlone_Costanoan_Indians_of_SF_Peninsula_NPS_2009.pdf|title=Ohlone/Costanoan Indians of the San Francisco Peninsula and their Neighbors, Yesterday and Today|last2=Shoup|first2=Laurence H.|last3=Ortiz|first3=Beverly R.|publisher=National Park Service, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, California|year=2009}}</ref>  A third nearby village—whose original name is unknown—is called [[Ramaytush#Ramaytush tribes and villages|CA-SMA-299]].

=== 1500s ===
Anthropological evidence and [[oral tradition]] indicate the [[Ohlone#Present day|Ohlone]] people were living in the [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area]] prior to the 1500s.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /> The Spanish empire claimed much of what is now the United States during the early period of [[Spanish colonization of the Americas]]. In 1535, the Spanish empire established the [[New Spain|kingdom of New Spain]], which inherited the empire's claims to much of what is now the western United States.

In 1542, [[Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo]] explored the Pacific coast near what is today Millbrae, though the expedition did not see the [[Golden Gate]] or the [[San Francisco Bay]], likely due to the [[Karl the fog|San Francisco fog.]] The Ohlone people may have met this expedition as they explored the [[Monterey Bay]], about 50 miles southeast of Millbrae.

In 1595, [[Philip II of Spain]] tasked [[Sebastião Rodrigues Soromenho]] with mapping the west coast of the Americas. Soromenho set sail on [[Manila-Acapulco Galleon|Manila Galleon]] ''San Agustin'' on July 5, 1595, and in early November they reached land between [[Point St. George]] and [[Trinidad, California|Trinidad Head]]. The expedition followed the coast southward and on November 7 the ''San Agustin'' anchored in [[Drakes Bay]], about 40 miles northwest of Millbrae. In late November, a storm sank the ''San Agustin'' and killed between 7 and 12 people. On December 8, 80 remaining crew members set sail on the ''San Buenaventura'', a [[Launch (boat)|launch]] which was partially constructed en route from [[Spanish East Indies|the Philippines]]. Seeking the fastest route south, the expedition failed to notice the Golden Gate, arriving at [[Chacala|Puerto de Chacala, Mexico]] on January 17, 1596.<ref>Aker (1965)</ref>

=== 1600s ===
In 1601, [[New Spain]] tasked [[Sebastián Vizcaíno]] with mapping the [[The Californias|California]] coastline in detail and locating safe harbors in [[Alta California]] for [[Manila-Acapulco Galleon|Manila Galleons]] to use on their return voyage to [[Acapulco]] from [[Manila]]. In 1602, members of Vizcaíno's expedition explored as far north as [[Coos Bay]], however like previous expeditions, they missed the [[Golden Gate]]. In 1603, this expedition landed in [[Monterey Bay]], about 50 miles southeast of Millbrae, leading to the first documented interaction between the Ohlone people and European explorers.<ref name=":10">Milliken, R., Shoup, L. H., Ortiz, B. (2009). Ohlone/Costanoan Indians of the San Francisco Peninsula and Their Neighbors, Yesterday and Today. United States: Archaeological and Historical Consultants.</ref> Little came of this expedition, and for the next 150 years, [[Alta California]] remained a distant [[frontier]] land, largely outside of the kingdom's control, despite its claims. Anthropological evidence and [[oral tradition]] indicate the [[Ohlone#Present day|Ohlone]] people were living in the [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area]] throughout this time.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" />

=== 1700s ===
The [[San Francisco Bay]] may have been explored and mapped in the early 1700s. José Cabrera Bueno's 1734 ''Navegación Espéculativa y Práctica'' describe it with the following:<blockquote>Through the opening in the center enters an estuary of salt water without any breaking of the waves at all, and by going in one will find friendly Indians and can easily take on water and wood.</blockquote>On November 4, 1769, the [[Portolá expedition|Portolà expedition]] climbed [[Sweeney Ridge]] and descended southeast parallel to [[San Andreas Creek]] before camping overnight near what is today [[San Andreas Lake]] and Millbrae's western border. The Portolà expedition continued southeast along the peninsula before turning back and returning to [[San Diego]].

[[Gaspar de Portolá]] returned to the Bay Area the following year, accompanied by [[Junípero Serra]], who established [[Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo]]—the second [[Spanish missions in California|Spanish mission in Alta California]]—in what is today [[Monterey, California|Monterey]] on June 3, 1770. Between 1769 and 1824 a total of 21 missions were established across Alta California.

The sixth Spanish mission in Alta California, [[Mission San Francisco de Asís]] was established on October 9, 1776, in what is today [[Mission District, San Francisco|San Francisco's Mission District]], about 10 miles north of Millbrae. Over the next few decades, many of the Ohlone people who lived in and around what is today Millbrae relocated to Mission San Francisco de Asís, where they were baptized. Nearly all the Indigenous people of the area around what is today Millbrae were baptized between 1777 and 1783, and by 1793, the 8 village sites in what are today San Francisco and northern San Mateo county had been abandoned and most of the Indigenous people of that area had relocated to Mission San Francisco.<ref name=":10" />

The missions maintained authority over much of Alta California even after [[Mexican War of Independence|Mexico's independence from Spain]] 1821.

=== 1800s ===
The [[First Mexican Empire]] came and went with little change for residents of the area. The [[First Mexican Republic]] was established in 1824, and one of the most significant changes came when [[José María de Echeandía]], [[Governor of Alta California]], issued a "Proclamation of Emancipation" (or "''Prevenciónes de Emancipacion''") on July 25, 1826.<ref>Engelhardt 1922, p. 80, ''San Diego Mission'', "''The military district of San Diego embraced the Missions of San Diego, San Luis Rey, San Juan Capistrano, and San Gabriel.''"</ref> Following this proclamation, the Indigenous people within the military districts of [[Mission San Diego de Alcalá|San Diego]], [[Mission Santa Barbara|Santa Barbara]], and [[Monterey]] who were found qualified were freed from missionary rule and made eligible to become Mexican citizens.<ref>Bancroft, vol. i, pp. 100–101: The motives behind the issuance of Echeandía's premature decree may have had more to do with his desire to appease "...some prominent Californians who had already had their eyes on the mission lands..." than with concern for the welfare of the natives.</ref><ref>Stern and Miller, pp. 51–52: Catholic historian Zephyrin Engelhardt referred to Echeandía as "...an avowed enemy of the religious orders."</ref> In 1827, [[José María de Echeandía|Echeandía]] granted permission for sub-lieutenant José Antonio Sánchez to occupy Mission San Francisco's [[Rancho Buri Buri]]—which included parts of present-day Millbrae and [[Burlingame, California|Burlingame]]—for “grazing and agricultural purposes."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Igler |first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oacwDwAAQBAJ |title=Industrial Cowboys: Miller & Lux and the Transformation of the Far West, 1850-1920 |date=January 28, 2005 |publisher=Univ of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-24534-1 |pages=46 |language=en}}</ref>

The [[Mexican Secularization Act of 1833]] opened the lands of nearby Mission Dolores to civilian settlement, and the small town of [[Yerba Buena, California|Yerba Buena]], which later changed its name to San Francisco, was established that year. [[Settler colonialism|Settlement]] was slow however; in 1847 San Francisco was said to have only 459 residents.<ref name="sfmuseum-early">{{cite web |last=San Francisco News Letter |date=September 1925 |title=From the 1820s to the Gold Rush |url=http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/early.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091022224825/http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/early.html |archive-date=October 22, 2009 |access-date=November 11, 2024 |publisher=The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco}}</ref> Few people lived in what is now Millbrae at this time, likely only a few [[Californios|Californio]] families. California came under American rule in 1848 following the [[Mexican–American War]], the [[Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo]], and the [[Mexican Cession]] and California became the 31st state in of the United States in 1850. The [[California gold rush|discovery of gold]] relatively nearby in 1848 led to massive population growth, with San Francisco's population growing 5446% in just a few years, from 459 residents in 1847 to 25,000 in 1850.<ref name="1849pop">{{cite book |last=Richards |first=Rand |url=https://archive.org/details/historicsanfranc00rich |title=Historic San Francisco: A Concise History and Guide |publisher=Heritage House |year=1992 |isbn=978-1-879367-00-5 |oclc=214330849}}</ref> San Francisco County was one of the state's 18 original counties established at California statehood in 1850,<ref>Report of Committee on Counties, January 4, 1850, revised to 27 counties on February 18, 1850 – {{cite book |last=Coy |first=Owen C. |title=California County Boundaries |publisher=California Historical Survey Commission |year=1923 |location=Berkeley |pages=1–2}}</ref> however in 1856, the California state government divided the county. A straight line was then drawn across the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula just north of [[San Bruno Mountain]], and everything south of the line became the new San Mateo County while everything north of the line became the new consolidated City and County of San Francisco.<ref>{{Cite book |last=California |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Statutes_of_California_and_Digests_of_Me/4a83AAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA145&printsec=frontcover |title=Statutes of California and Digests of Measures |date=1856 |publisher=J. Winchester |language=en}}</ref>

In the 1860s, [[Darius Ogden Mills]] purchased a portion of Rancho Buri Buri from [[José de la Cruz Sánchez]] to build a country estate. The [[San Francisco and San Jose Railroad]], predecessor to [[Caltrain]], began operations in 1863, directly connecting Millbrae and other peninsula towns to [[Market Street (San Francisco)|Market Street]], with service extending to [[San Jose, California|San Jose]] in 1864. In 1872, members of the Sánchez family built the original Sixteen Mile House, a historical restaurant and rest stop near the Mills estate, and direct link to Millbrae's early days. The Mills estate was bordered by what is now [[Skyline Boulevard]], [[U.S. Route 101 (California)|U.S. Route 101]] (the [[Bayshore Freeway]]), Millbrae Avenue and Trousdale Drive. The estate became known as "Millbrae" from "Mills" and the Scottish word "brae," which means "rolling hills" or "hill slope." Millbrae grew slowly during the 19th century; according to the 1890 US Census, the town had only 243 residents.

=== 1900s ===
The early 20th century saw rapid growth in Millbrae's population, which increased 3692% from 243 in 1890 to 8,972 in 1950.<ref name="GR2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> [[Transport]]ation has shaped Millbrae's growth; [[Legislative route|Legislative Route]] Number (LRN) 2, which is today known as [[California State Route 82]] or El Camino Real, was established in 1909 largely parallel to the San Francisco and San Jose Railroad,<ref>{{Cite web |title=California Highways (www.cahighways.org): Route 82 |url=https://www.cahighways.org/ROUTE082.html |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=www.cahighways.org}}</ref> and in 1919, [[California State Route 35|Skyline Boulevard]], which runs along Millbrae's western boundary, was established as LRN 55, connecting San Francisco and [[Santa Cruz, California|Santa Cruz]] via the foothills of the [[Santa Cruz Mountains]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=California Highways (www.cahighways.org): Route 35 |url=https://www.cahighways.org/ROUTE035.html |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=www.cahighways.org}}</ref> Construction on the [[Bayshore Freeway]], which runs parallel to El Camino and the SF&SJ railroad tracks, began in 1924 and by 1929, it connected Millbrae with the [[East Bay]] via the newly completed [[San Mateo–Hayward Bridge|San Mateo-Hayward Bridge]]. [[Southern Pacific Transportation Company|Southern Pacific]] double tracked the SF&SJ railroad in 1904 and by the 1940s, 26 trains ran between SF and SJ per day, with headways as low as 5 minutes (traveling north) in the mornings and 3 minutes (traveling south) in the evening.<ref>{{Cite web |title=San Jose Evening News - Google News Archive Search |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dWsiAAAAIBAJ&pg=4272,5327 |access-date=2024-12-17 |website=news.google.com}}</ref> Additionally, until 1948, [[Muni Metro|Muni's]] #40 "interurban" [[Tram|streetcar]] traveled through Millbrae, providing passenger rail service between San Francisco and [[San Mateo, California|San Mateo]].

Millbrae's [[Green Hills Country Club]] was built in 1929 and designed by famed golf course architect Dr. [[Alister MacKenzie]], who also designed other noteworthy courses such as [[Augusta National]], [[Cypress Point Club|Cypress Point]], [[Royal Melbourne Golf Club|Royal Melbourne]], and [[Pasatiempo Golf Club|Pasatiempo]]. The course was originally known as the Union League Golf Club of San Francisco (1930 to 1933) and Millbrae Country Club (1933 to 1945). The course provides a [[green belt]] in the center of the city that is the home of many animals, such as the [[Red fox|red-tail fox]], that otherwise would not be able to survive in the urban setting. It also may be the only area of the city where natural [[Stream|creeks]] still flow above ground.

In 1931, citizens organized a [[volunteer fire department]], which remained entirely volunteer until 1938. The [[police]] and [[fire department]]s were housed together for several years at Hillcrest Boulevard and [[El Camino Real (California)|El Camino Real]] before the vital services moved to their permanent location in Millbrae's [[civic center]], a few blocks west of El Camino. Millbrae used a private patrol financed by fees from merchants and residents until 1941, when the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors created the Millbrae Police District. Records of the [[Internal Revenue Service]] document the licensing of several Millbrae bars for gambling; only after incorporation were gambling laws enforced in Millbrae and not until the 1950s was gambling defeated.

In the 1940s, a hilltop was shaved away to produce [[Cut and fill|landfill]] for the expanding [[San Francisco Airport]], which received an "[[International airport|international]]" designation in 1954 with the completion of the Central Terminal. Spurred largely by the desire to secure the Mills estate for residential use and by the efforts of Millbrae's weekly newspaper, the ''Millbrae Sun'', residents heatedly discussed [[Municipal corporation|incorporation]] for over a decade before voting to incorporate. Finally, on January 14, 1948, residents of Millbrae traveled to [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]] to present their new [[Municipal charter|city's charter]]. W.F. Leutenegger was elected mayor to represent Millbrae's nearly 8,000 residents. That year, Green Hills Elementary School opened as Millbrae's first new school in over 25 years, in anticipation of the educational needs of the post-war "[[Baby boomers|baby boom]]" children. The new city's chief industries were [[agriculture]], [[floriculture]], [[dairy]], and [[Porcelain|porcelain manufacturing]].

In the 1950s, Millbrae residents united to resist efforts to divide the city by the planned [[Junipero Serra Freeway]] (I-280), which was later routed parallel to Junipero Serra Boulevard, then through a canyon in [[San Bruno, California|San Bruno]] up to Skyline Boulevard. The streetcar line that connected Millbrae with San Francisco and San Mateo was dismantled just after Millbrae's incorporation in 1948, leaving the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]] as the only railway linking Millbrae with surrounding areas. Millbrae's high school students rode the streetcar to attend [[Burlingame High School (California)|Burlingame High School]] until [[Capuchino High School]] opened on September 11, 1950. The original Sixteen Mile House was located where Millbrae O'Reilly Auto Parts stands today, at the intersection of El Camino Real and Center Street. The Millbrae estate mansion burned down in June 1954.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Niekerken |first=Bill Van |date=October 10, 2017 |title=When the Peninsula's most lavish 19th century mansion went up in flames |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/chronicle_vault/article/When-the-Peninsula-s-most-lavish-19th-century-12262867.php |access-date=August 15, 2020 |website=SFChronicle.com |language=en-US}}</ref> After the fire the estate was subdivided and sold, with the bulk of the land going to the [[Paul Trousdale|Paul W. Trousdale]] Construction Company in 1953 and eventually becoming the location for [[Mills High School]], Spring Valley Elementary School, and [[Mills-Peninsula Medical Center|Peninsula Hospital]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Millbrae History Walk |url=http://www.millbraehs.org/millbrae-history-walk.html |access-date=August 14, 2020 |website=Millbrae Historical Society}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Van Niekerken |first=Bill |date=October 10, 2017 |title=When the Peninsula's most lavish 19th century mansion went up in flames |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/chronicle_vault/article/When-the-Peninsula-s-most-lavish-19th-century-12262867.php |access-date=August 14, 2020 |website=SFChronicle.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

An unsuccessful effort to save the original Sixteen Mile House in the 1970s led to the birth of the Millbrae Historical Society and eventual successful crusades to save the Millbrae train station and the historic building that has become the Millbrae Historical Museum. Such challenges, though inevitable, have only strengthened Millbrae's resolve to preserve the city's unique character and rich history.<ref>{{Cite web|title=City News {{!}} City of Millbrae|url=https://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/Home/Components/News/News/558/24?arch=1&npage=4|access-date=July 5, 2020|website=www.ci.millbrae.ca.us}}</ref>

Millbrae's population skyrocketed for decades, increasing 10728% from 195 residents in 1880 to just shy of 21,000 in 1970, however the population decreased 4.1% between 1970 and 1980, and Millbrae would not reach its 1970 peak again until after the 2000 census.<ref name="GR2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" />

=== 2000s ===
Following its population loss in the 1970s, and its negligible growth in the 1980s and '90s, Millbrae's population began to rebound in the early 21st century. The population of Millbrae was 20,718 at the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]], 21,532 at the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], and 23,216 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="GR2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> This growth may be attributed to a recent shift towards constructing [[transit-oriented development]]; in 1998, Millbrae created an area-specific plan for the Millbrae station area,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=https://ci.millbrae.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/577/MSASP-FINAL-March-2016-Amended-October-2022-PDF |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240224095235/https://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/577/MSASP-FINAL-March-2016-Amended-October-2022-PDF |archive-date=2024-02-24 |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=ci.millbrae.ca.us}}</ref> in 2007, a lot near Millbrae station with surface parking and a large single story retail building was redeveloped into the condo buildings at 88 S. Broadway,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=https://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/573/5th-Cycle-Housing-Element-2015---2023-PDF |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240224084009/https://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/573/5th-Cycle-Housing-Element-2015---2023-PDF |archive-date=2024-02-24 |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=www.ci.millbrae.ca.us}}</ref> in 2010 a large surface parking lot with two small retail buildings across El Camino Real from Millbrae station was redeveloped as the Belamor Condo Buildings.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Diener |first=Kyveli |date=2008-11-15 |title=Millbrae housing project under construction |url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2008/11/15/millbrae-housing-project-under-construction/ |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=East Bay Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-05-20 |title=A Tour of Belamor Development |url=https://patch.com/california/millbrae/a-tour-of-belamor-development |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=Millbrae, CA Patch |language=en}}</ref> and in 2023, three large surface parking lots adjacent to Millbrae station were redeveloped as the Gateway at Millbrae, which maintained some surface parking, and created a new hotel, a new office building, and two new apartment buildings—one of which features ground-floor retail space.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Andrew |date=2023-04-25 |title=Gateway at Millbrae Officially Opens in San Mateo County |url=https://sfyimby.com/2023/04/gateway-at-millbrae-officially-opens-in-san-mateo-county.html |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=San Francisco YIMBY |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Gateway at Millbrae Station – Building Innovation |url=https://gatewayatmillbraestation.com/ |access-date=2024-12-16 |language=en-US}}</ref> Several [[Chain restaurant|chains]] including [[Chick-fil-A]], [[Panda Express]], [[Crumbl Cookies]], and [[Starbucks]] have signed leases to move into the new retail space at the Gateway.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waxmann |first=Laura |date=2023-11-26 |title=Chick-fil-A to open dine-in-only outpost at new Bay Area 'transit village' |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/transit-village-chick-fil-a-18507638.php |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rusch |first=Holly |date=2024-01-05 |title=Millbrae Station development's retail filling fast |url=https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/millbrae-station-development-s-retail-filling-fast/article_6f5e7380-ab7a-11ee-84be-fbc6374b6c68.html |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=San Mateo Daily Journal |language=en}}</ref>

Transportation continues to be a large driver of Millbrae's growth; [[San Francisco International Airport|SFO]] has become one of the [[List of busiest airports by passenger traffic|busiest airports in the world]], [[Junipero Serra Freeway]], [[California State Route 82|El Camino Real]], and the [[Bayshore Freeway]] remain major thoroughfares between San Francisco and San Jose, and since 2003 [[Millbrae station]] has been the only station served by both BART and [[Caltrain]]. Millbrae station is also the only planned [[California High-Speed Rail]] stop between San Francisco and San José. In 2023, [[SamTrans]] announced that it would move its headquarters from San Carlos to the new office building at the Gateway at Millbrae, and in 2024, Caltrain, whose headquarters was in the same San Carlos building as SamTrans, announced that they would join SamTrans in relocating to the new office building at the Gateway.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Caltrain |date=2024-12-05 |title=Caltrain to Move Headquarters to Millbrae {{!}} Caltrain |url=https://www.caltrain.com/news/caltrain-move-headquarters-millbrae |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=www.caltrain.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=SamTrans |date=2023-12-18 |title=Board of Directors greenlights acquisition of new headquarters building {{!}} SamTrans |url=https://www.samtrans.com/news/board-directors-greenlights-acquisition-new-headquarters-building |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=www.samtrans.com |language=en}}</ref> Millbrae nevertheless largely remains a [[Commuter town|bedroom community]] whose residents commute to jobs in various industries throughout the [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Commute Time - Vital Signs - SF Bay Area |url=https://vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov/indicators/commute-time |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov |language=en}}</ref>

In addition to the increasing awareness that came with becoming a BART terminus in the early 2000s, the city gained notoriety in the early 2020s following spats with the [[California High-Speed Rail Authority]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Browning |first=Corey |date=2022-06-01 |title=Litigation looms over California high-speed rail, development access in Millbrae |url=https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/litigation-looms-over-california-high-speed-rail-development-access-in-millbrae/article_63333648-e161-11ec-80d3-eb78ae377810.html |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=San Mateo Daily Journal |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-04-07 |title=Will the BART/Millbrae deal force California high-speed rail underground? |url=https://www.rtands.com/track-construction/will-the-bart-millbrae-deal-force-california-high-speed-rail-underground/ |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=Railway Track and Structures |language=en-US}}</ref> and the [[San Mateo County, California|San Mateo County]] government,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-21 |title=Opinion {{!}} By rejecting state money and denying the homeless, this city ignited a firestorm |url=https://sfstandard.com/opinion/2024/08/21/millbrae-homeless-betrayal/ |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=The San Francisco Standard |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rusch |first=Holly |date=2024-10-04 |title=Millbrae residents demand county drop La Quinta purchase |url=https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/millbrae-residents-demand-county-drop-la-quinta-purchase/article_0e4c9b2a-81fe-11ef-8f4c-7fd5e63901da.html |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=San Mateo Daily Journal |language=en}}</ref> as well as a possible hate crime targeting then councilmember Anders Fung.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-13 |title=Millbrae Councilman Struck by Concrete Block While Hiking in SF |url=https://sfstandard.com/2022/06/13/millbrae-councilman-says-he-was-struck-by-concrete-block-while-hiking-in-san-francisco/ |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=The San Francisco Standard |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-13 |title=Cement block dropped on head of San Francisco councilman in apparent hate crime |url=https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/san-francisco-councilman-hate-crime-b2099830.html |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Conejero Saab |first=Ginger |last2= |first2= |date=2022-06-12 |title=Millbrae City Councilman Attacked With Concrete Block in San Francisco |url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/millbrae-city-councilman-attacked-with-concrete-block-in-san-francisco/2917494/ |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=NBC Bay Area |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Geography==
Millbrae has a total area of {{convert|3.26|sqmi|km2|1|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|3.25|sqmi|km2|1|abbr=on}} is land and {{convert|0.01|sqmi|km2|1|abbr=on}}, comprising 0.36%, is water.<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>

==Climate==
According to the [[National Weather Service]], Millbrae enjoys a typical [[Mediterranean]] climate featuring cool, wet winters and dry, mild summers. Night and morning [[fog]] are common during the summer months. Frequent, westerly sea breezes keep temperatures relatively mild throughout the year with highs in the mid-to-upper fifties (~15&nbsp;°C) and lows in the mid-to-upper forties (~8&nbsp;°C) during the winter and highs in the low seventies (~22&nbsp;°C) and lows in the mid-to-upper fifties (~13&nbsp;°C) during the summer. Annual precipitation ranges from {{convert|20|in|mm}} in the lowlands to {{convert|32|in|mm}} in the hills near Skyline Boulevard and I-280; most of the rain falls from November through April.  [[Snow]] is very rare; the last measurable occurrence was on February 5, 1976. The nearest [[National Weather Service]] [[Weather station|station]] is at the nearby [[San Francisco International Airport]], where records go back to early 1927. For more details, see [[San Bruno, California|San Bruno]], California.

{{Weather box
|location = Millbrae, California
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 74
|Feb record high F = 78
|Mar record high F = 82
|Apr record high F = 93
|May record high F = 95
|Jun record high F = 98
|Jul record high F = 100
|Aug record high F = 96
|Sep record high F = 106
|Oct record high F = 102
|Nov record high F = 81
|Dec record high F = 73
|year record high F =

|Jan high F = 57.3
|Feb high F = 59.4
|Mar high F = 61.2
|Apr high F = 63.7
|May high F = 65.6
|Jun high F = 68.7
|Jul high F = 71.7
|Aug high F = 72.6
|Sep high F = 73.5
|Oct high F = 70.2
|Nov high F = 62.2
|Dec high F = 56.9
|year high F =

|Jan low F = 48.3
|Feb low F = 48.5
|Mar low F = 50.1
|Apr low F = 52.3
|May low F = 53.9
|Jun low F = 55.7
|Jul low F = 57.8
|Aug low F = 58.6
|Sep low F = 58.8
|Oct low F = 56.2
|Nov low F = 52.3
|Dec low F = 48.2
|year low F =

|Jan record low F = 32
|Feb record low F = 27
|Mar record low F = 33
|Apr record low F = 37
|May record low F = 38
|Jun record low F = 44
|Jul record low F = 42
|Aug record low F = 40
|Sep record low F = 45
|Oct record low F = 40
|Nov record low F = 31
|Dec record low F = 23
|year record low F = 23
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 6.19
|Feb precipitation inch = 6.30
|Mar precipitation inch = 4.31
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.02
|May precipitation inch = 1.03
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.21
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.03
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.26
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.36
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.64
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.60
|Dec precipitation inch = 6.18
|year precipitation mm =
|year precipitation inch =
|source 1 = "The Weather Channel<ref>{{cite web
 | url=https://weather.com/weather/monthly/l/94030:4:US
  | title=Average Climate for Millbrae, California
  | publisher=The Weather Channel
  | access-date=February 26, 2018|date=February 2018}}</ref>
|date=October 2017}}

==Environmental features==
A [[wetland]] area in the eastern part of the city which is adjacent to U.S. Highway 101 is habitat to the [[endangered species|endangered]] [[San Francisco garter snake]], a species [[Endemism|endemic]] to [[San Mateo County, California|San Mateo County]]. At the western edge of the city, the [[San Andreas Lake]] and the [[San Andreas Fault]] may be found.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 195
|1890= 243
|1950= 8972
|1960= 15873
|1970= 20920
|1980= 20058
|1990= 20412
|2000= 20718
|2010= 21532
|2020= 23216
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2012===
According to a 2012 estimate, the median [[income]] for a household in the city was $86,364, and the median family income was $124,027.<ref>[https://archive.today/20200212212211/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_12_5YR_S1901 American FactFinder]. Factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on June 12, 2014.</ref> Males had a median income of $84,008 versus $70,975 for females. About 2.2% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.<ref>U.S. Census Bureau</ref>

===2010===
At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] Millbrae had a population of 21,532. The population density was {{convert|6,608.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Millbrae was 10,177 (47.3%) White, 179 (0.8%) African American, 33 (0.2%) Native American, 9,205 (42.8%) Asian, 214 (1.0%) Pacific Islander, 776 (3.6%) from other races, and 948 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,555 persons (11.9%).<ref name=":3">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0647486|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715031542/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0647486|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Millbrae city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref>

The census reported that 21,217 people (98.5% of the population) lived in households, 58 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 257 (1.2%) were institutionalized.

There were 7,994 households, 2,593 (32.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,543 (56.8%) were [[marriage|opposite-sex married couples]] living together, 868 (10.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 315 (3.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 268 (3.4%) [[POSSLQ|unmarried opposite-sex partnerships]], and 40 (0.5%) [[same-sex partnerships|same-sex married couples or partnerships]]. 1,883 households (23.6%) were one person and 1,059 (13.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.65. There were 5,726 families (71.6% of households); the average family size was 3.15.

The age distribution was 4,337 people (20.1%) under the age of 18, 1,523 people (7.1%) aged 18 to 24, 4,960 people (23.0%) aged 25 to 44, 6,476 people (30.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 4,236 people (19.7%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 44.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.

There were 8,372 housing units at an average density of 2,569.5 per square mile, of the occupied units 5,076 (63.5%) were owner-occupied and 2,918 (36.5%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.8%. 13,968 people (64.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 7,249 people (33.7%) lived in rental housing units.

===2000===
At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 20,718 people in 7,956 households, including 5,513 families, in the city. The population density was {{convert|6,446.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 8,113 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2,524.4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}.<ref name="GR2" />
Of the 7,956 households 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 25.1% of households were one person and 13.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.08.

The age distribution was 20.6% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.

==Government==
In the [[California State Legislature]], Millbrae is in {{Representative|casd|13|fmt=sdistrict}}, and in {{Representative|caad|21|fmt=adistrict}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |title=Statewide Database |publisher=UC Regents |access-date=November 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201113744/http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |archive-date=February 1, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In the [[United States House of Representatives]], Millbrae is in {{Representative|cacd|15|fmt=district}}.<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|15|access-date=March 12, 2013}}</ref>
[[File:Millbrae City Hall Flags.jpg|thumb|Millbrae City Hall flying (top to bottom) [[United States]], [[California]], & [[LGBT|LGBTQ+]] flags.]]
According to the [[Secretary of State of California|California Secretary of State]], as of February 10, 2019, Millbrae has 12,850 registered voters. Of those, 5,733 (44.6%) are registered [[California Democratic Party|Democrats]], 2,049 (16%) are registered [[California Republican Party|Republicans]], and 4,584 (35.7%) have [[Decline to State|declined to state]] a political party.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/ror-odd-year-2019/politicalsub.pdf|title=CA Secretary of State – Report of Registration – February 10, 2019|website=ca.gov|access-date=March 12, 2019}}</ref>

Millbrae has 5 city council members, one of which is the mayor, and another the vice mayor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=City Council {{!}} Millbrae, CA |url=https://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/380/City-Council |access-date=December 13, 2023 |website=www.ci.millbrae.ca.us}}</ref> City council members serve 4 year terms; the mayor and vice mayor are elected by the council and serve 1 year terms. Prior to 2022, residents of the city voted for city council members at-large, however in 2022 Millbrae switched from at-large to district city council elections.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Browning |first=Corey |date=February 25, 2022 |title=Millbrae switches to district elections, adopts map |url=https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/millbrae-switches-to-district-elections-adopts-map/article_c3406ef6-95f9-11ec-a101-93e78c162bf4.html |access-date=December 13, 2023 |website=San Mateo Daily Journal |language=en}}</ref>

The city has generally allowed each city council member to serve as mayor and vice mayor, and the city council has generally chosen for the vice mayor to succeed the mayor, however a council member other than the vice mayor has been chosen as mayor several times since 2015.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=staff |first=Nicholas Mazzoni Daily Journal |date=October 27, 2023 |title=Millbrae chooses next year's mayor |url=https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/millbrae-chooses-next-year-s-mayor/article_f7e642ec-7479-11ee-97c2-57d6f0e01907.html |access-date=December 13, 2023 |website=San Mateo Daily Journal |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mazzoni |first=Nicholas |date=December 15, 2022 |title=Millbrae City Council breaks mayor rotation |url=https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/millbrae-city-council-breaks-mayor-rotation/article_f3592594-7c38-11ed-9107-5fe5d98ab33c.html |access-date=December 13, 2023 |website=San Mateo Daily Journal |language=en}}</ref> In 2023, the city council initiated plans to codify its procedure for mayoral succession, following the contentious mayoral elections of 2022 and 2023 which saw Gina Papan, sister of aforementioned [[Diane Papan]], be skipped in line for mayoral succession.<ref name=":4" /> Despite the Millbrae municipal code stipulating that "no one may serve in the office of mayor for two consecutive terms," the city council selected Anders Fung as mayor for the second consecutive year on December 10, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=https://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/1092/City-Council-Protocols-March-2015-PDF?bidId= |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231214000257/https://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/1092/City-Council-Protocols-March-2015-PDF?bidId= |archive-date=2023-12-14 |access-date=2024-12-17 |website=www.ci.millbrae.ca.us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rusch |first=Holly |date=2024-12-12 |title=2nd year for Millbrae's Mayor Fung |url=https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/2nd-year-for-millbrae-s-mayor-fung/article_15983236-b840-11ef-b87a-b7b83fdebc49.html |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=San Mateo Daily Journal |language=en}}</ref>

==Education==
Millbrae has a reputation for having good schools in the [[San Francisco Bay Area]] and in the state of California, despite enduring years of state budget cuts.<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 8, 2019|title=Millbrae School Named Among Best Public High Schools In CA|url=https://patch.com/california/millbrae/millbrae-school-named-among-best-public-high-schools-ca|access-date=August 15, 2020|website=Millbrae, CA Patch|language=en}}</ref> [[Millbrae School District]] (MSD) oversees four public elementary schools including Meadows, Green Hills, Lomita Park, and Spring Valley and one middle school, [[Taylor Middle School (California)|Taylor Middle School]]. MSD is state-funded and does not receive local property taxes, and has endured budget cuts from the state since 2007.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}} Millbrae has one public high school, [[Mills High School]], which is part of the [[San Mateo Union High School District]].

The city is served by the Millbrae Public Library of the [[San Mateo County Libraries]], a member of the [[Peninsula Library System]].

Millbrae has one private school at Saint Dunstan's, a Catholic church.

==Police and fire==
On March 4, 2012, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office took over responsibility for providing police services in Millbrae and closed the local police department.<ref>{{cite web |work=San Jose Mercury News |url=http://photos.mercurynews.com/2012/03/03/millbrae-police-department-closes-down/5779/ |title=Millbrae Police Department closes down |date=March 3, 2012 |access-date=January 10, 2013}}</ref>

On December 29, 2014, the City of Millbrae combined services with Central County Fire which provides fire services to the cities of Millbrae and Burlingame and the town of Hillsborough. Millbrae has two fire stations within its city limits.

== Transportation ==

=== Roads ===
[[U.S. Route 101 (California)|U.S. Route 101]] and [[Interstate 280 (California)|Interstate 280]] run near the eastern and western boundaries of the city, respectively. [[California State Route 82]], known more commonly as El Camino Real, runs near the center of the city, including through its downtown.

=== Public transport ===
[[Millbrae station]] serves as a major transit hub for the [[San Francisco Peninsula|Peninsula]], connecting the [[Bay Area Rapid Transit]] (BART), [[Caltrain]], and [[SamTrans]] networks. It is the terminus for BART's [[Red Line (BART)|Red]] and [[Yellow Line (BART)|Yellow]] lines and is the only place where BART lines directly connect to Caltrain.

=== Air transport ===
[[San Francisco International Airport]], one of the [[List of busiest airports by passenger traffic|world's busiest airports]], is adjacent to the city and is directly accessible to Millbrae through both BART and road. Millbrae is also directly connected to [[Oakland International Airport]] via BART, and indirectly connected to [[San Jose International Airport]] via Caltrain and the [[Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority|Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority's]] light rail and buses.

==Economy==
{{More citations needed section|date=August 2020}}
Millbrae's economy is driven in part by its proximity to the city of [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]] and [[San Francisco International Airport|its airport, SFO]]. The city hosts several hotels along [[California State Route 82|El Camino Real]], and near its bayshore park, just south of SFO. Downtown Millbrae, along El Camino and Broadway Avenue, is lined with small shops and restaurants that reflect the city's diversity, and Millbrae Square features several larger retailers.

===Top employers===

According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref>[https://www.ci.millbrae.ca.us/home/showpublisheddocument/24315/637437975927070000 City of Millbrae CAFR (2020)]</ref> the top employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
|1
|[[Millbrae School District]]
|246
|-
|2
|[[San Francisco|City and County of San Francisco]]
|231
|-
|3
|[[Westin Hotel]]
|144
|-
|4
|Magnolia of Millbrae
|122
|-
|5
|[[Mills High School]]
|114
|-
|6
|A & C Health Care
|113
|-
|7
|Cadence Living Milbrae
|110
|-
|8
|City of Millbrae
|109
|-
|9
|[[Safeway Inc.|Safeway]]
|106
|-
|10
|[[Best Western]]
|97
|}

==Sister cities & Friendship cities==
{{SisterCities|Millbrae|two}}

* {{Flagdeco|Chile}} [[La Serena, Chile|La Serena]], [[Chile]]
* {{Flagdeco|Malta}} [[Mosta]], [[Malta]]
Millbrae also has a friendship city agreement with [[Hanyū, Saitama|Hanyu, Japan]], [[Taishan, Guangdong|Taishan, China]], [[Ramallah|Ramallah, Palestine]], and [[Dongguan|Dongguan, China]].<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9" />

==Notable residents==
{{See also|Category:People from Millbrae, California}}

== See also ==
{{Portal bar|San Francisco Bay Area|California|United States}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Millbrae, California}}
*{{Official website}}

{{San Mateo County, California}}
{{SF Bay Area}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Millbrae, California| ]]
[[Category:Cities in San Mateo County, California]]
[[Category:Cities in the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1948]]
[[Category:1948 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in California]]