Apartments for Rent in Colma CA

Colma is a two-square-mile San Mateo County town about 10 miles south of San Francisco. Its motto, 'It's great to be alive in Colma,' captures the self-aware character of a town that leans into its unusual identity. Daily life centers on the commercial corridors along El Camino Real and Serramonte Boulevard, where big-box retailers and auto dealerships draw shoppers from across the Bay Area. The Colma BART Station provides a direct rapid transit link to San Francisco, making the town a practical base for commuters.

The rental landscape skews toward smaller apartment communities that reflect the town's compact footprint -- mid-rise and garden-style buildings rather than high-rise towers, with a mix of traditional and contemporary architecture along the commercial edges of town.

Colma's name is most commonly traced to an Ohlone word meaning 'springs' or 'many springs,' a quieter origin story for a place better known for its cemeteries. San Francisco State University, City College of San Francisco, and Skyline College are all within six miles, keeping the broader area well connected to higher education.