Belmont is a tranquil community built primarily on the hills overlooking San Francisco Bay and the coastal range. The small, downtown has easy access to freeway and rail transportation and is a mix of locally owned shops and commercial shopping. The population of 25,000 works in San Mateo County with only 17% commuting elsewhere. There are excellent private and public schools with exceptionally high-test scores, is the home of San Mateo County's only University (Notre Dame de Namur University - NDNU) and several community colleges in the adjacent towns. Belmont has a rich heritage of fine homes from the turn of the twentieth century and enjoys the security of a very low crime rate less than one-fifth the national average.