United States › California › Foster City CITY
Foster City California · 32,411 residents (2025 est.) · 3.79 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 32,792 people, Foster City is a city in California. Households here earn about 101% more than in California as a whole. 74% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $1,838,200. 49% of residents were born outside the United States. Households take in $199,143 a year at the median, 142% more than the country as a whole.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.5
US median: 38.9
More educated
74% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 90%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 28,803 in 2000
32,411 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
8,659 / sq mi
+14%since 2009
from 7,578 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
28K 29K 31K 33K 35K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Foster City Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $199,143
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $95,279 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $45,754 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 71.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.390 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Arts, entertainment, food 9.2%
Public administration 6.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.3%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Education & health services 0.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$1,838,200
+90%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $530,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$3,501
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,620 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 61.5% in 2000
49.2% rent
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.54 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 38.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 7.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 55.9%(16,090)
Hispanic / Latino 5.3%(1,531)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 28.9%(9,476)
Hispanic / Latino 7.1%(2,339)
from 77 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data Asian origin
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data from 59.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 95.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 24.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 77.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 73.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 60.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 37.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 6.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 4.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 95.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 98.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 77.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 49.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 30.2%(3,809)
Women 15+
Never married 23.9%(3,351)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 4.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 77.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 7.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 21.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 17%(102)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.5%(81)
Share of the 600 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Foster City Head to head
Compare Foster City to nearby cities FOSTER CITY VS
San Mateo
Income $153,504 −23%
Home value $1,618,700 −12%
Population 103,337 +219%
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FOSTER CITY VS
Redwood City
Income $157,814 −21%
Home value $1,801,700 −2%
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FOSTER CITY VS
Belmont
Income $205,297 +3%
Home value $2,000,001 +9%
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FOSTER CITY VS
San Carlos
Income $237,470 +19%
Home value $2,000,001 +9%
Population 29,261 −10%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Foster City, California? Foster City, California has about 32,792 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Foster City, California? The typical household in Foster City, California earns about $199,143 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Foster City, California expensive? In Foster City, California, the median home is worth about $1,838,200, and the typical rent is about $3,501 a month.
How educated are people in Foster City, California? About 73.8% of adults age 25 and over in Foster City, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Foster City, California? About 4.1% of people in Foster City, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Foster City, California grown since 1990? Yes, Foster City, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 4,616 residents, a change of about 16 percent over that period.
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