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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Foster City

California · 28,176 residents · 3.787 sq mi
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The short version

Foster City is significantly wealthier than the US average, with a median household income of $60,462. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 47% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 20%. Median home value is $411,500. Poverty is rare here, at 2.9% of residents. Households here earn about 69% more than the California median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 35.6
US median: 33.0
More educated
47% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
28,176
−2%vs 2000
vs 28,803 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
35.6
−7%vs 2000
vs 38.1 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 1990 – 2024
28K29K31K33K35K1990201020202024Foster City
202433K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 55.2%(1,475)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 95.6%(1,588)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146%(1,693)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 195.9%(1,676)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.4%(1,793)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3419.7%(5,544)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4419.9%(5,609)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5415.4%(4,330)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 649.1%(2,552)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 744.8%(1,347)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 841.7%(469)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0.4%(100)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$60,462
−16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $95,279 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$28,399
−38%vs 2000
vs $45,754 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
2.9%
+0.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 2.9% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$411,500
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $530,200 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$969
−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $1,620 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
60.1%
−1.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 61.5% in 2000
39.9% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Foster City on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic55.9%(16,090)
Black2.1%(595)
Hispanic / Latino5.3%(1,531)
Asian32.4%(9,339)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic73.5%(20,703)
Black3.1%(871)
Hispanic / Latino6%(1,682)
Asian22%(6,191)
Other1.5%(411)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.4%(1,112)
Salvadoran0.7%(227)
Cuban0.7%(223)
Guatemalan0.5%(159)
Argentine0.3%(86)
Spaniard0.3%(86)
Chilean0.2%(60)
Colombian0.2%(55)
Panamanian0.1%(34)
Nicaraguan0.1%(30)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Uruguayan0.1%(23)
Honduran0.1%(22)
Costa Rican0.1%(19)
Bolivian0%(16)
Peruvian0%(15)
Asian origin
Chinese24.3%(7,982)
Asian Indian14.3%(4,694)
Filipino4.4%(1,440)
Japanese4%(1,312)
Korean1.9%(630)
Taiwanese1.6%(514)
Vietnamese1.1%(354)
Thai0.4%(132)
Uzbek0.4%(116)
Indonesian0.3%(94)
Pakistani0.1%(36)
Cambodian0%(10)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(38)
Tongan0.1%(33)
Ancestry
English5.3%(1,731)
German4.3%(1,396)
Irish4%(1,325)
Italian3%(975)
Arab2.4%(792)
Russian2.1%(699)
Iranian2.1%(677)
French1.8%(595)
American1.8%(587)
Polish1.4%(470)
Brazilian0.9%(285)
Portuguese0.7%(224)
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data
Egyptian0.6%(207)
Scottish0.6%(207)
British0.6%(205)
Palestinian0.6%(203)
Swedish0.5%(167)
Hungarian0.5%(164)
Ukrainian0.4%(120)
Israeli0.4%(117)
Canadian0.4%(116)
Greek0.3%(114)
Czech0.3%(113)
Slovak0.3%(108)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(104)
Austrian0.3%(95)
Welsh0.3%(95)
Armenian0.3%(93)
Turkish0.2%(81)
Dutch0.2%(62)
Danish0.2%(52)
Lithuanian0.2%(52)
Belgian0.1%(37)
Swiss0.1%(36)
Norwegian0.1%(31)
Lebanese0.1%(27)
Nigerian0.1%(23)
Australian0.1%(22)
Croatian0.1%(20)
Romanian0%(15)
Jamaican0%(11)
Finnish0%(5)
Latvian0%(3)
RANKED:Largest Chinese population · Largest Asian Indian population · Largest English population · Largest Filipino population · Largest German population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
46.7%
−13.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 59.8% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
95.0%
−0.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 95.6% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
16.5%
−7.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 24.2% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.7 min
+32%vs 2000
vs 18.7 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married30.2%(3,809)
Married64%(8,072)
Widowed2%(256)
Divorced3.8%(484)
Women 15+
Never married23.9%(3,351)
Married61.3%(8,589)
Widowed8.5%(1,194)
Divorced6.2%(867)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Foster City to nearby cities

FOSTER CITY VS
San Mateo
Income$153,504+154%
Home value$1,618,700+293%
Population103,337+219%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOSTER CITY VS
Redwood City
Income$157,814+161%
Home value$1,801,700+338%
Population82,178+154%
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FOSTER CITY VS
Belmont
Income$205,297+240%
Home value$2,000,001+386%
Population28,752−11%
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FOSTER CITY VS
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Income$237,470+293%
Home value$2,000,001+386%
Population29,261−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Foster City, California?

Foster City, California has about 28,176 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Foster City, California?

The typical household in Foster City, California earns about $60,462 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 $411,500, and the typical rent is about $969 a month.

How educated are people in Foster City, California?

About 46.7% 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 2.9% of people in Foster City, California live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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