United States › California › Foster City CITY · 2020 ACS
Foster City California · 33,805 residents · 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 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Foster City is a city of 33,805 people in California. Households here earn about 108% more than in California as a whole. 71% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 33% nationally. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $1,399,600. Households take in $163,322 a year at the median, 146% more than the country as a whole. The foreign-born share is 48%.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 39.5
US median: 38.8
More educated
71% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 76%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 38.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
28K 29K 31K 33K 35K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Foster City Age distribution, 2020
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $163,322
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $95,279 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $45,754 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 71.6% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Arts, entertainment, food 8.5%
Public administration 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing 2.4%
Education & health services 0.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$1,399,600
+76%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $530,200 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$3,303
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,620 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 61.5% in 2000
47.2% rent
from 2.54 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 55.9%(16,090)
Hispanic / Latino 5.3%(1,531)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 31.8%(10,734)
Hispanic / Latino 7.2%(2,421)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data Asian origin
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 42 more ancestry groups with data from 59.8% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 95.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 24.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 77.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 67.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 60.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 37.2% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 4.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 7.7%(68)
Gulf War (1990s) 15.6%(137)
Share of the 879 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 −6%
Home value $1,618,700 +16%
Population 103,337 +219%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOSTER CITY VS
Redwood City
Income $157,814 −3%
Home value $1,801,700 +29%
Population 82,178 +154%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOSTER CITY VS
Belmont
Income $205,297 +26%
Home value $2,000,001 +43%
Population 28,752 −11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOSTER CITY VS
San Carlos
Income $237,470 +45%
Home value $2,000,001 +43%
Population 29,261 −10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Foster City, California? Foster City, California has about 33,805 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Foster City, California? The typical household in Foster City, California earns about $163,322 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 $1,399,600, and the typical rent is about $3,303 a month.
How educated are people in Foster City, California? About 71.4% 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 3.2% 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 5,629 residents, a change of about 20 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 