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CITY

Half Moon Bay

California · 11,287 residents (2025 est.) · 6.242 sq mi
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Part of the San Francisco metro area
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Notable rankings
#84Most expensive homesof 6,786$1,549,500
The short version

Half Moon Bay is significantly wealthier than the US average, with a median household income of $157,884. Population has declined 4% since 2000. 52% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 36%. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $1,549,500. With a median age of 47.4, the population is older than the US median of 38.9. It ranks in the top 1% of US cities for household income.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.4
US median: 38.9
More educated
52% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 86%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
11,391
−4%since 2000
from 11,842 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,825 / sq mi
−7%since 2009
from 1,966 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
47.4
+22%since 2000
from 38.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:11,287 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
8K10K11K12K13K1990201020202024Half Moon Bay
202411K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 57%(792)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(679)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.4%(726)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.6%(529)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.8%(550)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 348.1%(918)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.4%(1,188)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5415%(1,705)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.7%(1,675)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7414.2%(1,621)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.5%(735)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.4%(273)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$157,884
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $78,473 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$83,128
+119%since 2000
from $37,963 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
76.0%
+16.9 ptssince 2009
from 59.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
5.6%
−0.5 ptssince 2000
from 6.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.499
+12%since 2010
from 0.445 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information8%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade5.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services5.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.9%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration2.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food2.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services0%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$1,549,500
+86%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $457,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$2,433
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,269 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
71.1%
−4.3 ptssince 2000
from 75.4% in 2000
28.9% rent
Vacancy rate
9.1%
+5.8 ptssince 2009
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
30.5%
−8.2 ptssince 2009
from 38.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
38.8%
−13.2 ptssince 2009
from 52.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
9.8
+14%since 2009
from 8.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
77
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Half Moon Bay on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic66.6%(7,882)
Black3.8%(448)
Hispanic / Latino23.2%(2,751)
Asian3.3%(391)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic58.4%(6,655)
Black0.5%(56)
Hispanic / Latino28.7%(3,265)
Asian6%(685)
Other6.4%(730)
Diversity Score
71
+14%since 2009
from 62 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican25.5%(2,905)
Peruvian0.7%(79)
Salvadoran0.6%(66)
Argentine0.4%(49)
Spaniard0.2%(28)
Colombian0.2%(24)
Paraguayan0.2%(18)
Ecuadorian0.1%(8)
Asian origin
Vietnamese1.7%(191)
Chinese1.3%(148)
Japanese1.2%(135)
Filipino0.8%(88)
Thai0.2%(26)
Indonesian0.1%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
English14.9%(1,702)
Irish10.5%(1,201)
German10%(1,143)
Italian7.7%(876)
French5.7%(650)
Norwegian2.7%(308)
American2.7%(306)
Portuguese2.4%(277)
Scottish2.4%(272)
Polish2.3%(258)
Danish1.6%(177)
Dutch1.6%(177)
+ 26 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish1.2%(141)
Scotch-Irish1.2%(138)
Welsh1.1%(129)
British0.9%(98)
Turkish0.6%(70)
Czech0.6%(66)
Ukrainian0.6%(63)
Russian0.5%(61)
Hungarian0.5%(54)
Croatian0.4%(46)
Romanian0.3%(35)
West Indian0.3%(31)
Slovak0.2%(27)
Bulgarian0.2%(24)
Finnish0.2%(19)
Armenian0.2%(18)
Iranian0.1%(16)
Brazilian0.1%(14)
Canadian0.1%(10)
Greek0.1%(10)
Belgian0.1%(8)
Australian0.1%(7)
Lithuanian0.1%(7)
Slovene0.1%(7)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
52.4%
+16.9 ptssince 2000
from 35.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
91.2%
+14.0 ptssince 2000
from 77.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
26.1%
+12.7 ptssince 2000
from 13.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
29.3 min
+23%since 2000
from 23.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
60.3%
−9.6 ptssince 2009
from 70.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
5.9%
−9.3 ptssince 2009
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
25.6%
+19.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
5.1%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
1.1%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.8%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.4%
−6.4 ptssince 2011
from 8.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
63.6%
−4.5 ptssince 2011
from 68.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
14.8%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
52.6%
−12.6 ptssince 2009
from 65.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.8%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 50.8% in 2009
Female
52.2%
+3.0 ptssince 2009
from 49.2% in 2009
Foreign born
21.6%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 25.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.6%
−44.9 ptssince 2009
from 51.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.0%
+3.2 ptssince 2012
from 7.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.0%
−85.4 ptssince 2013
from 89.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
95.6%
+8.1 ptssince 2017
from 87.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
66.9%
−1.0 ptssince 2016
from 67.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
24.9%
+2.7 ptssince 2016
from 22.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married26.1%(1,088)
Married60.8%(2,541)
Widowed2.5%(104)
Divorced10.6%(443)
Women 15+
Never married30.6%(1,535)
Married50.2%(2,520)
Widowed9.1%(455)
Divorced10.1%(508)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Half Moon Bay, California?

Half Moon Bay, California has about 11,391 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Half Moon Bay, California?

The typical household in Half Moon Bay, California earns about $157,884 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Half Moon Bay, California expensive?

In Half Moon Bay, California, the median home is worth about $1,549,500, and the typical rent is about $2,433 a month.

How educated are people in Half Moon Bay, California?

About 52.4% of adults age 25 and over in Half Moon Bay, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Half Moon Bay, California?

About 5.6% of people in Half Moon Bay, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Half Moon Bay, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Half Moon Bay, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,505 residents, a change of about 28 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →