City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Foster City, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Foster City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

32,964
Residents
$193,633
Median income
$1,774,500
Median home
$3,604
Median rent (state)

Foster City - the verdict

Foster City ranks in the 98th percentile for household income and the 75th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

98th
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
99th
percentile, median rent
75th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Foster City, CA

Foster City is a small city in California, home to 32,964 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Foster City households earn a median of $193,633 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.3%. Foster City's housing stock carries a median value of $1,774,500, and the median resident age is 39.7 years. 74.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 63.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 9 residential building permits were authorized in Foster City (Construction Slowdown), down 55% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Foster City reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 738.6 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $3,604 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Foster City workers runs 21.5 minutes, with 55.1% driving alone and 30.1% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

32,964 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$193,633 /yr

Poverty 3.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Foster City compare to other US cities?

Where Foster City sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 98% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 99% pricier than other cities
Safety 75% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: Foster City ranks #29 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Foster City against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Foster City's strongest outlier among California cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Foster City ranks #68 - the 95th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Foster City only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#83 of 1,338
94th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#50 of 1,458
91st percentile in California
Median Home Value
#80 of 1,343
94th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#1,010 of 1,450
30th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#68 of 1,458
95th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

98thIncome percentile
75thSafety percentile

98th percentile nationally for median household income · 75th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Foster City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Foster City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 58 Avg. percentile National median
Foster City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Foster City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,774,500 1st percentile more affordable than 1% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Foster City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Foster City, CA Foster City, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Foster City, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Foster City, CA median $193,633/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Foster City, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Foster City, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 74.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
32,964
Median Income
$193,633
Median Home Value
$1,774,500
Median Age
39.7
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Labor force participation
63.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
74.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
738.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
69.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
669.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
32,000 residents32,500 residents33,000 residents33,500 residents34,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 33,737 residents 32,411 residents ▼ -3.9%
Foster City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
9
housing units authorized
Single-Family
9
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 20
2020 32
2021 43
2022 22
2023 7
2024 9

Permit volume decreased 55% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.5 minutes
Drive Alone
55.1%
Carpool
7.1%
Public Transit
3.9%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
30.1%
Other
2.3%

Based on 16,653 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Foster City sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,604/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Dana Point
32,883 people
Bell
32,830 people
Desert Hot Springs
32,786 people
Menlo Park
32,775 people
Los Gatos
32,773 people
Lathrop
32,696 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Foster City's 32,964 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Cleburne, TX
32,966 people
Cottonwood Heights, UT
32,984 people
Spring Valley, NY
32,995 people
Canyon Lake, TX
32,924 people
Sherwood, AR
32,915 people
East Lake, FL
33,019 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Foster City's $193,633 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Oak Grove, VA
$193,526 median income
South Kensington, MD
$193,793 median income
Barton Creek, TX
$193,971 median income
DeBordieu Colony, SC
$193,182 median income
Strathmoor Manor, KY
$193,125 median income
Independence, MN
$194,205 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Foster City, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Foster City, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 33.0% 53.9% 8.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.8% White 33.0% Black or African American 1.5% Asian 53.9% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 2.3% Two or more races 8.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Foster City compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Foster City (this city) 32,964 $193,633
Dana Point 32,883 $127,246
Bell 32,830 $60,641
Desert Hot Springs 32,786 $50,349
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Foster City, CA?

What is the population of Foster City, CA? +

Foster City, CA has a population of 32,964 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Foster City, CA? +

Median annual household income in Foster City runs $193,633, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Foster City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Foster City; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Foster City, CA safe? +

Foster City has a total crime rate of 738.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Foster City, CA? +

Foster City's median home value sits at $1,774,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.