City · California
Half Moon Bay, California
Half Moon Bay, city, in San Mateo County, California. Half Moon Bay had 11,287 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 11,795 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 11,391 (±34). GEOID 0631708.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
11,287
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 11,795 · ACS 2020-2024: 11,391 ±34
Median household income
$157,884
±$5,507 (90% margin)
California: $99,122
Median home value
$1,549,500
±$110,431 (90% margin)
California: $734,700
Median gross rent
$2,433
±$619 (90% margin)
California: $2,036
Where is Half Moon Bay and what county is it in?
Half Moon Bay is a city in San Mateo County, California. It covers 6.2 square miles of land, 1,890 residents per square mile in 2020.
Half Moon Bay is in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 5 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Half Moon Bay, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 11,287 people lived in Half Moon Bay on July 1, 2025, down 4.3% since 2020, a steeper fall than California's (−0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 11,795 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 11,391 (±34).
| Measure | Half Moon Bay | San Mateo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 11,391 ±34 | 742,340 | −1,443 |
| Households | 4,068 ±313 | 264,419 | −767 |
| Average household size | 2.80 ±0.21 | 2.76 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 4,473 ±386 | 287,184 | −842 |
Half Moon Bay's population since 2000
From 11,842 in 2000 to 11,287 in 2025: down 4.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Half Moon Bay as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Half Moon Bay?
The median resident of Half Moon Bay is 47.4 years old; 22.7% are under 18 and 23.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 58.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 28.7%. 21.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Half Moon Bay | San Mateo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.4 ±4.0 | 40.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.7% ±3.0 pts | 19.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.1% ±3.3 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Male | 47.8% ±3.3 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 28.7% ±5.0 pts | 24.9% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 58.4% ±5.8 pts | 34.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.4 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 6.0% ±3.3 pts | 31.0% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.4% ±2.6 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 21.6% ±4.3 pts | 35.7% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 33.1% ±5.3 pts | 45.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.6% ±1.9 pts | 2.9% | – |
| With a disability | 11.0% ±2.8 pts | 9.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.0% ±1.6 pts | 3.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.2% ±3.6 pts | 90.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 52.4% ±5.7 pts | 53.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 26.1% ±3.8 pts | 24.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.1% ±2.0 pts | 88.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.6% ±1.1 pts | 1.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Half Moon Bay earn?
Half of Half Moon Bay's 4,068 households earn less than $157,884 a year (±$5,507), against $158,855 in San Mateo County and $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 it was $165,131 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 5.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Half Moon Bay | San Mateo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $157,884 ±$5,507 | $158,855 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $229,704 ±$31,333 | $231,822 | – |
| Per capita income | $83,128 ±$11,200 | $84,288 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 5.6% ±2.2 pts | 6.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.5% ±2.8 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.6% ±2.0 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.1% ±2.2 pts | 97.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.6% ±2.4 pts | 95.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Half Moon Bay?
Owners occupy 71.1% of Half Moon Bay's occupied homes and renters 28.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $1,549,500 by its owner (±$110,431). The median renter pays $2,433 a month including utilities, and 31.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Half Moon Bay | San Mateo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $1,549,500 ±$110,431 | $1,559,600 | +$319,421 |
| Median gross rent | $2,433 ±$619 | $2,922 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 31.6% ±10.6 pts | 40.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $4,000 or more | $4,000 or more | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 71.1% ±4.5 pts | 58.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 28.9% ±4.5 pts | 41.5% | – |
| Housing units | 4,473 ±386 | 287,184 | −842 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 68.3% ±4.0 pts | 55.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.8% ±1.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.4% ±2.9 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 5.1% ±2.4 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.8% ±1.8 pts | 5.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Half Moon Bay building?
Builders took permits for 16 new housing units in Half Moon Bay in 2025 (16 in single-family houses), 1.4 per 1,000 residents against 2.6 across California.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Half Moon Bay work and get to work?
60.3% of Half Moon Bay's workers drive alone and 25.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 29.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.4%.
| Measure | Half Moon Bay | San Mateo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.6% ±3.5 pts | 67.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.4% ±1.0 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 60.3% ±5.7 pts | 56.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.9% ±2.0 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Walked | 5.1% ±3.1 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 25.6% ±6.8 pts | 24.3% | +19.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.3 min ±2.5 | 26.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Half Moon Bay?
1 census tract lies mostly in Half Moon Bay, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 6137.01San Mateo County | 3,796 | $160,417 |
| Tract 6137.02San Mateo County | 4,278 | $112,609 |
| Tract 6135.01San Mateo County | 4,379 | $172,869 |
| Tract 6135.02San Mateo County | 5,806 | $177,083 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Half Moon Bay) · Census block assignment files
How does Half Moon Bay compare with other places in California?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Half Moon Bay is the 2,943rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 359th-most populous of 483 in California.
Half Moon Bay ranks 125th of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 359th | 483 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 374th | 469 |
| Residents per square mile | 605th | 1,077 |
| Median household income | 125th | 1,037 |
| Per capita income | 136th | 1,073 |
| Median home value | 101st | 1,054 |
| Median gross rent | 223rd | 987 |
| Poverty rate | 731st | 836 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 209th | 988 |
| Median age | 229th | 1,075 |
| Owner-occupied share | 420th | 1,064 |
| Work from home | 192nd | 822 |
| Travel time to work | 422nd | 1,069 |
Half Moon Bay's figures with every place in California (CSV)
Every place in California, sortable · Compare Half Moon Bay with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Half Moon Bay?
10 of the 57 figures for Half Moon Bay on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Half Moon Bay are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Half Moon Bay.