City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Half Moon Bay, CA

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

11,454
Residents
$153,199
Median income
$1,467,000
Median home
$3,604
Median rent (state)

Half Moon Bay - the verdict

Half Moon Bay ranks in the 95th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

95th
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
99th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Half Moon Bay, CA

11,454 people live in Half Moon Bay, California - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Half Moon Bay brings in $153,199 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.3%. Typical homes in Half Moon Bay are valued around $1,467,000, and the median resident age is 46.5 years. About 53.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 61.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 5 residential building permits were authorized in Half Moon Bay (Construction Slowdown), down 37% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 54.9°F with 26.0 inches of precipitation per year.

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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $3,604 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). Commute times here average 24.1 minutes, with 61.2% driving alone and 23.0% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

11,454 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$153,199 /yr

Poverty 2.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Half Moon Bay compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 95% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 99% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

California-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Half Moon Bay's strongest outlier among California cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Half Moon Bay ranks #111 - the 92nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Half Moon Bay only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#166 of 1,338
88th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#50 of 1,458
91st percentile in California
Median Home Value
#111 of 1,343
92nd percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#1,091 of 1,450
24th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#241 of 1,458
83rd 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.

95thIncome percentile

95th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Half Moon Bay's home value compares nationally

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

$1,467,000 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. Half Moon Bay $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 - Half Moon Bay, CA Half Moon Bay, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Half Moon Bay, 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 Half Moon Bay, CA median $153,199/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%
Half Moon Bay, 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 Half Moon Bay, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 53.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.5%

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

Population
11,454
Median Income
$153,199
Median Home Value
$1,467,000
Median Age
46.5
Poverty Rate
2.3%
Labor force participation
61.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
53.2%

Climate

Avg Temperature
54.9°F
Annual Precipitation
26.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"

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 →
11,000 residents11,200 residents11,400 residents11,600 residents11,800 residents12,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 11,763 residents 11,287 residents ▼ -4.0%
Half Moon Bay's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
5
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 8
2020 15
2021 8
2022 11
2023 8
2024 5

Permit volume decreased 37% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.1 minutes
Drive Alone
61.2%
Carpool
7.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
5.6%
Work from Home
23.0%
Other
2.7%

Based on 5,532 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 Half Moon Bay 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

Home Gardens
11,430 people
Winton
11,429 people
La Riviera
11,503 people
Muscoy
11,402 people
Rancho Mission Viejo
11,355 people
Signal Hill
11,563 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Half Moon Bay's 11,454 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Schiller Park, IL
11,454 people
Moss Bluff, LA
11,451 people
Lovington, NM
11,444 people
Mack, OH
11,444 people
Oak Hills, OR
11,464 people
Gloucester City, NJ
11,465 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Half Moon Bay's $153,199 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Otter Lake, IN
$153,162 median income
Elyria, KS
$153,264 median income
Birmingham, MI
$153,125 median income
Harrison, NY
$153,273 median income
Townsend, DE
$153,083 median income
Erda, UT
$153,068 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Half Moon Bay, 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 Half Moon Bay, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 66.0% 9.2% 19.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 29.3% White 66.0% Black or African American 0.8% Asian 4.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 9.2% Two or more races 19.9% 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 Half Moon Bay 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
Half Moon Bay (this city) 11,454 $153,199
Home Gardens 11,430 $92,344
Winton 11,429 $58,884
La Riviera 11,503 $91,111
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Half Moon Bay, CA?

What is the population of Half Moon Bay, CA? +

Half Moon Bay, CA counts 11,454 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Half Moon Bay runs $153,199, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Half Moon Bay? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Half Moon Bay; 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.

What is the median home value in Half Moon Bay, CA? +

The median home value in Half Moon Bay is $1,467,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Half Moon Bay? +

Half Moon Bay has an average annual temperature of 54.9°F, 26.0 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.