The Town FilesFoster City, California
City in San Mateo County · population 33,805 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,838,200
- Household income
- $199,143
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 39.5
Foster City is a city of 33,805 people in San Mateo County, California. The median home is worth $1,838,200, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more upscale than 97% of California towns, better for young professionals than 94% of California towns, more seaside character than 93% of California towns.
How Foster City ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Foster City is worth $1,838,200, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 9.2 times the median household income of $199,143, which is more affordable than 15% of California towns. Median rent is $3,501 a month. 50.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Foster City | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,838,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $3,501 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $199,143 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.2× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 50.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Foster City
| People | Foster City | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 73.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 49.5% | — |
| Work from home | 34.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Foster City
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 40.5°F. About 19.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 6 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Foster City since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, unrated, struck on April 1, 1958 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 1, 1958.
Severe weather in San Mateo County since 1996
San Mateo County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in San Mateo County
San Mateo County had 416,422 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $196,441 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Foster City itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Foster City
6 public schools with 2,723 students, about 22.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowditch Middle | 6-8 | 893 | 20.8 |
| Foster City Elementary | K-5 | 679 | 22.6 |
| Audubon Elementary | K-5 | 505 | 24.0 |
| Brewer Island Elementary | K-5 | 360 | 22.5 |
| Beach Park Elementary | K-5 | 286 | 20.4 |
| San Mateo-Foster City Special Education Preschool | Other | — | — |
Towns near Foster City
- San Mateo, CA3.3 mi · 105,661 people · home $1,618,700
- Redwood City, CA4.0 mi · 84,292 people · home $1,801,700
- Belmont, CA4.2 mi · 28,335 people · home $2,000,001
- San Carlos, CA4.6 mi · 30,722 people · home $2,000,001
- Hillsborough, CA5.9 mi · 11,387 people · home $2,000,001
- Burlingame, CA6.4 mi · 31,386 people · home $2,000,001
- North Fair Oaks, CA6.7 mi · 14,027 people · home $1,276,900
- Emerald Lake Hills, CA6.9 mi · 4,406 people · home $2,000,001
Foster City questions
Is Foster City, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Foster City scores better for retirees than 71% of California towns and quieter than 22%. 17.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.5).
How much does a house cost in Foster City?
The median owner-occupied home in Foster City is valued at $1,838,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $199,143, so homes cost about 9.2 times income. Median rent is $3,501 a month.
What is the weather like in Foster City?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 40.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Foster City get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Foster City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events). The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)