Foster City, CA

Census Place

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2023 Population

32,964

0.756% 1-year decline

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Adam Schiff

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

39.7

0.501% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

4.64%

22.8% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$193,633

1.24% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$1.77M

6.06% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

16,774

0.816% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Foster City, CA had a population of 33k people with a median age of 39.7 and a median household income of $193,633. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Foster City, CA declined from 33,215 to 32,964, a −0.756% decrease and its median household income grew from $191,267 to $193,633, a 1.24% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Foster City, CA are Asian (Non-Hispanic) (53.9%), White (Non-Hispanic) (30.8%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (5.88%), Two+ (Hispanic) (3.03%), and White (Hispanic) (2.12%).

None of the households in Foster City, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

75.2% of the residents in Foster City, CA are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Foster City, CA was $1.77M, and the homeownership rate was 51.2%.

Most people in Foster City, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Foster City, CA was 2 cars per household.

United States California San Mateo County, CA San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA San Mateo County (Central)--San Mateo (North), Burlingame & Millbrae Cities PUMA, CA San Mateo County (South & West)--San Mateo (South) & Half Moon Bay Cities PUMA, CA San Mateo County (East Central)--Redwood City, San Carlos & Belmont Cities PUMA, CA

Population & Diversity

Foster City, CA is home to a population of 33k people, from which 75.2% are citizens. As of 2023, 48.1% of Foster City, CA residents were born outside of the country (15.9k people).

In 2023, there were 1.75 times more Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents (17.8k people) in Foster City, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 10.2k White (Non-Hispanic) and 1.94k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

75.2%

2023 Citizenship

75.9%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 75.2% of Foster City, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Foster City, CA was 75.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Foster City, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Foster City, CA

Asian (Non-Hispanic)
17.8k ± 880
White (Non-Hispanic)
10.2k ± 758
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
1.94k ± 341

6.75%

Hispanic Population

2.22k people

6.75% of the people in Foster City, CA are hispanic (2.22k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Foster City, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,899,021 ± 46,015 people
Philippines
824,230 ± 22,055 people
China
685,370 ± 20,148 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,899,021 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,230 and China with 685,370.

Foreign-Born Population

48.1%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

15.9k people

47.9%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

15.9k people

As of 2023, 48.1% of Foster City, CA residents (15.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Foster City, CA was 47.9%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Foster City, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
317 ± 85
Korea
110 ± 90
Gulf War (2001-)
80 ± 57

Foster City, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.88 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Foster City, CA employs 16.8k people. The largest industries in Foster City, CA are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (4,877 people), Manufacturing (2,232 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1,623 people), and the highest paying industries are Information ($217,601), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($192,083), and Finance & Insurance ($175,884).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $75,777. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

16.8k

2023 Value

± 870

−0.816%

1 Year decline

± 7.34%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Foster City, CA declined at a rate of −0.816%, from 16.9k employees to 16.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Foster City, CA, are Computer & Mathematical Occupations (3,578 people), Management Occupations (2,967 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (1,829 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Foster City, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

16.8k

2023 Value

± 870

−0.816%

1 Year decline

± 7.34%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Foster City, CA declined at a rate of −0.816%, from 16.9k employees to 16.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Foster City, CA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (4,877 people), Manufacturing (2,232 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1,623 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Foster City, CA, though some of these residents may live in Foster City, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$149,722

Median earning men ± $11,761

$109,288

Median earning women ± $7,643

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($233,646), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($177,222), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($176,477).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Construction ($190,833), Information ($190,313), and Wholesale Trade ($139,375).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Y-Axis

2.57%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Foster City, CA. Showing the available data for California.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (58.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (38.3%)
Republican Party
Robert Kennedy (1.25%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Adam Schiff

Senator from California

Assumed office on December 8, 2024
Elected to the seat to succeed Laphonza Butler, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2022, 2.08% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.26% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Some college (6.9M), High School or Equivalent (6.8M), and Bachelors Degree (6.36M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Foster City, CA was $1.77M in 2023, which is 5.85 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $1.67M to $1.77M, a 6.06% increase. The homeownership rate in Foster City, CA is 51.2%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Foster City, CA have an average commute time of 30.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Foster City, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Foster City, CA is $193,633. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Foster City, CA was Census Tract 6080.23 with a value of $246,750, followed by Census Tract 6080.02 and Census Tract 6081, with respective values of $226,429 and $218,125.

Housing

Property

$1.77M

Median Property Value 2023

±$63,921

$6,581

Median Property Taxes

±$438

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Foster City, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Foster City, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

51.2%

Homeownership

2023

66.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 51.2% of the housing units in Foster City, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 52.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Foster City, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 6080.23
Census Tract 6080.02
Census Tract 6081

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Foster City, CA was Census Tract 6080.23 with a value of $246,750, followed by Census Tract 6080.02 and Census Tract 6081, with respective values of $226,429 and $218,125.

The following map shows all of the places in Foster City, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$193,633

Median Household Income

± $10,564

12.9k

Number of Households

± 706

In 2023, the median household income of the 12.9k households in Foster City, CA grew to $193,633 from the previous year's value of $191,267.

The following chart displays the households in Foster City, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Foster City, CA is from California.

0.498

2022 Wage GINI in California

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

In 2022, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.107% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (55.1%)
Worked At Home (30.1%)
Carpooled (7.08%)

In 2023, 55.1% of workers in Foster City, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (30.1%) and those who carpooled to work (7.08%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

30.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Foster City, CA have a longer commute time (30.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.1% of the workforce in Foster City, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Foster City, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Foster City, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Foster City, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

4.64% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Foster City, CA (1.52k out of 32.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Females 75+ and then Males 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Foster City, CA is Asian, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

97.7% of the population of Foster City, CA has health coverage, with 67.3% on employee plans, 5.3% on Medicaid, 12.5% on Medicare, 12.3% on non-group plans, and 0.268% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in San Mateo County, CA see 934 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.532% decrease from the previous year (939 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 900 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 225 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for San Mateo County, CA.

934 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in San Mateo County, CA

Primary care physicians in San Mateo County, CA see an average of 934 patients per year. This represents a 0.532% decrease from the previous year (939 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in San Mateo County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.2% under 18 years, 18.4% between 18 and 34 years, 40.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.9% were men and 52.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

2.29%

Uninsured

67.3%

Employer Coverage

5.3%

Medicaid

12.5%

Medicare

12.3%

Non-Group

0.268%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Foster City, CA grew by 12.2% from 2.04% to 2.29%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Foster City, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Keep Exploring

California

State

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA