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Data on this report is based on areas within the legal city boundary, outlined in black on the map. Any additional neighborhoods shown on the map are associated with the city by name and are included for reference only.



Foster City, CA Real Estate Market

Source & Methodology

Analytics built by:   Location, Inc.

Raw data sources:   American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Date(s) & Update Frequency:
  • Home Values, Rents: Reflects Q2 2024. Updated quarterly.
  • Setting, Housing Stock, Homeownership: 2022 (latest available). Updated annually.

Methodology:   NeighborhoodScout uses over 600 characteristics to build a neighborhood profile… Read more about Scout's Real Estate Data

Foster City, CA Housing Market Trends

With 32,026 people, 12,658 houses or apartments, and a median cost of homes of $2,030,915, Foster City house prices are not only among the most expensive in California, Foster City real estate also is some of the most expensive in all of America.

Large apartment complexes or high rise apartments are the single most common housing type in Foster City, accounting for 39.54% of the city's housing units. Other types of housing that are prevalent in Foster City include single-family detached homes ( 34.90%), row houses and other attached homes ( 18.40%), and a few duplexes, homes converted to apartments or other small apartment buildings ( 7.10%). This particular housing mix is relatively uncommon and characteristic of cities that are compact and walkable, and which often have a lively downtown.

People in Foster City primarily live in small (one, two or no bedroom) units, chiefly found in large apartment complexes or high rise apartments. Foster City has a mixture of owner-occupied and renter-occupied housing.

There is a lot of housing in Foster City built from 1970 to 1999 so parts of town may have that "Brady Bunch" look of homes popular in the '70s and early '80s, although some of these houses were built up through the early '90s as well. There is also a lot of housing in Foster City built between 1940-1969 ( 23.39%). A lesser amount of the housing stock also hails from between 2000 and later ( 11.57%). There's also some housing in Foster City built before 1939 ( 1.08%).

Foster City Home Appreciation Rates

Real estate appreciation rates in Foster City's have tracked to near the national average over the last then years, with the annual appreciation rate averaging 6.33% during the period.

Over the last year, Foster City appreciation rates have trailed the rest of the nation. In the last twelve months, Foster City's appreciation rate has been 4.35%, which is lower than appreciation rates in most communities in America. In the latest quarter, NeighborhoodScout's data show that house appreciation rates in Foster City were at 2.58%, which equates to an annual appreciation rate of 10.71%.

Relative to California, our data show that Foster City's latest annual appreciation rate is lower than 60% of the other cities and towns in California.

One very important thing to keep in mind is that these are average appreciation rates for the city. Individual neighborhoods within Foster City differ in their investment potential, sometimes by a great deal. Fortunately, you can use NeighborhoodScout to pinpoint the exact neighborhoods in Foster City - or in any city or town - that have the best track record of real estate appreciation, by the latest quarter, the last year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, or even since 2000, to assist you in making the best Foster City real estate investment or home purchase decisions.

Average Home Values

Median Home Value

$2,030,915

Foster City, CA Home Prices
> $1,192,000
$894,001 - $1,192,000
$596,001 - $894,000
$477,001 - $596,000
$357,001 - $477,000
$238,001 - $357,000
$119,001 - $238,000
$60,001 - $119,000
$0 - $60,000
88.6%
88.6%
5.5%
5.5%
2.0%
2.0%
0.7%
0.7%
0.2%
0.2%
0.4%
0.4%
0.7%
0.7%
0.4%
0.4%
1.4%
1.4%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes
Very High

for California

Very High

for nation

Number of Homes And Apartments:

12,658

Foster City Appreciation Rates

Rent & Ownership

Average Market Rent:

$5,537 / per month

Homeownership Rate

Owners
Renters
52.2%
52.2%
47.8%
47.8%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Vacancy Rate

Vacant
Occupied
5.0%
5.0%
95.0%
95.0%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Housing Market Details

Age of Homes

2000 or Newer
1970 - 1999
1940 - 1969
1939 or Older
11.6%
11.6%
64.0%
64.0%
23.4%
23.4%
1.1%
1.1%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Types of Homes

Single-Family
Townhomes
Small Apt. Buildings
Apt. Complexes
Mobile Homes
Other
34.9%
34.9%
18.4%
18.4%
7.1%
7.1%
39.5%
39.5%
0.1%
0.1%
0.0%
0.0%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Home Size

No Bedroom
1 Bedroom
2 Bedrooms
3 Bedrooms
4 Bedrooms
5 or more bedrooms
5.2%
5.2%
16.5%
16.5%
28.6%
28.6%
25.5%
25.5%
19.4%
19.4%
4.8%
4.8%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes