What percentage of people rent in Half Moon Bay, CA?

Name: Renters and owners in Half Moon Bay, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

28.9% (±4.5 points) of the occupied homes in Half Moon Bay, CA are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 1,174 renting households against 2,894 that own their home.

In Half Moon Bay, the share of households that rent went from 27.8% in 2015–2019 to 28.9% in 2020–2024 (+1.1 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 28.9% (±4.5 points)
Renting households: 1,174 (±187)
Median renter income: $114,783 (±$32,521)

Who rents and who owns in Half Moon Bay

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Half Moon Bay	San Mateo County	California	United States
Renter-occupied share	28.9% (±4.5 points)	41.5% (±0.7 points)	44.1% (±0.2 points)	34.8%
Renting households	1,174 (±187)	109,812 (±1,879)	5,980,523 (±22,985)	45,017,354
Owning households	2,894 (±317)	154,607 (±1,889)	7,567,568 (±37,334)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	3.0 (±0.5)	2.6 (±0.0)	2.7 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.7 (±0.2)	2.9 (±0.0)	3.0 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$114,783 (±$32,521)	$119,424 (±$3,650)	$71,186 (±$298)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$174,461 (±$36,322)	$197,950 (±$4,038)	$127,456 (±$424)	$100,009

In Half Moon Bay, the renter share is lower than in San Mateo County (41.5%).

It is also lower than in California (44.1%).

It is lower than the national figure (34.8%).

In San Mateo County, Half Moon Bay ranks 18 of 31 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 662 of 1,076.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Half Moon Bay has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	27.8% (±4.7 points)	28.9% (±4.5 points)	+1.1 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$1,869 (±$553)	$2,433 (±$619)	+30.2%	No measurable change after inflation
Median household income	$134,177 (±$16,408)	$157,884 (±$5,507)	+17.7%	No measurable change after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near Half Moon Bay

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Half Moon Bay
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Half Moon Bay	—	28.9% (±4.5 points)	—
El Granada	3.5 mi	11.5% (±6.2 points)	Lower
Moss Beach	4.5 mi	1.0% (±1.7 points)	Lower
Montara	6.3 mi	21.8% (±15.4 points)	Not measurably different
Highlands	6.3 mi	15.3% (±4.9 points)	Lower
Baywood Park	6.9 mi	10.3% (±9.0 points)	Lower
Hillsborough	7.7 mi	6.5% (±2.9 points)	Lower
Belmont	8.6 mi	45.2% (±3.5 points)	Higher
Millbrae	9.3 mi	39.2% (±3.0 points)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: El Granada, CA (11.5%), Moss Beach, CA (1.0%), Highlands, CA (15.3%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Belmont, CA (45.2%), Millbrae, CA (39.2%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across San Mateo County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
12	Daly City	39.8% (±2.2 points)
13	Millbrae	39.2% (±3.0 points)
14	San Bruno	37.9% (±2.7 points)
15	Pacifica	32.3% (±2.3 points)
16	San Carlos	32.2% (±2.8 points)
17	La Honda	29.8% (±18.3 points)
18	Half Moon Bay	28.9% (±4.5 points)
19	Broadmoor	27.2% (±9.8 points)
20	Montara	21.8% (±15.4 points)
21	West Menlo Park	21.7% (±7.6 points)
22	Portola Valley	21.2% (±7.8 points)
23	Highlands	15.3% (±4.9 points)
24	Woodside	12.6% (±4.3 points)

Showing 13 of 31 places in San Mateo County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Half Moon Bay

How many renters are there in Half Moon Bay?

Half Moon Bay has an estimated 1,174 (±187) renting households, 28.9% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Half Moon Bay?

In Half Moon Bay, the share of households that rent went from 27.8% in 2015–2019 to 28.9% in 2020–2024 (+1.1 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Half Moon Bay?

A renting household in Half Moon Bay has 3.0 people on average, against 2.7 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Half Moon Bay?

The median renting household in Half Moon Bay, CA has an income of $114,783 (±$32,521) a year, against $174,461 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Half Moon Bay city, California (place:31708, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.