Español

Este sitio también está en español. Leer en español

City · 11,391 residents · San Mateo County, California

Half Moon Bay , California

In Half Moon Bay, a typical home is worth $1,549,500 and typical rent is $2,433 a month. Compared with all of San Mateo County, typical rent is 17% lower and the share of households that own their home is 13 points higher.

WhatsApp

  • Typical home value

    $1,549,500

    About the same as the county

    111% above California

    • Half Moon Bay
    • San Mateo
    • California

  • Typical rent

    $2,433a month

    17% below the county

    19% above California

    • Half Moon Bay
    • San Mateo
    • California

  • Typical household income

    $157,884a year

    About the same as the county

    59% above California

    • Half Moon Bay
    • San Mateo
    • California

  • Households that own their home

    71%

    13 points above the county

    15 points above California

    • Half Moon Bay
    • San Mateo
    • California

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$1,547,671
2.3% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$4,661 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Half Moon Bay is in San Mateo County. The FHA loan limit ($1,249,125 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of San Mateo County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Half Moon Bay apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Half Moon Bay has the 30th smallest share of rent-burdened renters of the 616 cities in California with more than 5,000 people (40%).

  2. 71% of households in Half Moon Bay own their home, against 58% in San Mateo County.

  3. The typical rent in Half Moon Bay is $2,433 a month, 17% less than in San Mateo County as a whole ($2,922).

  4. Half Moon Bay has the 63rd highest typical home value of the 654 cities in California with more than 5,000 people ($1,549,500).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Half Moon Bay

What homes there are in Half Moon Bay, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses, standing on their own, make up 68% of homes here, against 55% in San Mateo County.

There are more mobile homes here than in San Mateo County: 5% of homes, against 1%.

Year built

Here half of the homes date from 1979 or later; in San Mateo County, from 1966 or later.

In Half Moon Bay, 66% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, more than in San Mateo County (53%).

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

Without a mortgage

$1,190 a month

San Mateo County: $1,113 a month

Owners with a mortgage

68%

San Mateo County: 66%

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Since 2015–2019, homes in Half Moon Bay gained value faster than in San Mateo County: 55% against 43%.

The typical rent in Half Moon Bay stayed about the same over that time: the difference is within the Census margin of error.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureHalf Moon BaySan Mateo CountyCaliforniaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate8.5%4.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.7%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room 4.9%7.5%8.2%3.4%
People per household 2.802.762.842.53
Drive alone 60%57%66%69%
Carpool 6%9%10%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate5%3%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate4%3%3%
Work from home 26%24%17%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Half Moon Bay, 4.9% of households live with more than one person per room, against 7.5% in San Mateo County.

By size, households in Half Moon Bay look like those in San Mateo County: 2.80 people on average.

In Half Moon Bay, 60% of workers drive alone to work; in San Mateo County, 57%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Half Moon Bay?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Half Moon Bay, worth $1,549,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 97% of the typical household income in Half Moon Bay, which is $157,884 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $545,409 a year. Note: at that price the loan is above the FHA limit for San Mateo County ($1,249,125), so FHA would not insure it; the payment is only a reference.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of San Mateo County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Half Moon Bay. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $54,233 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$12,726

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$1,521,434
Total interest
$2,188,987
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $26,167 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $3,684 a month

  • Tight

    $3,684 to $4,737 a month

  • Hard

    more than $4,737 a month

    Your payment · 97%

Compared with the typical household income in Half Moon Bay ($157,884 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$12,726
Principal & interest$10,307
Property tax$839
Home insurance$646
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$935

This loan is over the FHA limit

You'd borrow $1,495,267, but the FHA limit for a one-unit home in Half Moon Bay is $1,249,125. You'd need a bigger down payment or a different loan.

You need at least $54,233 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Half Moon Bay and San Mateo County

Half Moon Bay is in San Mateo County, California. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Half Moon Bay's own numbers

Typical home value
$1,549,500
Typical monthly rent
$2,433
Typical yearly household income
$157,884
Households that own their home
71%
Effective property tax rate
0.65%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of San Mateo County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$1,249,125
Conventional limit, one unit
$1,249,125
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$3,697
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+23%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
3.9%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of San Mateo County.

Everything about San Mateo County

Buying

Buying a home in Half Moon Bay

A typical home in Half Moon Bay is worth $1,549,500: about the same as the county and 111% above California. With the typical household income in Half Moon Bay ($157,884 a year), a typical home costs 9.8 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Half Moon Bay 9.8 years
  • San Mateo 9.8 years
  • California 7.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in San Mateo County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in San Mateo County rose 49% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of San Mateo County.

Period County California U.S.
Last year (2025) −0.6% +0.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +23% +40% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +49% +80% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Half Moon Bay next to San Mateo County, California and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Half Moon Bay $1,549,500
  • San Mateo $1,559,600
  • California $734,700
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Half Moon Bay $2,433
  • San Mateo $2,922
  • California $2,036
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Half Moon Bay $157,884
  • San Mateo $158,855
  • California $99,122
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Half Moon Bay next to San Mateo County and California
Measure Half Moon Bay San Mateo County California U.S.
Typical home value $1,549,500 $1,559,600 $734,700 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $2,433 $2,922 $2,036 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $157,884 $158,855 $99,122 $80,734
Households that own their home 71% 58% 56% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $10,001 $9,519 $5,124 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.65% 0.61% 0.7% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 40% 48% 55% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below San Mateo County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Half Moon Bay

For a typical $1,549,500 home in Half Moon Bay, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Half Moon Bay's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $12,726a month

    Above the FHA limit for San Mateo County ($1,249,125)
    Down payment
    $54,233
    Cash to close
    $100,718
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $935

  • Conventional, 5% down $12,193a month

    Above the conventional limit for San Mateo County ($1,249,125): it would be a "jumbo" loan
    Down payment
    $77,475
    Cash to close
    $123,960
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $736

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $9,882a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $309,900
    Cash to close
    $356,385
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $11,315a month

    Down payment
    $232,425
    Cash to close
    $278,910
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is Conventional, 20% down, no PMI.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Half Moon Bay and for San Mateo County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Half Moon Bay

0.65%of the home’s value each year

$10,001 a year for the typical owner in Half Moon Bay.

  • Half Moon Bay 0.65%
  • San Mateo 0.61%
  • California 0.7%

What California publishes Homeowners' exemption (California State Board of Equalization (BOE))

Exemptions and deadlines in California

Flood risk in San Mateo County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of San Mateo County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
3.9%
7,052
Of those, with NFIP insurance
31%
County California U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 3.9% 2.8% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 31% 31% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Half Moon Bay

Typical rent in Half Moon Bay is $2,433 a month: 17% below the county. In Half Moon Bay, 40% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of San Mateo County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($3,697 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $71.10 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of San Mateo County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $2,574 $49.50 $102,960
1 bedroom $3,003 $57.75 $120,120
2 bedrooms $3,697 $71.10 $147,880
3 bedrooms $4,832 $92.92 $193,280
4 bedrooms $5,439 $104.60 $217,560

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Half Moon Bay

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Half Moon Bay is in ZIP code 94019.

For 2 bedrooms it is $3,320: $377 less than the fair market rent for San Mateo County ($3,697).

  • 94019 $3,320$4,340

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Half Moon Bay when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Half Moon Bay

HUD lists 9 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Half Moon Bay. These are the largest.

  • Half Moon Village Phase II 1 Bloom Ln, Half Moon Bay 94019 115 homes, 114 low-income · 1 bd: 107 · 2 bd: 8 · In service since 2015 · For older adults
  • Coastside Apts 2001 Miramontes Point Rd, Half Moon Bay 94019 80 homes, 79 low-income · 2 bd: 16 · 3 bd: 40 · 4 bd: 24 · In service since 1999 · For families
  • Moonridge II 2001 Miramontes Point Rd, Half Moon Bay 94019 80 homes, 79 low-income · In service since 2001
  • Lesley Gardens 701 Arnold Way, Half Moon Bay 94019 64 homes, 63 low-income · For older adults (650) 726-4888
  • Ocean View Plaza 1001 Main St, Half Moon Bay 94019 50 homes, 49 low-income · For older adults (650) 726-5863

See all 83 buildings in San Mateo County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Half Moon Bay

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in San Mateo County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A grandmother pushes her grandson on a playground swing.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Half Moon Bay

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Half Moon Bay or San Mateo County. The ones below are statewide in California: they work in Half Moon Bay the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in California

  • MyHome Assistance Program

    Statewide in California

    CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers in California. Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • California Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan

    Statewide in California

    Closed, per the source

    CalHFA down payment loan for first-generation buyers in California; when you sell, you repay the loan plus a share of the home's appreciation. Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).

    Shared appreciation

    See the program Official page

  • MyAccess Program

    Statewide in California

    CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers who use the CalPLUS Access mortgage (FHA or conventional). Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Half Moon Bay

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Half Moon Bay, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Balance-SF 3rd Street

    5172 3rd St, San Francisco · 18 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Mandarin Chinese and Russian.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 11 more
    (888) 456-2227

  • San Francisco Housing Development Corporation

    4439 3rd St, San Francisco · 19 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (415) 822-1022

  • Mission Economic Development Association (MEDA)

    2301 Mission St, San Francisco · 20 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 8 more
    (415) 282-3334

All counseling agencies in California

Help in Spanish near Half Moon Bay

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Half Moon Bay

HUD’s record names them for Half Moon Bay or San Mateo County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (650) 802-3300

One other authority has an office in San Mateo County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in San Mateo County

These cities are also in San Mateo County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about San Mateo County Housing in California
See 6 more cities in San Mateo County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Half Moon Bay, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If San Mateo County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Half Moon Bay.

All guides
A mother holds her laughing daughter on a grey sofa.

Questions

Housing questions about Half Moon Bay

Short answers with the numbers for Half Moon Bay and all of San Mateo County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Half Moon Bay?

The typical home value in Half Moon Bay is $1,549,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in San Mateo County it is $1,559,600.

How much does it cost to rent in Half Moon Bay?

Typical rent in Half Moon Bay is $2,433 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in San Mateo County is $3,697.

What is the FHA loan limit in Half Moon Bay?

Half Moon Bay uses the FHA limit for all of San Mateo County (2026): $1,249,125 for a one-unit home and $2,402,625 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Half Moon Bay?

The typical homeowner in Half Moon Bay pays $10,001 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.65% of the home’s value; in San Mateo County, the rate is 0.61%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Half Moon Bay?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in San Mateo County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).