Rents are 17% above what Foster City's 10-year trend predicts — running hotter than its own history.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $4,317 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: August 17, 2026
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Who lives here
Foster City, CA is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income above the national average, 73.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Foster City, CA has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Foster City, CA has climbed by $1,376 per month, settling near $4,317 after starting the period at $2,941. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $173,721 in 2021 to $199,143 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 32.2 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 33,511 to 32,792 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.1% change. About 49.2% of households rent today, against 45.5% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 70.2% to 73.8%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Foster City, CA market of 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Foster City on your salary?
At $4,317/mo, how Foster City rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Foster City rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Foster City. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Foster City
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Foster City is $4,317/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $3,130/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $4,560/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $3,820/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $5,690/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($199,143/yr), Foster City ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 16.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Foster City an affordable city for renters?
How much income do you need to rent in Foster City?
Is rent going up or down in Foster City?
How does Foster City rent compare to other cities in California?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Foster City?
What percentage of Foster City residents rent vs. own?
How does Foster City rent compare to the national average?
At $4,317/mo, rent takes ~26% of Foster City's median household income ($199,143/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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