Peninsula · San Mateo County
Living in Foster City
A master-planned bayside community with lagoon living, excellent schools, and top tech employers, one of the Peninsula's most family-friendly addresses.
- Price Trend
- −18.3%
- Median vs. a year ago, July 2026
- Market
- Somewhat Competitive
- Redfin Compete Score 67/100
- Population
- 32,411
- U.S. Census, 2025 estimate
- Live MLS Data
- Updated Daily
- MLSListings snapshot below
Sources: Redfin, U.S. Census Bureau. Updated October 2026.
Live Market Snapshot
Foster City Overview
Living inFoster City
Foster City is one of California's most carefully planned communities, built in the 1960s on bay fill with an integrated lagoon system that gives the city its distinctive waterfront character. Residents live within walking distance of interconnected waterways ideal for kayaking, paddleboarding, and evening walks, creating a lifestyle that most Bay Area cities cannot replicate at any price. The city's careful planning has produced low traffic, excellent parks, and a residential density that balances community feel with housing supply.
The housing market reflects Foster City's family-oriented character, condos and townhomes near the Edgewater Blvd retail corridor, waterfront homes on lagoon lots, and single-family residences in the quiet interior streets. Major tech employers including Gap, Electronic Arts, Visa, and Gilead Sciences maintain offices in or adjacent to Foster City, creating strong employment demand from buyers who prefer to minimize their commute. Multiple offers are common on well-priced family homes, particularly those in the top school feeder zones.
Rami Tannous represents Foster City buyers through Nick Sadek Sotheby's International Realty, with expertise in navigating the condo and townhome complexes that dominate Foster City's entry-level market as well as the premium waterfront single-family homes that represent the market's upper tier. For young families relocating from San Francisco, buyers from the South Bay looking for Peninsula value, or tech workers at EA or Visa seeking walkable proximity to work, Rami provides the market knowledge to make a confident purchase decision.
- 01
Lagoon Living
Foster City's integrated lagoon system, over 19 miles of interconnected waterways, gives residents bayside access for kayaking, paddleboarding, and waterfront walks that most Bay Area cities cannot replicate at any price.
- 02
EA & Visa Campus
Electronic Arts's global headquarters and Visa's tech campus both anchor Foster City, creating walkable employment access that eliminates the Peninsula commute for thousands of local tech professionals.
- 03
Top 10% Schools
San Mateo-Foster City Elementary District ranks in the top 10% statewide, strong STEM programs, high parental engagement, and consistently above-average academic outcomes that attract families across the Peninsula.
- 04
Master-Planned Safety
Foster City consistently ranks among the safest cities in San Mateo County, a product of its careful master planning, residential zoning, and engaged community associations that have maintained neighborhood quality for 60 years.
Lifestyle
Life inFoster City
Dining
Dining and Entertainment
Foster City's dining scene is centered on the Metro Center and Edgewater Blvd corridor, a practical mix of family-friendly restaurants and casual dining. The city is convenient to San Mateo's more vibrant Third Avenue (10 minutes) and Burlingame Avenue (15 minutes) for higher-end dining occasions. Japanese restaurants and Asian cuisine options serve the city's significant tech-professional population. The Safeway-anchored Edgewater development provides everyday grocery and dining convenience within walking distance of most neighborhoods.
Recreation
Recreation and Parks
Leo J. Ryan Memorial Park is the heart of Foster City recreation, a bayside park with picnic areas, a boat launch, and direct lagoon access. The Foster City Skate Park is one of the best in San Mateo County. Lagoon Park connects residents to the city's extensive waterway trail network. Kiteboarding and windsurfing are popular on the bay adjacent to the city's western edge. The Bay Trail runs along Foster City's bayfront, connecting cyclists and runners to the broader South Bay trail system.
San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District serves Foster City with consistently high scores, top 10% statewide across most campuses. Audubon Elementary and Brewer Island Elementary are among the district's strongest. At the high school level, San Mateo High School in the San Mateo Union High School District serves most Foster City students. The district has strong STEM and college preparatory programs with above-average AP enrollment. Foster City's school quality combined with its residential safety record makes it one of the Peninsula's most consistent family-market draws.
School assignments follow the address, not the city name. Always confirm boundaries with the district before you write an offer.
Homes for Sale in Foster City
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Foster City FAQ
Foster City questions, answered.
Straight answers on prices, schools, commute and timing. Have a question that is not here? Call or text 408-888-5144.
How much is a house in Foster City?
The median sale price in Foster City was $1,429,284 in July 2026, down 18.3 percent from a year earlier, according to Redfin. Prices vary widely by street, size and condition, so the most useful number is a valuation built on recent sales next to the home you are considering. Request a free home valuation for a pricing range with the comps behind it.
What school district is Foster City in?
Foster City is served by the San Mateo-Foster City School District for elementary and middle school, with five public schools in the city. Foster City has no public high school, so high school students attend schools in the San Mateo Union High School District. Assignment depends on the street address, so buyers should confirm with the district.
How is the commute from Foster City?
Foster City sits on Highway 92 and Highway 101, and Highway 92 crosses the San Mateo Bridge directly to the East Bay. There is no rail station in Foster City itself; the nearest Caltrain stations are in neighboring San Mateo.
What is Foster City known for?
Foster City is a master planned city built on Brewer Island and named for developer T. Jack Foster, with about 218 acres of lagoons winding through its neighborhoods. Leo J. Ryan Memorial Park hosts the city's summer concerts. Gilead Sciences and Zoox are headquartered in Foster City, and Gilead is the city's largest employer.
Is Foster City a buyer's or seller's market right now?
Foster City is a more balanced market right now, though well priced homes still sell quickly. Homes sold in a median of 21 days in July 2026, and Redfin rates the market Somewhat Competitive with a Compete Score of 67 out of 100. Overpriced listings sit and invite lower offers, so sellers do best pricing to recent sales on day one, and buyers do best with financing ready before they tour.
Who can help me buy or sell a home in Foster City?
Rami Tannous is a REALTOR with Nick Sadek Sotheby's International Realty (DRE #02334866). He represents buyers and sellers across San Jose, Silicon Valley and the Peninsula. Owners can request a home valuation, buyers can start a private search, or call or text 408-888-5144.
Peninsula · San Mateo County
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