What to know before you move: cost, market timing, who it fits.
If you're considering a move to Half Moon Bay, CA, the most important variables are the local housing market, the cost structure (taxes, insurance, utilities), and how well the city fits your day-to-day life. This page summarizes the housing market read; pair it with the cost of living page for the full picture.
Half Moon Bay is a city in San Mateo County, California, with an estimated population of 11,324. It anchors the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area. The population has contracted 1.0% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Half Moon Bay is $1,560,030 as of 2026-04, up 0.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +3.5% annual growth (-2.6% from the 5-year peak). The composite momentum score is 54 of 100 (Stable). Conditions are neither hot nor cold, so the local fit matters more than market timing.
Sideways market (+0.2% YoY). No urgency to time the macro trend — focus on the home and neighborhood.
Reasons people move here
- Held the highs: currently -2.6% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
- The data is the data: Half Moon Bay has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 2-criteria momentum score on this page.
Things to know first
- Net out-migration: population shrinking 1.0% per year — services, schools, and tax base will follow.
- Expensive AND not growing: median home $1,560,030 with only +0.2% YoY. You're paying premium pricing for a flat trend.
- Thin housing market: small population means fewer transactions and slower resale. Liquidity risk on exit.
More about Half Moon Bay
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.