What to know before you move: cost, market timing, who it fits.
If you're considering a move to Hillsborough, 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.
Hillsborough is a city in San Mateo County, California, with an estimated population of 11,171. It anchors the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area. The median home value in Hillsborough is $5,422,424 as of 2026-04, up 7.6% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +3.1% annual growth (-3.9% from the 5-year peak). The composite momentum score is 61 of 100 (Stable). Conditions are neither hot nor cold, so the local fit matters more than market timing.
Sideways market (+7.6% YoY). No urgency to time the macro trend — focus on the home and neighborhood.
Reasons people move here
- Trend still working: prices up 7.6% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
- The data is the data: Hillsborough 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
- Flat or shrinking population: -0.5% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
- Premium territory: $5,422,424 median home is a high bar to clear — affordability constrains the buyer pool.
- Thin housing market: small population means fewer transactions and slower resale. Liquidity risk on exit.
More about Hillsborough
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.