Population 2,946 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Montara
Household size in Montara
| Period | Montara | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.50 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.91 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.41 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.82 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.32 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Montara holds 2.82 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. That is in line with the rest of the San Francisco area. Household size has climbed from 2.50 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Montara
| Period | Montara | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.3 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.3 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 58.6 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 53.7 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.4 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Montara skews older: half of its residents are older than 53.7, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Montara
| Period | Montara | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.7% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Montara: 14.7% of all households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Montara
Renters in Montara
| Period | Montara | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.6% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.8% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.5% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.9 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 21.5% of households in Montara rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 30.6% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Montara
| Period | Montara | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.5% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.7% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +14.2 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Montara: 17.7% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Montara
| Period | Montara | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1966 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Housing in Montara leans a little older: the median home dates to 1975, against 1980 nationally. Locally, though, homes here are newer than in the San Francisco area overall, where the median home dates to 1968.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Montara
| Period | Montara | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $2,001 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,597 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,807 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,038 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,037 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Montara costs $3,038 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 15.6% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Montara
Bachelor's degrees in Montara
| Period | Montara | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 61.0% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 51.4% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 57.6% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 63.9% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Montara: 63.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Montara
| Period | Montara | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 99.1% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.5% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 99.8% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −4.8 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Montara is above the national rate: 94.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Montara
| Period | Montara | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 0.9% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 2.6% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.3% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +9.0 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Montara: 9.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Montara compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montara | 2.82 | 53.7 | 14.7% | 21.5% | 17.7% | 1975 | $3,038 | 63.9% | 94.3% | 9.9% |
| Moss Beach | 2.90 | 45.2 | 7.6% | 0.8% | 19.5% | 1970 | $3,061 | 48.7% | 75.6% | 0.1% |
| Pedro Valley | 2.82 | 46.0 | 5.0% | 24.5% | 17.2% | 1970 | $3,453 | 43.1% | 93.0% | 0.0% |
| El Granada | 2.46 | 47.9 | 16.8% | 16.2% | 3.7% | 1983 | $2,199 | 53.0% | 91.3% | 5.6% |
| Millbrae Meadows | 2.54 | 55.7 | 2.4% | 4.4% | 8.5% | 1972 | $3,501 | 56.9% | 96.3% | 2.9% |
| Pacifica | 2.74 | 45.2 | 8.1% | 32.9% | 5.8% | 1965 | $3,089 | 48.6% | 95.2% | 3.9% |
| Miramar | 3.22 | 44.3 | 5.5% | 32.8% | 4.5% | 1981 | $2,937 | 55.2% | 90.1% | 5.0% |
| Half Moon Bay | 2.78 | 47.6 | 7.9% | 25.3% | 9.7% | 1981 | $2,491 | 53.3% | 91.8% | 2.3% |
| Millbrae | 2.82 | 44.1 | 7.0% | 38.8% | 7.2% | 1964 | $3,142 | 51.9% | 93.2% | 5.2% |
| San Bruno | 2.91 | 40.7 | 7.2% | 38.2% | 8.6% | 1963 | $2,856 | 44.4% | 90.7% | 5.2% |
| Hillsborough | 3.05 | 47.0 | 6.9% | 9.6% | 6.4% | 1965 | $3,419 | 82.0% | 98.7% | 6.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Baraga, MI · Bethel, NC · Bourbon, IN · Bowman, SC · Brimfield, IL · Bruce, MS · Castleton, VT · Center Harbor, NH · Collinsville, CT · Villa Grove, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Montara. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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