Population 89,753 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Redwood City: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Redwood City
Household size in Redwood City
| Period | Redwood City | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.63 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.77 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.77 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.78 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.15 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Redwood City holds 2.78 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 2.63 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the north.
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 Redwood City
| Period | Redwood City | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.3 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.7 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.0 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.7 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Redwood City are younger than 39.7 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in the San Francisco area as a whole, where the median age is 41.3. The median age has climbed from 38.3 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Redwood City
| Period | Redwood City | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.3% of households in Redwood City, well below the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the San Francisco area. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.3 points, a much bigger shift than 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 Redwood City
Renters in Redwood City
| Period | Redwood City | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.6% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 44.6% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.9% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 48.1% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Redwood City than nationally: 48.1% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Nearly a third of owners (32.0%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the southwest. The renter share has risen 4.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Redwood City
| Period | Redwood City | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Redwood City: 7.1% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The San Francisco area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy has edged up 1.1 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Redwood City
| Period | Redwood City | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1966 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Redwood City is a place of older homes: half were built before 1970, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1965 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
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 Redwood City
| Period | Redwood City | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,552 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,642 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,576 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,033 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,480 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Redwood City costs $3,033 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,480 a month from 2006–10, a 95% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 29.9% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the southwest.
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 Redwood City
Bachelor's degrees in Redwood City
| Period | Redwood City | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.5% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 51.4% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 55.4% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.8 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Redwood City is highly educated: more than half of adults 25 and older (55.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 14.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the east.
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 Redwood City
| Period | Redwood City | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.4% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.5% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.7% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.4% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Redwood City never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.0 points, mirroring the country.
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 Redwood City
| Period | Redwood City | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.2% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Redwood City runs below the national rate: 4.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 1.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Redwood City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redwood City | 2.78 | 39.7 | 8.3% | 48.1% | 7.1% | 1970 | $3,033 | 55.4% | 87.4% | 4.3% |
| North Fair Oaks | 3.70 | 34.7 | 16.9% | 59.7% | 6.9% | 1967 | $2,231 | 20.1% | 70.3% | 8.8% |
| San Carlos | 2.76 | 42.6 | 6.4% | 31.0% | 6.9% | 1962 | $3,060 | 71.2% | 96.9% | 4.7% |
| Atherton | 2.78 | 44.1 | 4.0% | 16.2% | 15.9% | 1963 | $3,422 | 80.5% | 97.7% | 3.7% |
| Menlo Park | 2.79 | 40.4 | 6.5% | 42.0% | 11.7% | 1967 | $3,095 | 72.5% | 92.5% | 5.0% |
| Woodside | 2.94 | 43.1 | 5.1% | 14.6% | 9.3% | 1966 | $3,298 | 74.5% | 99.0% | 4.3% |
| Belmont | 2.61 | 40.9 | 5.3% | 44.5% | 8.8% | 1965 | $2,949 | 69.9% | 95.5% | 6.6% |
| Foster City | 2.55 | 41.5 | 7.1% | 49.2% | 5.9% | 1979 | $3,442 | 73.8% | 96.3% | 4.9% |
| East Palo Alto | 3.72 | 36.3 | 12.9% | 50.8% | 10.8% | 1965 | $2,599 | 27.8% | 76.1% | 4.5% |
| Stanford | 1.87 | 23.7 | 7.0% | 74.5% | 21.6% | 1989 | $1,998 | 88.8% | 96.0% | 10.0% |
| Palo Alto | 2.64 | 44.2 | 6.1% | 45.5% | 10.9% | 1964 | $3,187 | 82.7% | 96.8% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Newark, DE · North Port, FL · North Las Vegas, NV · Norristown, PA · New Orleans, LA · North Hollywood, CA · Newark, NJ · North Hills, CA · New Port Richey, FL · Noblesville, IN
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 Redwood City. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.