Redwood City, California Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Redwood City, CA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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A
Income Above average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Redwood City | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 82,255 | 39,245,658 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 2367.6 | 239.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.18% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 35.3 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 29,748 | 13,531,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Redwood City grew by 9.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 82,255 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Redwood City is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 26.9% of residents. That is 3.2 points above California as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 16,278 19.8% -1.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 22,102 26.9% +3.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 17,463 21.2% +1.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 10,888 13.2% -2.0 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below California, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 49.9% of the people living in Redwood City and men 50.1%.
- Women 49.9% California 49.9%
- Men 50.1% California 50.1%
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Economy
Redwood City has a the economy index of A, which means it is very prosperous.
| Metric | Redwood City | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $156,854 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 7.12% | 5.57% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Redwood City is about 58% higher than in California.
Housing
| Metric | Redwood City | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $2,067,415 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,963 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 48.9% | 55.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Redwood City is about 58.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,963 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Redwood City spend about 45 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 186 hours, about 7.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Redwood City | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.3 | 23.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 44.5 | 47.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 186 | 196 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,754 | $6,065 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 26.7% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 37,411 | 16,509 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,235 | 2,449 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Redwood City is 22 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Redwood City has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Redwood City | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.8% | 33.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.70 | 2.84 | 2.53 |
Health
Redwood City has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Redwood City | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.5 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.2% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 10.1% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
Redwood City, CA Compared With Nearby Cities
Redwood City, CA is the largest of the 4 cities compared here, 82,255 residents against a local median of 32,669. Redwood City, CA's median home price, at $2,067,415, runs 136% above the $876,185 typical of the cities around it.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $156,854 against a local median of $200,700, 22% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 22% below the local median it puts Redwood City, CA at the weaker end of the local range. The cities themselves spread $1,744,928 on median home price, so Redwood City, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Redwood City, CA has the 2nd highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redwood City, CA | 82,255 | $156,854 #4/4 | $2,067,415 #2/4 | 22.3 min #3/4 |
| San Carlos, CA | 27,659 | $205,565 | $461,911 | 22.1 min |
| Foster City, CA | 32,669 | $199,575 | $876,185 | 27.7 min |
| Menlo Park, CA | 35,824 | $200,700 | $2,206,839 | 21.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Redwood City, California.
How many people live in Redwood City, California?
About 82,255 people live in Redwood City, California, in 29,748 households of 2.7 people on average. The median age is 35.3, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 2 years.
Is Redwood City, California mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Redwood City, California has 2,368 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 27 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Redwood City, California?
The median home costs 13.2 times the median household income ($2,067,415 against $156,854), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $2,963 a month takes about 23% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How common is a college degree in Redwood City, California?
50.8% of adults in Redwood City, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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