Redwood City, California Income Statistics
Redwood City Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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A
Redwood City Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Redwood City | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $156,854 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $107,324 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 7.1% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 32.5% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 39.6% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Redwood City is about 58% higher than in California. Income has been growing faster in Redwood City (7.1%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 32% of adults in Redwood City earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Redwood City, California grew by 103.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $156,854 in 2024. That's an average of about 7.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Redwood City
| Metric | Redwood City | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.522 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $113,241 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $106,992 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 5.5% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Redwood City, it is 0.522, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 6% more than women's income in Redwood City, California. Over a 35-year career, a 6% wage gap accumulates to roughly $218,715 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Redwood City, California has narrowed from about 19% to 6% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2011, and was narrowest at 3% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $6,335 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Redwood City | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 26.7% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 1,937 people are unemployed in Redwood City, California.
The average commute time in Redwood City is 22 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Redwood City, California has fallen from 7.2% to 4.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.6% in 2012 and fell as low as 3.0% in 2019.
Redwood City, CA Wealth 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 household income, at $156,854, runs 22% below the $200,700 typical of the cities around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 7.1%/yr against a local median of 5.9%/yr, 20% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while median household income runs behind it, so Redwood City, CA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The cities themselves sit within $5,990 of each other on median household income, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Redwood City, CA, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Redwood City, CA has the 4th highest median household income of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redwood City, CA | 82,255 | $156,854 #4/4 | 7.1%/yr #2/4 | 4.2% #1/4 | 0.522 #4/4 |
| San Carlos, CA | 27,659 | $205,565 | 5.9%/yr | 5.3% | 0.460 |
| Foster City, CA | 32,669 | $199,575 | 5.6%/yr | 4.8% | 0.467 |
| Menlo Park, CA | 35,824 | $200,700 | 7.3%/yr | 4.7% | 0.514 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Redwood City, California has an overall wealth index grade of A, making it notably better than California, and notably better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Redwood City, California.
How Rich Is Redwood City, California?
Redwood City has a wealth index grade of A. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an A grade means residents are much better off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $156,854, about 58% higher than the California average of $99,161.
How has median household income changed in Redwood City, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Redwood City, California rose 104%, from $76,998 to $156,854. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +104% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Redwood City in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Redwood City, California was $151,174, up 3% from $146,359 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Redwood City in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Redwood City, California was $123,229. By 2024 it had risen 27% to $156,854.
Do many residents of Redwood City, California earn over $100,000?
Yes. 32% of adults in Redwood City, California earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 3), against 18% (about 1 in 6) in California. 40% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 20% in California.
Is it hard to find a job in Redwood City, California?
Unemployment in Redwood City, California is only 4.2%, well below the California rate of 6.6%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Redwood City, California?
The Gini coefficient in Redwood City is 0.522. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Redwood City, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Redwood City, California has narrowed from about 19% to 6% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2011, and was narrowest at 3% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $6,335 since 2009.
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