Living in Foster City
Foster City sits just across Highway 101 from San Mateo, a planned community built around miles of lagoon. Waterfront homes, flat streets for biking, an eight mile levee trail and quick access to the San Mateo Bridge make it unlike anywhere else on the Peninsula. Here is a neighborhood by neighborhood look to help you find your fit.
Foster City incorporated on April 27, 1971. About 33,800 people live here according to the 2020 census, on roughly 3.8 square miles of land built on the former Brewer Island tidal marsh. The lagoon runs about five miles through town, and boating is limited to sail, electric and human powered craft, so you see kayaks and paddleboards instead of motorboats.
It is also a major job center. Gilead Sciences and Visa are the city's two largest employers, followed by Zoox. There is no Caltrain or BART station in town, but free weekday shuttles connect to Hillsdale Caltrain and Millbrae BART.
Foster City Neighborhood Map
Foster City neighborhoods on a live street map. Borders follow MLSListings area lines, the same areas agents use to pull sales, so they can differ a little from city limits and local names. Zoom in to see exact streets, and tap an area to see its name and where its border comes from.
Foster City
- 1Treasure Isle Neighborhood 1
- 2Bay Vista Neighborhood 2
- 3Carmel Village Neighborhood 3
- 4Marina Point Neighborhood 4
- 5The Islands Neighborhood 5
- 6Harbor Side Neighborhood 6
- 7Sea Colony Neighborhood 7
- 8Dolphin Bay Neighborhood 8
- 9Isle Cove Neighborhood 9
- 10Metro Center Neighborhood 10
- 11Vintage Park Neighborhood 11
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Area borders traced from MLSListings MLS area maps, November 2026. Ask me which area a specific street falls in.
Neighborhood by Neighborhood
The city is organized into nine numbered residential neighborhoods, each with its own street name theme, plus Town Center and a few smaller districts. Locals also use named areas. Ask me about any specific street.
The Numbered Neighborhoods
Neighborhoods 1 through 9 each have a street theme: famous ships, birds, fish, boats, explorers, admirals, islands, bays, and constellations. Nearly every one mixes single family homes, two story townhomes and condos or apartments.
The Islands and Lido Isle
Waterfront condos, townhomes and cluster homes overlooking Central Lake, some with private docks, near Catamaran Park. Neighborhood 5, where they sit, has no detached single family homes, and Beach Park Elementary replaced the old Charter Square shopping center there.
Sea Colony
Waterfront homes along Central Lake and Belmont Slough, near Sea Cloud Park.
Treasure Isle
Close to Leo J. Ryan Park, with a mix of condos, townhomes and Foster Square, a community for residents 55 and older.
Marina Point
Quiet cul de sacs near the Marlin Cove Shopping Center and Ketch Park.
Isle Cove, Shell Cove and Edgewater
Condo and townhome communities, including some of the city's high rise condos, close to the lagoon and Edgewater Park.
Metro Center
Near the city's office district, with condo communities such as Spinnaker Cove, Meridian Bay and Promontory Point.
Town Center
Planned around an interior lake, with apartments and condos.
A Short History
Before development, Foster City was about 2,600 acres of tidal marsh called Brewer Island. Frank Brewer owned it around 1900 and later sold it to the Leslie Salt Company and the Schilling Estate Company. In 1958 developer T. Jack Foster took an option to buy the island, and in 1960 the state created the Estero Municipal Improvement District to build the levees, lagoon, roads and utilities. The first residents moved in on March 7, 1964.
The city incorporated in 1971 and took over the district's powers. In 2014 FEMA found the bay levee fell short of current standards, so voters approved Measure P, a $90 million bond, to raise and widen it. Construction started in 2020, the full Bay Trail along the levee reopened in 2023, and the project was completed in February 2024.
Schools, Parks and Local Traditions
Public Schools
Foster City is in the San Mateo Foster City School District, with Audubon, Brewer Island, Foster City and Beach Park elementary schools and Bowditch Middle School. There is no high school in town; students attend San Mateo Union High School District schools such as Hillsdale, Aragon or San Mateo High, depending on the address.
Private Schools
The Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School and the PJCC Early Childhood Center are both on Foster City Boulevard, and Kids Connection serves kindergarten through fifth grade.
Parks and the Lagoon
Foster City has 24 parks. Leo J. Ryan Park is the center of town life, with an amphitheater and a boathouse that rents kayaks, paddleboards and pedal boats. Sea Cloud, Boothbay and Edgewater are the other community parks, and Mariners Point has a nine hole golf course.
Traditions
Summer Days celebrates the city's birthday every August with a car show, carnival, concerts and the Rubber Ducky Races. Off the Grid food trucks come to Leo Ryan Park on Wednesdays from spring through fall, and the PJCC farmers market runs Tuesdays from 9 to 1.
Foster City on Film
A look back at the history of Foster City and the places nearby, from local historical societies and archives.
Foster City, Chapter 1: The Beginning
How the Foster family turned Brewer's Island into a planned city.Source: City of Foster City
Foster City, Chapter 2: Land
Dredging and filling the land Foster City sits on.Source: City of Foster City
Construction of Foster City, 1960 to 1980
Rare footage of the city being built, narrated by its former Public Works Director.Source: San Mateo County Historical Association
Foster City, Chapter 4: Community
The neighborhoods and people that shaped the city.Source: City of Foster City
Foster City, Chapter 6: Recreation
Lagoons, parks and the city's waterfront life.Source: City of Foster City
Foster City Market Report
Home sales for Foster City pulled directly from MLSListings, the Bay Area's MLS: how many homes sold, what they sold for, and price per square foot.
Last 30 days
October 7 to November 5, 2026
Last 90 days by home type
August 8 to November 5, 2026
| Home type | Homes sold | Median price | Median price per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| All homes | 55 | $1.45M | $905 |
| Single family homes | 22 | $2.27M | $1,050 |
| Condos and townhomes | 33 | $1.2M | $797 |
Last 12 months, single family homes
November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026
Source: MLSListings closed sales with a Foster City postal city. 30 and 90 day figures cover single family homes, condominiums and townhouses by close of escrow date; 12 month figures cover single family homes. As of November 6, 2026. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Ask me for a full report on your street or price range.
Foster City FAQ
What neighborhoods are in Foster City?
The city is organized into nine numbered residential neighborhoods plus Town Center and a few smaller districts. Locals also use names like The Islands, Lido Isle, Sea Colony, Treasure Isle, Marina Point, Isle Cove and Metro Center.
What schools serve Foster City?
Elementary and middle schools are in the San Mateo Foster City School District, including Audubon, Brewer Island, Foster City, Beach Park and Bowditch Middle. There is no high school in town, so students attend San Mateo Union High School District schools based on address. For how assignment, magnet lotteries and school taxes work, see my San Mateo Foster City School District guide.
Do Foster City homes need flood insurance?
The levee upgrade was completed in February 2024 to keep the levee meeting FEMA standards. Flood insurance requirements depend on each property and your lender, so check FEMA's flood map for the specific address.
Is there Caltrain or BART in Foster City?
There is no station in town, but free weekday shuttles run to Hillsdale Caltrain and Millbrae BART and Caltrain.
What is my Foster City home worth?
Waterfront, lagoon view and interior homes all price differently. Request a free home valuation and Joseph will send a local estimate based on recent nearby sales. Request a free home valuation
How can I hear about Foster City homes before they hit the market?
Join Joseph's off-market list. You'll hear about coming-soon and off-market homes that match what you want before they're listed publicly. Join the off-market list
How does Foster City compare with nearby cities?
Use my side by side city comparison to line up Foster City against San Mateo or any other Peninsula city on home prices, schools, commute and lifestyle.
Sources
The facts on this page come from the public sources below. Neighborhood names and borders vary by source, and details like school assignments change, so please confirm anything important for a specific address.
- Wikipedia: Foster City, California2020 population 33,805; land area; first residents 1964; top employers; Beach Park Elementary; Mariners Point golf
- San Francisco Peninsula: Foster City historyIncorporation April 27, 1971; T. Jack Foster option 1958
- City of Foster City: Community profileBrewer Island; Estero Municipal Improvement District; numbered neighborhoods and street themes; housing mix
- City of Foster City: Lagoon safetyLagoon length and boating rules; rentals
- City of Foster City: Explore Foster City guideParks, Leo J. Ryan Park, levee trail, shuttles, Off the Grid
- City of Foster City: Levee project FAQFEMA finding, Measure P bond
- City of Foster City: Levee Improvements ProjectCompletion February 2024
- City of Foster City: Education contactsPublic and private schools
- Foster City Historical Society: Neighborhood 5The Islands and Lido Island
- Homes.com: Foster City neighborhoodsNamed neighborhood areas
- City of Foster City: Summer DaysAugust festival
- PJCC Farmers' MarketTuesdays 9 to 1
- MLSListings: closed sales data for the market reportMarket report figures
Header photo: the Foster City lagoon by King of Hearts, Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Foster City Market Trends
Market Trends are calculated using MLS® sold listing data
