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jmenard48 / CC BY
Town
San Francisco

Half Moon Bay

#4,952 in Best Places to Live in America
  • A-
    Overall Grade
  • Town in California
  • 37 reviews
A-
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    B+
  2. Crime & Safety
    NG
  3. Housing
    C-
  4. Nightlife
    B
  5. Good for Families
    B+
  6. Diversity
    A
  7. Jobs
    B+
  8. Weather
    A+
  9. Cost of Living
    D+
  10. Health & Fitness
    A
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A
  12. Commute
    B+
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About Half Moon Bay...
Population
12,281

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$774,000
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$2,032
National
$949
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    29%
  • Own
    71%
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Half Moon Bay Rankings

Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
NG
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    —
    283
  • Murder
    —
    6
  • Rape
    —
    41
  • Robbery
    —
    136
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    —
    500
  • Theft
    —
    2,043
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    —
    284
Home Security Options for Half Moon Bay
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  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
A
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Median Household Income
$106,211
National
$55,322
Children
14%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    21%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    27%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    24%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    13%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    14%
    13%
  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
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Half Moon Bay Reviews

37 reviews
All Categories
Half moon bay has always been a small town. The locals take pride in being locals and remaining the same . As for change , they do not settle well. However , if I could change that, I would . We live in a beautiful community with the beaches and view, which could be shared by everyone . Also, locals like keeping the coast limited to new buildings and new residents. Which enables local work. I think if we developed more businesses, there would be less people unemployed. I just want to see everyone succeed in my community.
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It's a pretty place to live but the people here are horrible. Especially in the public schools. The school district will constantly disappoint anyone not in a sport or anyone who isn't popular. Let's not forget about the 'gang violence' between the red gang and the blue gang, which are just people who want to act like they're tough and do stupid things to prove it. They're basically wanabe crypts and bloods
Half Moon Bay is a really quiet, small city; very easy going and relaxing for the most part. It is a very small city however, and very distant from large cities. As a teenager, I had a fun time going to the beach and I felt very safe walking in the street at any time of day as the crime rate is very low; however I also struggled when it came to going to the mall, the movies, as public transit hours are limited and the closest mall or theater is about a half an hour drive away. Also, traffic can get horrible due to storms in the winter and spring, and tourism in the summer.