Daly City Real Estate & Living Guide

What's the Daly City, CA real estate market like right now? As of April 2026, the median sale price for a single-family home in Daly City is $1,270,350 — with homes selling at 114% of list price, in an average of 20 days on market, and 0.9 months of supply.

Overview

Daly City is San Mateo County's largest city by population, with roughly 105,000 residents packed into a compact footprint immediately south of San Francisco. That geography — sharing a city limit with the most expensive real estate market in the country — shapes everything about Daly City's value proposition. You're buying into the Peninsula, a BART ride from downtown SF, at a price point meaningfully below the cities that dominate real estate headlines.

The city's identity is layered. It's the cultural capital of Filipino America — roughly a third of residents are of Filipino descent, the highest concentration of any midsized city in North America. That heritage is visible in the food, the community organizations, and the tight-knit neighborhood fabric in parts of the city. At the same time, Daly City is genuinely diverse: a majority-Asian city with significant Hispanic and multiethnic populations that give different neighborhoods distinct characters.

The housing stock falls into two broad eras. The western half of the city is defined by Henry Doelger's postwar tract homes — simple, colorful, 1,000–1,200 sq ft boxes built in the late 1940s through the 1950s that were famously satirized in Malvina Reynolds' "Little Boxes." These homes now trade as collectibles, carrying a surprising premium for their mid-century character and Pacific views. The eastern and hillside neighborhoods have older and newer stock ranging from 1930s bungalows to 1970s hillside builds.

Buyers come to Daly City for three reasons: BART access to San Francisco, a lower entry price than Burlingame or San Mateo, and — for buyers of Filipino or broader Asian heritage — genuine community belonging. Despite its reputation as an entry-level market, single-family prices here now sit above the San Mateo County median. The BART premium is real.

Market Snapshot — April 2026 (Single-Family Homes)

Source: SAMCAR / MLSListings. Single-family residential only.

Daly City's single-family market is tighter than the county as a whole. With only 0.9 months of supply and homes selling at 114% of list — 7 points above the county average — buyers should expect competitive offer situations on well-priced properties. The gap between Daly City's median ($1.27M) and the county average sale price ($1.91M) reflects the smaller home sizes here, not undervaluation: per-square-foot, Daly City commands a significant BART and SF-proximity premium.

Neighborhoods

Westlake

Westlake is the neighborhood that put Daly City on the map — and on the radio. Henry Doelger built this district starting in the late 1940s, constructing thousands of modest stucco homes on a grid of quiet streets that became the subject of Malvina Reynolds' folk song about suburban conformity. Today those same homes carry $1.2M–$1.4M+ price tags, and buyers pay up for the Pacific views, the ocean access, and the mid-century character. The Westlake Shopping Center anchors the commercial core, and Thornton State Beach and Mussel Rock Park (250 acres of coastal open space and hiking) are minutes away. The trade-off is fog — Westlake sits on the coastal shelf and sees more marine layer than anywhere else in the city.

St. Francis Heights

St. Francis Heights is Daly City's premium address, tucked into the hillside north of Westlake with sweeping views toward the Pacific and Marin headlands. Homes here are primarily 1940s–1960s builds, larger than the Doelger stock — three to four bedrooms — with well-maintained lots and a quieter, more established feel. Prices typically range from $1.3M to $1.7M+. The neighborhood skews toward long-term owner-occupants, and turnover is low. If you want views and a premium Daly City address, this is where you look.

Serramonte

Serramonte occupies the south-central part of the city and is the most suburban-feeling neighborhood in Daly City. Housing here was built primarily in the 1970s and 1980s — slightly larger footprints than the Doelger tracts, and more likely to include garages and larger lots. The Serramonte Center mall anchors the neighborhood's commercial identity, and Koi Palace — one of the Bay Area's most beloved dim sum destinations, with weekend waits to prove it — is nearby. Gellert Park provides green space. Families with school-age children tend to gravitate here given the proximity to amenities and the generally larger floor plans.

Top of the Hill

Top of the Hill is the neighborhood straddling Geneva Avenue along the San Francisco border. It's the most walkable part of Daly City, with a commercial strip on Geneva that includes Filipino bakeries, restaurants, and small businesses. BART access at the Balboa Park and Daly City stations is excellent from here — some blocks are a true 10-minute walk to the train. Housing stock is mixed: a combination of 1920s–1950s homes, duplexes, and some newer infill. Price points are generally below Westlake and St. Francis Heights, making this a common entry point for first-time buyers who prioritize transit access over ocean views.

Hillside

Hillside runs along the eastern edge of the city, a neighborhood of winding streets and modest homes built from the 1940s through the 1960s. It's one of the more affordable pockets in Daly City, with a median in the low-to-mid $1M range. The neighborhood sits closer to the Bayshore Freeway corridor, which means easier Highway 101 access but also more noise consideration on certain streets. BART is accessible but requires a bus or short drive.

Southern Hills

Southern Hills is a hillside neighborhood in the southeastern corner of Daly City, adjacent to the San Francisco County line. Homes are primarily 1950s–1970s builds on curved streets with some views. The neighborhood has a strong sense of community and is popular with families looking for more square footage than Westlake offers at a slightly lower price. Typical sales land in the $1.1M–$1.3M range. BART access to Daly City or Colma station is straightforward.

Crocker

Crocker is one of the city's more affordable neighborhoods, situated in the eastern part of the city near the 280/101 interchange area. Housing here tends toward smaller 1940s–1960s homes on flatter terrain. The price point — averaging closer to $950K–$1.05M for single-family — makes it the most accessible entry point in Daly City's SFR market. The trade-off is less of the coastal character and Pacific views that define Westlake and St. Francis Heights.

Bayshore

Bayshore occupies the northeasternmost corner of Daly City, adjacent to San Francisco's Visitacion Valley. It has a more urban, mixed-use character — some industrial and commercial uses alongside residential streets. This is Daly City at its most affordable price tier, and it benefits from proximity to the Bayshore Caltrain station (limited service) and easy I-101 access. Not a neighborhood that gets much attention from buyers looking at the Westlake tracts, but worth considering for buyers focused purely on value and SF-border access.

Getting Around

BART is Daly City's biggest transit asset and the reason the city commands its price premium. Daly City Station sits adjacent to I-280 and Highway 1 at the southern terminus of the San Francisco network. The trip to Civic Center or 16th Street Mission in SF runs 10–15 minutes; downtown SF (Embarcadero/Montgomery) is about 20 minutes. The station has a large park-and-ride lot that fills quickly on weekdays — plan to arrive early or use drop-off. Colma BART station, just south of the city line, serves southern Daly City neighborhoods including Serramonte and Southern Hills. SamTrans bus connections at both stations fill in last-mile gaps to neighborhoods farther from the rail line.

Caltrain doesn't stop in Daly City proper. The nearest accessible Caltrain station is Millbrae, reachable by BART in 15 minutes, or Bayshore (limited Baby Bullet stops). For Peninsula commuters heading south, the BART-to-Caltrain connection at Millbrae is the standard path.

Highways — I-280 cuts through the city and is the preferred route south toward San Mateo, Redwood City, and the Peninsula. US-101 is accessible from Bayshore and the eastern edge of the city. Both freeways are subject to typical Bay Area peak-hour congestion; BART is consistently faster than driving to SF.

Mission Street / El Camino — Mission Street is the city's north-south commercial spine and connects directly into San Francisco's Excelsior and Mission districts. It's the cultural corridor that connects Daly City's Filipino and Asian communities to San Francisco's.

San Francisco is 2 miles from the northern edge of Daly City, approximately 15–20 minutes by BART and 20–30 minutes by car depending on traffic.

Schools

Daly City is served by two separate districts depending on grade level — an arrangement common to this part of the county but worth understanding before you write an offer.

K–8: Jefferson Elementary School District serves Daly City, Colma, Broadmoor, and part of Pacifica. The district has approximately 6,000 students and around 350 teachers across multiple campuses. School quality varies by campus; the district performs at roughly average levels relative to California schools overall. If specific elementary schools are important to your decision, verify which school serves your exact address — boundaries are not uniform across the city.

High School: Jefferson Union High School District serves approximately 3,800 students across Daly City, Pacifica, Brisbane, and Colma. The district's three comprehensive high schools are Jefferson High School (6996 Mission St, Daly City), Westmoor High School (131 Westmoor Ave, Daly City), and Terra Nova High School (1450 Terra Nova Blvd, Pacifica). High school assignment is typically based on address geography, though the district offers open enrollment and first-choice selection for students coming from the Bayshore and Brisbane elementary districts. Westmoor is the largest of the three with approximately 1,256 students.

School assignment is address-specific and district boundaries change. If schools drive your decision, verify your exact address against the current district boundary maps before writing an offer.

Life in Daly City

Daly City doesn't have a walkable downtown in the way that San Mateo or Burlingame do, but its commercial life is concentrated along a few corridors that reflect the city's character more honestly than any town center could. Mission Street running north toward San Francisco is the main artery — Filipino restaurants, bakeries, remittance shops, and Asian grocery stores define it from Top of the Hill south through the city. Jollibee on Mission Street is an institution. The Geneva Avenue corridor near the SF border has a scrappier but genuine neighborhood commercial feel.

For a sit-down destination, Koi Palace near Serramonte is one of the most serious dim sum operations in the Bay Area — people drive from San Francisco for the har gow. On weekends, expect a wait. Gellert Park in Serramonte and Mussel Rock Park on the coastal bluff are the city's green anchors; Mussel Rock in particular offers 250 acres of hiking with dramatic Pacific views and is one of the better-kept secrets on the Peninsula.

The city's Filipino-American identity runs deeper than restaurants and signage. Community organizations, churches, and cultural events make Daly City feel like a genuine home base for buyers of Filipino heritage in a way few Bay Area cities can match. That community cohesion — plus the city's overall immigrant and working-class history — gives Daly City a solidity that newer, more homogeneous suburbs sometimes lack.

What Homes Look Like

• Westlake — Late 1940s–1950s Doelger tract homes, 1,000–1,200 sq ft, stucco exterior with colorful painted facades, attached garages, small lots; distinctive mid-century character
• St. Francis Heights — 1940s–1960s hillside homes, 1,200–1,800 sq ft, larger lots, some with Pacific views, more variety in style than the Doelger tracts
• Serramonte — 1970s–1980s SFRs and townhomes, 1,200–1,600 sq ft, more suburban layout, garages common, some condos and attached homes
• Top of the Hill / Original Daly City — Mixed 1920s–1950s Craftsman bungalows and stucco homes, more variety, some duplexes and multi-unit buildings
• Hillside / Crocker / Southern Hills — 1950s–1970s single-family, 900–1,400 sq ft, hillside lots in some areas, more modest yards

Rough price tiers, April 2026 (approximate):

• Entry single-family: ~$950K–$1.1M (Crocker, Hillside, Original Daly City corridors; smaller footprint, flat or modest lot)
• Mid-tier: ~$1.1M–$1.4M (Westlake Doelger tracts, Serramonte, Southern Hills; typical 3BR/1–2BA)
• Upper tier: ~$1.4M–$1.7M+ (St. Francis Heights, premium Westlake ocean-view blocks; larger homes, views, better lots)

Tiers are approximate, derived from SAMCAR MLS data and local listing activity for April 2026. Individual properties vary widely by view, lot, condition, and block.

What to Know Before You Buy or Sell

Fog belt reality. Westlake and St. Francis Heights sit on the coastal shelf and receive substantially more marine layer than inland Peninsula cities. Summer "sun" in these neighborhoods often means fog burning off by noon — or not at all. Buyers who work from home or prioritize natural light should visit on a typical mid-morning, not a clear afternoon.

BART lot and parking access. Daly City Station's park-and-ride fills early on weekdays. If your purchase depends on driving to BART, verify the transit logistics before committing — some blocks are a walkable 5 minutes from the station, others require a bus connection or driving.

Two separate school districts. K–8 and high school are governed by entirely separate districts (Jefferson Elementary vs. Jefferson Union High). A strong K–8 school assignment does not guarantee anything about high school placement. If K–12 continuity matters, map both before you commit.

Doelger home constraints. The iconic Westlake tracts were built at 1,000–1,200 sq ft and are on relatively small lots with limited setbacks. Additions and ADUs are possible but require navigating local zoning — permits and lot coverage limits are meaningful constraints. If you're planning to expand, have a contractor assess the specific parcel before you're in contract.

Small monthly sales volume. At 38 single-family sales per month citywide, Daly City is active but not deep. A given neighborhood submarket (Westlake, Serramonte) may see only 8–12 sales per month, meaning monthly data swings. Don't over-interpret a single data point without looking at trailing 3-month trends.

Highway and rail noise corridors. Properties near I-280, US-101, or the Caltrain/BART right-of-way will have noise exposure that varies significantly by block. In Bayshore and Hillside near the freeway interchange, this is a material consideration. Stand in the backyard at rush hour before you make your decision.

Older electrical and plumbing. Much of the Doelger-era housing stock in Westlake and St. Francis Heights still has original 1940s–1950s wiring and plumbing. Pre-inspection is especially important here — budget for potential upgrades to electrical panels, copper repipe, and sewer lateral replacement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median home price in Daly City, CA? As of April 2026, the median sale price for a single-family home in Daly City is $1,270,350, per SAMCAR/MLSListings data. This figure is for single-family residential only and sits above the San Mateo County median of $1,167,500 — a reflection of the BART and SF-proximity premium.

Is Daly City a buyer's or seller's market right now? A seller's market, decisively. April 2026 data shows 0.9 months of supply (a balanced market would be 3–6 months), a 114% sale-to-list ratio, and an average of 20 days on market. Well-priced properties in sought-after neighborhoods like Westlake regularly attract multiple offers above asking.

Why are homes in Daly City priced above some other San Mateo County cities? BART access is the clearest driver. Daly City Station puts commuters in downtown San Francisco in under 20 minutes — a premium that the market prices in consistently. The city also shares a border with San Francisco, meaning buyers who can't afford SF prices but need SF-adjacent living find Daly City a logical landing point. That demand pressure keeps values elevated relative to cities farther south on the Peninsula.

What neighborhoods are in Daly City? Daly City's main residential neighborhoods are Westlake (postwar Doelger tracts, ocean proximity), St. Francis Heights (hillside, premium views), Serramonte (suburban, 1970s–1980s stock, mall access), Top of the Hill (walkable, BART-close, Mission Street corridor), Hillside (hillside setting, more affordable), Southern Hills (family-oriented hillside), Crocker (flat, most affordable), and Bayshore (urban, SF border, highway access).

How are the schools in Daly City? Daly City is served by the Jefferson Elementary School District (K–8) and Jefferson Union High School District (9–12). High schools include Jefferson, Westmoor, and Terra Nova. School performance across the district is roughly average for California; individual schools vary, and assignment is address-specific. Buyers for whom school quality is a primary driver should independently research current ratings for their address-specific schools and verify boundaries before making an offer.

Work With Burt on Your Daly City Home

Succeeding in Daly City's market requires understanding which blocks command the ocean-view premium, how to navigate the BART-proximity pricing effect, and what the Doelger-era housing stock typically needs in terms of deferred maintenance. Whether you're a first-time buyer looking for the best entry point in San Mateo County, a seller pricing a Westlake tract against recent comps, or an investor evaluating ADU potential on a Mission Street corridor parcel, the right representation makes the difference between paying the market and understanding it.

Call or text Burt Tsuei: 650-274-3598

Burt Tsuei | Team Lead, Burt Tsuei Real Estate Group | Keller Williams Peninsula Estates | DRE# 01906450 | 650-274-3598