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Half Moon Bay, California

Half Moon Bay, California
City of Half Moon Bay
Aerial view of Half Moon Bay facing north
Aerial view of Half Moon Bay facing north
Official seal of Half Moon Bay, California
Nickname: 
"Home of the world-famous Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival!"
Motto(s): 
Vivir, Trabajar, Jugar (Live, Work, Play)
Location of Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County, California
Location of Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County, California
Half Moon Bay, California is located in the United States
Half Moon Bay, California
Half Moon Bay, California
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 37°27′32″N 122°26′13″W / 37.45889°N 122.43694°W / 37.45889; -122.43694
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountySan Mateo
IncorporatedJuly 15, 1959[1]
Government
 • MayorJoaquin Jimenez[2]
 • City ManagerMatthew Chidester[3]
Area
 • Total
6.25 sq mi (16.20 km2)
 • Land6.24 sq mi (16.17 km2)
 • Water0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)  0.32%
Elevation75 ft (23 m)
Population
 • Total
11,795
 • Density1,900/sq mi (730/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Code
94019
Area code650
FIPS code06-31708
GNIS feature IDs277528, 2410685
Websitehalf-moon-bay.ca.us

Half Moon Bay is a coastal city in San Mateo County, California, United States, approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of San Francisco. Its population was 11,795 as of the 2020 census. Immediately north of Half Moon Bay is Pillar Point Harbor and the unincorporated community of Princeton-by-the-Sea. Half Moon Bay is known for Mavericks, a big-wave surf location. It is called Half Moon Bay because of its crescent shape.

Originally an agricultural outpost to Mission San Francisco de Asís, the town was founded in the 1840s first as San Benito, and then as its Anglo fishing community grew, it was renamed Spanishtown. In 1874, it was again renamed Half Moon Bay. After rail and road connections in the early 1900s, the town grew. The foggy weather of the coast made the town a popular destination for booze-running during Prohibition.

The city's infrastructure is heavily integrated with the coast, including the Pillar Point Harbor, major roads, and the fire department. The economy of Half Moon Bay is dominated by a handful of businesses, the biggest of which is the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay which employs 500 people and is a major source of property tax and tourism income for the city.[8] Because of this geography, a 2022 study found that the city had over 123 buildings vulnerable to sea level rise.[8]

  1. ^ "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on October 17, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  2. ^ "City Council Homepage". City of Half Moon Bay. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  3. ^ "Directory". City of Half Moon Bay. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  4. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  5. ^ "Half Moon Bay". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  6. ^ "Half Moon Bay (city) QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
  7. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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