Daly City's homes
By Census estimates, about 32,262 of Daly City's about 35,922 housing units are occupied,2 and the city counts about 101,964 residents.2
Daly City's housing has a median year built of about 1965,3 Census estimates show; about 42 percent of units came before 1960 and about 6 percent in 2000 or later.3 Daly City's largest group of homes has three bedrooms, about 34 percent of housing units;4 about 20 percent have four or more, and about 24 percent are studios or one-bedrooms.
Who lives in Daly City homes
Daly City's average household is about 3.13 people, about 3.26 among owners and about 2.93 among renters,5 the Census estimates. Someone 65 or older lives in about 41 percent of households,5 someone under 18 in about 27 percent,5 and about 21 percent are one person alone.5
Larger buildings of five or more units hold about 52 percent of Daly City's renter households and detached houses about 20 percent,6 per the Census; about 1,218 owner households are in those larger buildings too. A move-in year of 2020 or later applies to about 34 percent of Daly City's renter households, about 4,419, and to about 9 percent of its owners.7
Daly City's three bins
The City of Daly City says it already has a three-bin collection system for residential and commercial properties,8 and all residents and businesses are required to subscribe to curbside collection of organic waste, including food scraps and yard waste, as part of their regular garbage service.9 Since January 1, 2022, all businesses and multi-family dwellings, apartments and condominiums among them, must subscribe to compost services unless they have an approved waiver, the City of Daly City says.8
Daly City's SB 1383 page puts food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard materials, paper and cardboard among the organic waste residents must recycle in the green organics bin.8 The City's composting page describes using a kitchen pail for food scraps and food-soiled paper, then moving them to the green compost cart for curbside pickup.9
Bulky items and mattresses in Daly City
The City of Daly City says residents receive one annual bulky goods collection through its hauler, scheduled at least two weeks in advance.10 Mattresses and box springs can be recycled through the annual bulky item pickup, at a collection event or at a collection site, the City of Daly City says,11 and retailers must offer to take old units back when they deliver new ones.
Cooking oil and batteries in Daly City
Daly City's hauler page says to set used cooking oil curbside on collection day in up to two labeled one-gallon clear plastic jugs with screw-top caps.10 In Daly City, used household batteries and cell phones go in a clear zip-type plastic bag on top of the lid of the blue recycle cart, never inside the cart, and the City says button-type and lithium-ion batteries are taped individually.10
Household hazardous waste in Daly City
The City of Daly City says San Mateo County residents can dispose of household hazardous waste at drop-off collection events four times a year, by appointment.12 Daly City's list of items accepted at household hazardous waste events includes cleaning products, aerosol cans, acids and bases, and flammable liquids.12
Storm drains and streets in Daly City
Title 14 of the Daly City code bars nonstorm water from the city storm sewer system,13 and all discharges of material other than storm water must be in compliance with a permit and the chapter; section 14.08.020 lists exceptions. Daly City's stormwater system ultimately drains into the Pacific Ocean or San Francisco Bay, the City says.14
Where a property fronts a paved sidewalk, Daly City's code requires the occupant or tenant, or the owner if there is neither, to keep litter off it to the maximum extent practicable.13 Daly City says street sweeping occurs at least one day a week on all city-owned streets, and credits it with reducing the leaf litter, trash and other debris entering the stormwater system.14
Tap water in Daly City
Daly City's 2025 water report says the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission supplies about 60 percent of the city's average daily demand with Hetch Hetchy surface water,15 and the other 40 percent comes from local groundwater wells, blended together. Hardness ranges from 8.1 to 112 ppm, averaging 62, in that report's water quality table, based on Hetch Hetchy water and the effluents of two treatment plants.15 Daly City's conservation page lists a statewide restriction against washing hard surfaces that do not absorb water, like driveways or sidewalks.16 The same page notes that the Water Shortage Emergency Declaration was rescinded in 2023 and that the City will continue to educate residents.16