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Living in
Alum Rock.
Alum Rock is an unincorporated community in Santa Clara County, CA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Alum Rock
Alum Rock is a community of 11,619 people in California. The median household income is $126,705, median rent runs about $2,412 per month, and median home values are around $910,000. The unemployment rate is 4.3%.
Alum Rock at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.2%
Foreign-Born
41.9%
Broadband Internet
88.8%
of households
Population Growth
+0.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics41.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Alum Rock: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Alum Rock, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (52.9%), and 47.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.3%
of residents
65 and Older
18.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
38.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
16.4%
of households
Married Couples
50.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.84
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 17% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Alum Rock
In Alum Rock, rent runs 17% above the CA average, and home values are 24% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
110.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,036
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
70.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1953
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.6%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.2 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Alum Rock and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Santa Clara County, which includes Alum Rock, is 1.2 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Alum Rock: Santa Clara County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Santa Clara County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Alum Rock is less than 1% of Santa Clara County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Alum Rock Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area
Commute27.9 min avg
How Alum Rock residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Alum Rock, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 mi
Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Medium hub5.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 35 mi
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Major hub26.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 24% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, which covers Alum Rock, runs 24% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
251.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,538.2
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Santa Clara County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Santa Clara County, which includes Alum Rock, the most common type is strong wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Flood | $10 |
| 2024 | 17 | Flood | $80 |
| 2023 | 15 | High Wind | $40 |
| 2022 | 11 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 19 | Strong Wind | $1,000 |
| 2020 | 24 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 45 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 25 | Flood | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
224 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Santa Clara County, county-wide
Alum Rock is less than 1% of Santa Clara County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2024)
Air quality in Santa Clara County, which includes Alum Rock, is typically good — 201 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
201
per year
Moderate Days
161
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Santa Clara County, county-wide
Alum Rock is less than 1% of Santa Clara County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate82°F summers, 44°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Alum Rock has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and mild winters (avg low 44°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
70°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
74°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
60°/44°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
18.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
21
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
2
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
64
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 43°F | 2.97" |
| Feb | 63°F | 45°F | 3.24" |
| Mar | 66°F | 48°F | 2.64" |
| Apr | 70°F | 50°F | 1.24" |
| May | 75°F | 53°F | 0.54" |
| Jun | 80°F | 57°F | 0.17" |
| Jul | 82°F | 59°F | 0.01" |
| Aug | 83°F | 60°F | 0.03" |
| Sep | 81°F | 58°F | 0.07" |
| Oct | 75°F | 54°F | 0.80" |
| Nov | 65°F | 47°F | 1.36" |
| Dec | 59°F | 43°F | 3.07" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Alum Rock
Uninsured
6.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Alum Rock's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.7 mi away · San Jose
Kaiser Permanente Psychiatric Health Facility-sant
Psychiatric · ER available · 8.1 mi away · Santa Clara
San Jose Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · 8.7 mi away · San Jose
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education24.7% college degree rate
Schools and degree attainment in Alum Rock
Public Schools
0
none inside city limits; students attend nearby district schools
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Alum Rock (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 27,601 students · in-state tuition $8,846 · 78% graduate · median earnings $83,493 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 15,264 students · in-state tuition $1,577 · 42% graduate · median earnings $62,175 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 7,688 students · in-state tuition $1,366 · 28% graduate · median earnings $55,874 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 7,105 students · in-state tuition $1,366 · 23% graduate · median earnings $52,460 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 7,099 students · in-state tuition $1,202 · 28% graduate · median earnings $61,853 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,552 students · in-state tuition $63,513 · 89% graduate · median earnings $117,193 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site, 34 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Alum Rock
Alum Rock has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (34 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
34 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
45 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
46 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
46 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
46 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
47 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
48 mi awayPort Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
National Memorial
49 mi awayCities Near Alum Rock
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Alum Rock?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Alum Rock FAQ
Is Alum Rock, California affordable?⌄
Alum Rock's median rent is $2,389/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $126,705/year. Median home value is $909,500.
Is Alum Rock, California safe?⌄
Alum Rock is policed by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 252 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1538 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Alum Rock, California?⌄
Santa Clara County, which includes Alum Rock, has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Alum Rock, California?⌄
The cost of living in Alum Rock is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,389/month and median household income is $126,705/year. The median home value is $909,500. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Alum Rock, California?⌄
The average commute in Alum Rock is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from