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Living in
East Palo Alto.
About
Life in East Palo Alto
If you're considering a move here, understand that East Palo Alto offers Bay Area proximity without the Palo Alto price tag—though at $1.1 million for a median home and $2,200 in monthly rent, it's still expensive by national standards. The job market is strong with 3.7% unemployment, and you'll find tech workers, families, and long-established Latino and Pacific Islander communities living side by side. The 25-minute average commute to job centers is reasonable for the Peninsula.
East Palo Alto at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.3%
Foreign-Born
44.1%
Broadband Internet
92.6%
of households
Population Growth
-3.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics44.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in East Palo Alto: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In East Palo Alto, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (53.9%), and 50.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.4%
of residents
65 and Older
10.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
19.2%
of households
Married Couples
44.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.49
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 10% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in East Palo Alto
In East Palo Alto, rent runs 10% above the CA average, and home values are 50% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
115.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,700
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
49.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1963
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $992,416 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.6 pts below CA average
Unemployment in East Palo Alto and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in East Palo Alto is 1.6 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What East Palo Alto Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA metro area
Commute23.7 min avg
How East Palo Alto residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In East Palo Alto, most residents drive alone to work (64%), and 70% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 mi
Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Medium hub5.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 17 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 68% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in East Palo Alto runs 68% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
552.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,609.3
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
East Palo Alto Police Department
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
99.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
San Mateo County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In San Mateo County, which includes East Palo Alto, the most common type is strong wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Flood | $10 |
| 2024 | 14 | Flood | $30 |
| 2023 | 15 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 11 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 21 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 25 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 42 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 23 | Strong Wind | $10,000 |
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.
261 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Mateo County, county-wide
East Palo Alto is about 4% of San Mateo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality27 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2024)
Air quality in San Mateo County, which includes East Palo Alto, is typically good — 281 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
27
Good Days
281
per year
Moderate Days
38
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
San Mateo County, county-wide
East Palo Alto is about 4% of San Mateo County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate79°F summers, 40°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
East Palo Alto has mild summers (avg high 79°F) and mild winters (avg low 40°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
69°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
79°/55°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
59°/40°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
15.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
12
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
14
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
56
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 39°F | 2.95" |
| Feb | 61°F | 41°F | 3.18" |
| Mar | 66°F | 44°F | 2.19" |
| Apr | 70°F | 45°F | 0.97" |
| May | 73°F | 50°F | 0.44" |
| Jun | 79°F | 53°F | 0.10" |
| Jul | 79°F | 56°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 79°F | 55°F | 0.03" |
| Sep | 80°F | 53°F | 0.07" |
| Oct | 74°F | 48°F | 0.64" |
| Nov | 64°F | 43°F | 1.60" |
| Dec | 58°F | 39°F | 2.95" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in East Palo Alto
Uninsured
8.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside East Palo Alto's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hsp at Stanford
Childrens · 3 mi away · Palo Alto
Stanford Health Care
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.3 mi away · Stanford
Palo Alto VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 4.5 mi away · Palo Alto
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.
Education18.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in East Palo Alto
East Palo Alto's student/teacher ratio is 18.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 26.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
26.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near East Palo Alto (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 15,264 students · in-state tuition $1,577 · 42% graduate · median earnings $62,175 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-East Bay
13.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 9,809 students · in-state tuition $7,993 · 69% graduate · median earnings $73,868 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 7,977 students · in-state tuition $1,332 · 30% graduate · median earnings $60,507 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,554 students · in-state tuition $68,544 · 96% graduate · median earnings $125,340 (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, 25 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for East Palo Alto
East Palo Alto has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (25 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
25 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
29 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
29 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
29 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
30 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
33 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
36 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
37 mi awayPublic Libraries in East Palo Alto
East Palo Alto Library
2415 University Ave., East Palo Alto
Cities Near East Palo Alto
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to East Palo Alto?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
East Palo Alto FAQ
Is East Palo Alto, California affordable?⌄
East Palo Alto's median rent is $2,244/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $113,493/year. Median home value is $1,102,600.
Is East Palo Alto, California safe?⌄
East Palo Alto's violent crime rate was 552 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1609 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in East Palo Alto, California?⌄
East Palo Alto has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in East Palo Alto, California?⌄
The cost of living in East Palo Alto is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,244/month and median household income is $113,493/year. The median home value is $1,102,600. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in East Palo Alto, California?⌄
The average commute in East Palo Alto is 24 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