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Living in
Los Altos.
The Census tops out at $3,500+ for rent, $250,000+ for household income and $2,000,000+ for home value; it doesn't publish exact figures above those.
About
Life in Los Altos
Living in Los Altos means joining one of the Bay Area's most affluent and established communities, though you should know upfront that housing costs are steep—median home prices hover around $2 million, and the wealthiest ZIP codes push toward $4-7 million. The city is fundamentally a bedroom community where residents commute to jobs throughout Silicon Valley; expect an average commute of about 23 minutes, though traffic patterns vary significantly. The appeal is real if you value highly-rated schools (among California's best), strong community infrastructure, and a deliberate effort to preserve a semi-rural feel with large lot sizes and minimal street lighting.
Los Altos at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
45.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.2%
Foreign-Born
35.5%
Broadband Internet
98.6%
of households
Population Growth
-1.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics35.5% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Los Altos: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Los Altos, the largest foreign-born group is from India (20.8%), and 12.9% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
24.2%
of residents
65 and Older
20.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.0%
of households
Married Couples
73.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.81
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 72% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Los Altos
In Los Altos, rent runs 72% above the CA average, and home values are 172% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
37.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
110.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
81.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1964
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $4,591,005 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Los Altos and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Los Altos is 1.1 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 Los Altos 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
Commute22.3 min avg
How Los Altos residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Los Altos, most residents drive alone to work (51%), and 73% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Medium hub5.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 22 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 89% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Los Altos runs 89% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
35.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,037.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Los Altos Police Department
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 Los Altos, 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.
221 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Santa Clara County, county-wide
Los Altos is about 2% 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 Los Altos, 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
Los Altos is about 2% of Santa Clara County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate77°F summers, 43°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Los Altos has mild summers (avg high 77°F) and mild winters (avg low 43°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
68°/49°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
77°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
60°/43°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
17.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
9
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
2
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
66
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 42°F | 2.49" |
| Feb | 62°F | 45°F | 2.90" |
| Mar | 65°F | 47°F | 2.04" |
| Apr | 68°F | 49°F | 0.98" |
| May | 72°F | 53°F | 0.43" |
| Jun | 76°F | 56°F | 0.10" |
| Jul | 77°F | 59°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 77°F | 59°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 78°F | 57°F | 0.07" |
| Oct | 74°F | 53°F | 0.56" |
| Nov | 66°F | 46°F | 1.36" |
| Dec | 59°F | 42°F | 2.51" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Los Altos
Uninsured
1.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Los Altos's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
El Camino Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1 mi away · Mountain View
Palo Alto VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 3.4 mi away · Palo Alto
Kaiser Foundation Hospital-santa Clara
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.8 mi away · Santa Clara
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.
Education18.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Los Altos
Los Altos's student/teacher ratio is 18.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 88.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
88.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Los Altos (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)
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 · 7,105 students · in-state tuition $1,366 · 23% graduate · median earnings $52,460 (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)
Public · 2-year · 6,416 students · in-state tuition $0 · 25% graduate · median earnings $55,251 (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, 32 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Los Altos
Los Altos has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (32 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
32 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
35 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
36 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
36 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
37 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
40 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
42 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
44 mi awayPublic Libraries in Los Altos
Los Altos Library
13 S. San Antonio Rd., Los Altos
Woodland Library
1975 Grant Rd., Los Altos
Cities Near Los Altos
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Los Altos?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Los Altos FAQ
Is Los Altos, California affordable?⌄
Los Altos's median rent is $3,500+/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $250,000+/year. Median home value is $2,000,000+.
Is Los Altos, California safe?⌄
Los Altos's violent crime rate was 36 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1038 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Los Altos, California?⌄
Los Altos has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Los Altos, California?⌄
The cost of living in Los Altos is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $3,500+/month and median household income is $250,000+/year. The median home value is $2,000,000+. About 37% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Los Altos, California?⌄
The average commute in Los Altos is 22 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