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Living in
Palo Alto.
The Census tops out at $2,000,000+ for home value; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.
About
Life in Palo Alto
If you're considering Palo Alto, understand upfront that you're looking at one of the most expensive housing markets in America—median home values top $2 million and median rent runs $3,484 monthly. The trade-off is that you're in the heart of Silicon Valley's tech economy, with more than 98,000 jobs across 7,000 businesses, so employment opportunities and salaries tend to be substantial. The city itself offers a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm, dry summers thanks to a rain shadow effect from the Santa Cruz Mountains, though you'll experience evening fog rolling in during warm months and minimal annual rainfall.
Palo Alto at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Foreign-Born
37.0%
Broadband Internet
96.1%
of households
Population Growth
-1.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics37.0% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Palo Alto: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Palo Alto, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (25.5%), and 17.2% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
22.2%
of residents
65 and Older
19.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.4%
of households
Married Couples
58.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.56
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 71% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Palo Alto
In Palo Alto, rent runs 71% above the CA average, and home values are 172% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
110.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
54.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1963
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $3,592,240 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.6 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Palo Alto and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in 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 Palo Alto 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
Commute21.4 min avg
How Palo Alto residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Palo Alto, most residents drive alone to work (44%), and 75% 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 52% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Palo Alto runs 52% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
158.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,881.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto, 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.
228 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Santa Clara County, county-wide
Palo Alto is about 4% 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 Palo Alto, 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
Palo Alto is about 4% of Santa Clara 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
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" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Palo Alto
Palo Alto has 3 hospitals, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
1.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Palo Alto VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available
Stanford Health Care
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Stanford Health Care · 300 Pasteur Drive
- Outpatient center: Stanford Health Care, Emeryville · 5800 Hollis St, Emeryville
Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hsp at Stanford
Childrens
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
El Camino Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4 mi away · Mountain View
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Redwood City
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.9 mi away · Redwood City
Sequoia Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.5 mi away · Redwood City
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. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education17.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Palo Alto
Palo Alto's student/teacher ratio is 17.2:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 82.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
17
within city limits
Private Schools
27
within city limits
College Degree Rate
82.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Palo Alto (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 · 7,977 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 · 7,105 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)
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, 30 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Palo Alto
Palo Alto has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (30 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
30 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
33 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
33 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
34 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
34 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
37 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
41 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
41 mi awayPublic Libraries in Palo Alto
College Terrace Library
2300 Wellesley St., Palo Alto
Mitchell Park Branch
3700 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto
Palo Alto Children`S Library
1276 Harriet St., Palo Alto
Palo Alto Downtown Branch
270 Forest Ave., Palo Alto
Rinconada Library
1213 Newell Rd., Palo Alto
Cities Near Palo Alto
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Palo Alto?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Palo Alto FAQ
Is Palo Alto, California affordable?⌄
Palo Alto's median rent is $3,484/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $231,101/year. Median home value is $2,000,000+.
Is Palo Alto, California safe?⌄
Palo Alto's violent crime rate was 159 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 2882 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Palo Alto, California?⌄
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 Palo Alto, California?⌄
The cost of living in Palo Alto is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $3,484/month and median household income is $231,101/year. The median home value is $2,000,000+. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Palo Alto, California?⌄
The average commute in Palo Alto is 21 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