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Living in
Saratoga.
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 Saratoga
Saratoga is genuinely one of the most expensive places to live in America—median home values hover around $2 million and median household income sits at $250,000, which tells you immediately who can afford to be here. The city is known for its wineries and upscale dining scene, but more importantly for residents, it's a quiet, well-maintained community with excellent schools and a strong sense of stability. That said, you're paying premium prices for a semi-rural feel: the city intentionally avoids street lights and sidewalks on most residential streets to preserve its countryside character, which is charming but also means limited walkability.
Saratoga at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
51.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Foreign-Born
46.3%
Broadband Internet
97.3%
of households
Population Growth
-2.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics46.3% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Saratoga: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Saratoga, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (25.7%), and 27.0% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
18.9%
of residents
65 and Older
26.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
12.9%
of households
Married Couples
78.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.79
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 Saratoga
In Saratoga, 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
44.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
110.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
86.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1967
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $3,974,406 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Saratoga and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Saratoga is 0.8 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 Saratoga 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
Commute25.1 min avg
How Saratoga residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Saratoga, most residents drive alone to work (56%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 9 mi
Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Medium hub5.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 31 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 80% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Saratoga runs 80% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
65.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
483.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Saratoga 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 Saratoga, 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
Saratoga 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 Saratoga, 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
Saratoga is about 2% of Santa Clara County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate84°F summers, 40°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Saratoga has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and mild winters (avg low 40°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/55°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
74°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
59°/40°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
22.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
27
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
13
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
56
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 40°F | 5.03" |
| Feb | 62°F | 41°F | 4.90" |
| Mar | 66°F | 43°F | 3.43" |
| Apr | 70°F | 45°F | 1.37" |
| May | 76°F | 49°F | 0.53" |
| Jun | 82°F | 53°F | 0.15" |
| Jul | 85°F | 56°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 85°F | 56°F | 0.03" |
| Sep | 83°F | 54°F | 0.05" |
| Oct | 76°F | 49°F | 0.76" |
| Nov | 65°F | 43°F | 1.97" |
| Dec | 58°F | 40°F | 3.97" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Saratoga
Uninsured
0.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Saratoga's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Good Samaritan Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.6 mi away · San Jose
Kaiser Foundation Hospital-santa Clara
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.9 mi away · Santa Clara
Kaiser Permanente Psychiatric Health Facility-sant
Psychiatric · 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.
Education20.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Saratoga
Saratoga's student/teacher ratio is 20.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 81.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
81.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Saratoga
Public · 2-year · 6,416 students · in-state tuition $0 · 25% graduate · median earnings $55,251 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (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)
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, 39 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Saratoga
Saratoga has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (39 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
39 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
43 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
44 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
44 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
45 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
48 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
50 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
52 mi awayPublic Libraries in Saratoga
Saratoga Library
13650 Saratoga Ave., Saratoga
Cities Near Saratoga
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Saratoga?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Saratoga FAQ
Is Saratoga, California affordable?⌄
Saratoga'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 Saratoga, California safe?⌄
Saratoga's violent crime rate was 66 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 484 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Saratoga, California?⌄
Saratoga has an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Saratoga, California?⌄
The cost of living in Saratoga 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 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Saratoga, California?⌄
The average commute in Saratoga is 25 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