Los Altos, CA vs Santa Clara, CA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricLos Altos, CASanta Clara, CA
Population30,698130,256
Median Household Income$250,000+$178,958
Median Rent$3,500+/mo$3,016/mo
Median Home Value$2,000,000+$1,582,600
Cost of Living (US = 100)110110
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income37.4%35.3%
Poverty Rate3.2%8.4%
Unemployment Rate4.4%3.7%
Violent Crime Rate /100k36172
Property Crime Rate /100k1,0382,593
Median AQI4747
Good AQI Days /yr201201
Summer Highs77°F82°F
Winter Lows43°F44°F
Snowfall0 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute22.3 min22.6 min
Hospitals—2
Avg Hospital Rating—2.0 / 5
Students per Teacher18.419.5
College Degree Rate88.1%65.9%
Foreign-Born %35.5%46.4%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-1.6%+4.3%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.
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. Two capped values can't be compared, so neither is marked better.