Palo Alto, CA vs Los Altos, CA

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

MetricPalo Alto, CALos Altos, CA
Population67,23730,698
Median Household Income$231,101$250,000+
Median Rent$3,484/mo$3,500+/mo
Median Home Value$2,000,000+$2,000,000+
Cost of Living (US = 100)110110
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income42%37.4%
Poverty Rate6%3.2%
Unemployment Rate3.9%4.4%
Violent Crime Rate /100k15936
Property Crime Rate /100k2,8821,038
Median AQI4747
Good AQI Days /yr201201
Summer Highs79°F77°F
Winter Lows40°F43°F
Snowfall0 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute21.4 min22.3 min
Hospitals3—
Avg Hospital Rating5.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher17.218.4
College Degree Rate82.3%88.1%
Foreign-Born %37%35.5%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-1.4%-1.6%

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.