City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Los Altos, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Los Altos - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

30,736
Residents
$250,001
Median income
$2,000,001
Median home
$3,604
Median rent (state)

Los Altos - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Los Altos places in the 99th percentile for household income and the 52nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

99th
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
99th
percentile, median rent
52nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Los Altos, CA

30,736 people live in Los Altos, California - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $250,001 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.4%. Typical homes in Los Altos are valued around $2,000,001, and the median resident age is 46.0 years. 87.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 55.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 246 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 364% from five years earlier. Los Altos reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1289.3 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $3,604 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). Workers in Los Altos report an average commute of 14.9 minutes, with 53.5% driving alone and 35.2% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.2 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

30,736 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$250,001 /yr

Poverty 2.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Los Altos compare to other US cities?

Los Altos measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 99% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 99% pricier than other cities
Safety 52% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at California, Los Altos ranks #111 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Los Altos against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Los Altos's strongest outlier among California cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Los Altos ranks #7 - the 100th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Los Altos only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1 of 1,338
98th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#50 of 1,458
91st percentile in California
Median Home Value
#1 of 1,343
95th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#1,083 of 1,450
25th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#7 of 1,458
100th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

99thIncome percentile
52ndSafety percentile

99th percentile nationally for median household income · 52nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Los Altos's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Los Altos's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 51 Avg. percentile National median
Los Altos's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Los Altos's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$2,000,001 1st percentile more affordable than 1% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Los Altos $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Los Altos, CA Los Altos, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Los Altos, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Los Altos, CA median $250,001/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Los Altos, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Los Altos, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 87.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
30,736
Median Income
$250,001
Median Home Value
$2,000,001
Median Age
46.0
Poverty Rate
2.4%
Labor force participation
55.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
87.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1289.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
77.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1211.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
10
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
30,000 residents30,500 residents31,000 residents31,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 31,348 residents 30,965 residents ▼ -1.2%
Los Altos's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
246
housing units authorized
Single-Family
70
detached homes
Multifamily
176
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 53
2020 49
2021 134
2022 45
2023 34
2024 246

Permit volume increased 364% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
14.9 minutes
Drive Alone
53.5%
Carpool
4.9%
Public Transit
1.4%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
35.2%
Other
3.6%

Based on 13,328 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Los Altos sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,604/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Banning
30,680 people
La Verne
30,804 people
Laguna Hills
30,921 people
Burlingame
30,526 people
Lawndale
31,113 people
Saratoga
30,335 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Los Altos's 30,736 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Oakleaf Plantation, FL
30,737 people
Miami Lakes, FL
30,731 people
Westfield, NJ
30,760 people
North Chicago, IL
30,772 people
Washington, UT
30,686 people
West Falls Church, VA
30,660 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Los Altos's $250,001 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Altona, CO
$250,001 median income
Cherry Hills, CO
$250,001 median income
Columbine Valley, CO
$250,001 median income
Upper Witter Gulch, CO
$250,001 median income
Bogus Hill, CT
$250,001 median income
Candlewood Isle, CT
$250,001 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Los Altos, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Los Altos, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 51.8% 37.5% 7.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.5% White 51.8% Black or African American 1.0% Asian 37.5% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.9% Two or more races 7.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Los Altos compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Los Altos (this city) 30,736 $250,001
Banning 30,680 $57,699
La Verne 30,804 $104,565
Laguna Hills 30,921 $122,778
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Los Altos, CA?

What is the population of Los Altos, CA? +

Los Altos, CA counts 30,736 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Los Altos, CA? +

The median household income in Los Altos is $250,001 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Los Altos? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Los Altos; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Los Altos, CA safe? +

Los Altos has a total crime rate of 1289.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Los Altos, CA? +

The median home value in Los Altos is $2,000,001, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.