City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

East Palo Alto, CA

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

29,143
Residents
$104,832
Median income
$1,124,000
Median home
$3,604
Median rent (state)

East Palo Alto - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, East Palo Alto lands in the 80th percentile for household income and the 22nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

80th
percentile, household income
98th
percentile, home value
99th
percentile, median rent
22nd
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: East Palo Alto, CA

California's East Palo Alto is a small city, with 29,143 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. East Palo Alto households earn a median of $104,832 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 7.0%. Home values in East Palo Alto run a median of $1,124,000, and the median resident age is 34.2 years. 25.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 65.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 0 residential units were authorized in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2526.8 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $3,604 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in East Palo Alto report an average commute of 21.6 minutes, with 66.1% driving alone and 14.3% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

29,143 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$104,832 /yr

Poverty 7.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does East Palo Alto compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 80% higher than other cities
Home value 98% pricier than other cities
Median rent 99% pricier than other cities
Safety 22% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, East Palo Alto ranks #313 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below East Palo Alto's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

80thIncome percentile
22ndSafety percentile

80th percentile nationally for median household income · 22nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

East Palo Alto's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

East Palo Alto'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 35 Avg. percentile National median
East Palo Alto'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 East Palo Alto's home value compares nationally

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

$1,124,000 2nd percentile more affordable than 2% 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. East Palo Alto $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 - East Palo Alto, CA East Palo Alto, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not East Palo Alto, 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 East Palo Alto, CA median $104,832/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%
East Palo Alto, 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 East Palo Alto, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 25.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.7%

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

Population
29,143
Median Income
$104,832
Median Home Value
$1,124,000
Median Age
34.2
Poverty Rate
7.0%
Labor force participation
65.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
25.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2526.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
607.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1919.5
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
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
28,000 residents28,500 residents29,000 residents29,500 residents30,000 residents30,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 29,959 residents 28,872 residents ▼ -3.6%
East Palo Alto's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 6
2020 4
2021 17
2022 2
2023 132
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.6 minutes
Drive Alone
66.1%
Carpool
11.3%
Public Transit
2.0%
Walk
1.9%
Work from Home
14.3%
Other
4.4%

Based on 15,465 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 East Palo Alto 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

Suisun City
29,205 people
Eastern Goleta Valley
29,411 people
San Lorenzo
29,453 people
Twentynine Palms
28,738 people
East Niles
28,586 people
Temescal Valley
28,560 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to East Palo Alto's 29,143 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Statesville, NC
29,161 people
Mehlville, MO
29,089 people
Easton, PA
29,079 people
Sachse, TX
29,075 people
East Lake-Orient Park, FL
29,064 people
Russellville, AR
29,057 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to East Palo Alto's $104,832 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lawai, HI
$104,826 median income
Silver Peak, NV
$104,821 median income
Collinsville, CT
$104,808 median income
Huntertown, IN
$104,808 median income
Brandon, SD
$104,806 median income
Rosemont, MD
$104,861 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - East Palo Alto, 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 East Palo Alto, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 23.4% 12.2% 37.3% 12.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 62.1% White 23.4% Black or African American 12.2% Asian 5.8% American Indian 4.1% Native Hawaiian 4.5% Some other race 37.3% Two or more races 12.8% 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 East Palo Alto 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
East Palo Alto (this city) 29,143 $104,832
Suisun City 29,205 $97,083
Eastern Goleta Valley 29,411 $136,839
San Lorenzo 29,453 $110,495
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about East Palo Alto, CA?

What is the population of East Palo Alto, CA? +

East Palo Alto, CA has a population of 29,143 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in East Palo Alto, CA? +

In East Palo Alto, the typical household earns $104,832 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in East Palo Alto? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for East Palo Alto; 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 East Palo Alto, CA safe? +

East Palo Alto has a total crime rate of 2526.8 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 East Palo Alto, CA? +

Homes in East Palo Alto carry a median value of $1,124,000, 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 Editorial

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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.