City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Menlo Park, CA

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

32,775
Residents
$206,588
Median income
$2,000,001
Median home
$3,604
Median rent (state)

Menlo Park - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Menlo Park places in the 98th percentile for household income and the 32nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

98th
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
99th
percentile, median rent
32nd
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: Menlo Park, CA

California's Menlo Park is a small city, with 32,775 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $206,588 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.3%. Home values in Menlo Park run a median of $2,000,001, and the median resident age is 38.5 years. Educational attainment runs 72.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 63.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 84 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 66% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2009.5 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: the state registers 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $3,604 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.2 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

32,775 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$206,588 /yr

Poverty 2.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Menlo Park compare to other US cities?

Where Menlo Park sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 98% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 99% pricier than other cities
Safety 32% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: Menlo Park ranks #241 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

California-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Menlo Park's strongest outlier among California cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Menlo Park ranks #1 - the 95th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Menlo Park only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#65 of 1,338
95th 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
#1,091 of 1,450
24th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#78 of 1,458
94th 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.

98thIncome percentile
32ndSafety percentile

98th percentile nationally for median household income · 32nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Menlo Park's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Menlo Park'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 44 Avg. percentile National median
Menlo Park'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 Menlo Park'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. Menlo Park $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 - Menlo Park, CA Menlo Park, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Menlo Park, 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 Menlo Park, CA median $206,588/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%
Menlo Park, 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 Menlo Park, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 72.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.1%

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

Population
32,775
Median Income
$206,588
Median Home Value
$2,000,001
Median Age
38.5
Poverty Rate
2.3%
Labor force participation
63.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
72.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2009.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
228.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1780.9
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 →
31,500 residents32,000 residents32,500 residents33,000 residents33,500 residents34,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 33,677 residents 32,713 residents ▼ -2.9%
Menlo Park's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
84
housing units authorized
Single-Family
84
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 245
2020 12
2021 173
2022 821
2023 59
2024 84

Permit volume decreased 66% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
49.4%
Carpool
7.2%
Public Transit
3.0%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
29.3%
Other
9.6%

Based on 16,293 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 Menlo Park 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

Los Gatos
32,773 people
Desert Hot Springs
32,786 people
Bell
32,830 people
Lathrop
32,696 people
Goleta
32,693 people
Dana Point
32,883 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Menlo Park's 32,775 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Houma, LA
32,760 people
Brooklyn Center, MN
32,811 people
St. Charles, IL
32,733 people
Andover, MN
32,825 people
Pasadena, MD
32,717 people
Savage, MN
32,706 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Menlo Park's $206,588 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Richwood, NJ
$206,685 median income
Terrace Park, OH
$206,705 median income
Moreland Hills, OH
$206,818 median income
Martinsville, NJ
$206,839 median income
Kirkpatrick, OR
$206,875 median income
Lac La Belle, WI
$206,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Menlo Park, 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 Menlo Park, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 57.5% 18.3% 8.0% 11.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19.8% White 57.5% Black or African American 3.5% Asian 18.3% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 8.0% Two or more races 11.8% 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 Menlo Park 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
Menlo Park (this city) 32,775 $206,588
Los Gatos 32,773 $207,891
Desert Hot Springs 32,786 $50,349
Bell 32,830 $60,641
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Menlo Park, CA?

What is the population of Menlo Park, CA? +

32,775 people live in Menlo Park, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Menlo Park, CA? +

The median household income in Menlo Park is $206,588 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Menlo Park? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Menlo Park; 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 Menlo Park, CA safe? +

Menlo Park has a total crime rate of 2009.5 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 Menlo Park, CA? +

The median home value in Menlo Park 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.