City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Milpitas, CA

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

78,216
Residents
$176,822
Median income
$1,180,000
Median home
$2,912
Median rent (state)

Milpitas - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Milpitas places in the 97th percentile for household income and the 11th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

97th
percentile, household income
98th
percentile, home value
97th
percentile, median rent
11th
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: Milpitas, CA

California's Milpitas is a small city, with 78,216 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $176,822 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.6%. Milpitas's housing stock carries a median value of $1,180,000, and the median resident age is 36.4 years. Educational attainment runs 58.6% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 64.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 77 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 79% from five years earlier. Milpitas's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3497.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects 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 $2,912 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 20.4 minutes, with 62.4% driving alone and 22.5% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

78,216 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$176,822 /yr

Poverty 3.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Milpitas compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 97% higher than other cities
Home value 98% pricier than other cities
Median rent 97% pricier than other cities
Safety 11% 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, Milpitas ranks #395 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

Each percentile compares Milpitas 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 places Milpitas toward the top of California's cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Milpitas ranks #167 - the 88th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Milpitas only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#106 of 1,338
92nd percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#352 of 1,458
71st percentile in California
Median Home Value
#167 of 1,343
88th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#984 of 1,450
32nd percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#189 of 1,458
87th 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.

97thIncome percentile
11thSafety percentile

97th percentile nationally for median household income · 11th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Milpitas's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Milpitas'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 37 Avg. percentile National median
Milpitas'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 Milpitas's home value compares nationally

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

$1,180,000 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. Milpitas $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 - Milpitas, CA Milpitas, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Milpitas, 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 Milpitas, CA median $176,822/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%
Milpitas, 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 Milpitas, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 58.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.9%

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

Population
78,216
Median Income
$176,822
Median Home Value
$1,180,000
Median Age
36.4
Poverty Rate
3.6%
Labor force participation
64.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
58.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3497.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
313.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3183.4
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
15
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
77,000 residents78,000 residents79,000 residents80,000 residents81,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 79,809 residents 78,596 residents ▼ -1.5%
Milpitas's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
77
housing units authorized
Single-Family
63
detached homes
Multifamily
14
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 359
2020 409
2021 201
2022 221
2023 408
2024 77

Permit volume decreased 79% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
20.4 minutes
Drive Alone
62.4%
Carpool
10.1%
Public Transit
2.4%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
22.5%
Other
1.7%

Based on 40,832 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 Milpitas sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,912/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Carmichael
78,070 people
Chino Hills
78,024 people
Napa
78,816 people
Pleasanton
77,500 people
Upland
78,940 people
Tustin
79,035 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Milpitas's 78,216 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Pasco, WA
78,446 people
Kendall, FL
78,527 people
Flower Mound, TX
77,886 people
Bloomington, IL
78,703 people
Auburn, AL
78,738 people
Bloomington, IN
78,791 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Milpitas's $176,822 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Dune Acres, IN
$176,875 median income
Croom, MD
$176,758 median income
Hoboken, NJ
$176,943 median income
Fanwood, NJ
$176,667 median income
Lake Quivira, KS
$176,607 median income
Cos Cob, CT
$176,602 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Milpitas, 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 Milpitas, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 11.6% 72.0% 7.3% 6.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.4% White 11.6% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 72.0% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 7.3% Two or more races 6.7% 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 Milpitas 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
Milpitas (this city) 78,216 $176,822
Carmichael 78,070 $84,376
Chino Hills 78,024 $122,600
Napa 78,816 $102,231
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Milpitas, CA?

What is the population of Milpitas, CA? +

Milpitas, CA has a population of 78,216 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Milpitas, CA? +

The median household income in Milpitas is $176,822 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Milpitas? +

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

Milpitas has a total crime rate of 3497.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Milpitas, CA? +

Milpitas's median home value sits at $1,180,000, 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

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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.