City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Portola Valley, CA

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

4,329
Residents
$250,001
Median income
$2,000,001
Median home
$3,604
Median rent (state)

Portola Valley - the verdict

Nationally, Portola Valley sits in the 99th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

99th
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
99th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Portola Valley, CA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 4,329 residents in Portola Valley, a small town within California. Portola Valley households earn a median of $250,001 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Typical homes in Portola Valley are valued around $2,000,001, and the median resident age is 58.0 years. About 82.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 38.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 17 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 70% from five years earlier.

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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $3,604 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). Workers in Portola Valley report an average commute of 13.5 minutes, with 39.5% driving alone and 51.1% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

4,329 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$250,001 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Portola Valley compare to other US cities?

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

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

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

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 Portola Valley'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.

99thIncome percentile

99th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Portola Valley'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. Portola Valley $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 - Portola Valley, CA Portola Valley, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Portola Valley, 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 Portola Valley, 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%
Portola Valley, 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 Portola Valley, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 82.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 38.9%

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

Population
4,329
Median Income
$250,001
Median Home Value
$2,000,001
Median Age
58.0
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
38.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
82.8%

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,200 residents4,300 residents4,400 residents4,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,445 residents 4,292 residents ▼ -3.4%
Portola Valley's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
17
housing units authorized
Single-Family
11
detached homes
Multifamily
6
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 10
2020 7
2021 15
2022 10
2023 21
2024 17

Permit volume increased 70% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
13.5 minutes
Drive Alone
39.5%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.6%
Work from Home
51.1%
Other
6.8%

Based on 1,398 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 Portola Valley 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

Ford
4,310 people
Bonsall
4,308 people
Coarsegold
4,301 people
Clearlake Riviera
4,287 people
Brooktrails
4,394 people
Emerald Lake Hills
4,396 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Portola Valley's 4,329 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Pantops, VA
4,328 people
Kimberly, AL
4,327 people
Middleville, MI
4,327 people
Medford, WI
4,331 people
Sunset Beach, NC
4,326 people
Mount Hermon, VA
4,326 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Portola Valley'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 - Portola Valley, 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 Portola Valley, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 79.6% 9.4% 9.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.5% White 79.6% Black or African American 0.2% Asian 9.4% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 9.9% 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 Portola Valley 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
Portola Valley (this city) 4,329 $250,001
Ford 4,310 $45,976
Bonsall 4,308 $110,316
Coarsegold 4,301 $82,574
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Portola Valley, CA?

What is the population of Portola Valley, CA? +

Portola Valley, CA has a population of 4,329 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Portola Valley, CA? +

In Portola Valley, the typical household earns $250,001 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Portola Valley? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Portola Valley; 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.

What is the median home value in Portola Valley, CA? +

Portola Valley's median home value sits at $2,000,001, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.