Median Income
$103,248
household / year
Median Home Value
$1,087,200
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$2,142
gross / month
Cost of Living
118
national avg = 100

Is East Palo Alto, CA a Good Place to Live?

East Palo Alto is a small city of 29,520 in California, with a median household income of $103,248 and a 5.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 118 (US average = 100), which is 18% above the national average.

Strengths: East Palo Alto stands out for short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether East Palo Alto is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All East Palo Alto city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 118.2

East Palo Alto's overall cost of living index is 118.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in East Palo Alto costs roughly 18% more than the average American city.

Metric East Palo Alto, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $1,087,200 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $2,142 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 47.7% 65.9%
Median Household Income $103,248 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

East Palo Alto's violent crime rate is 607.3 per 100,000 residents — 60% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
607.3 /100k
Property Crime
1919.5 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

East Palo Alto is served primarily by Ravenswood City Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.1:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric East Palo Alto, CA National Avg
School District Ravenswood City Elementary —
Elementary Schools 3 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio 17.1:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 25.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 71.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

East Palo Alto sees average highs of 57.8°F in January and 79.4°F in July, with 15.1 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricEast Palo Alto, CA
Average High — January57.8°F
Average High — July79.4°F
Annual Precipitation15.1"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricEast Palo Alto, CANational Avg
Population29,520—
Median Age34.338.9
Unemployment Rate5.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time25.3 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)30.9%59.3%
Black or African American13.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino39.1%18.9%
Asian5.7%6.3%
Under 1822.9%22.2%
65 and over9.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Menlo Park, CA 1 mi Stanford, CA 3 mi Atherton, CA 4 mi North Fair Oaks, CA 4 mi West Menlo Park, CA 5 mi

East Palo Alto vs Other Cities

East Palo Alto, CA vs Menlo Park, CA East Palo Alto, CA vs Stanford, CA East Palo Alto, CA vs Atherton, CA East Palo Alto, CA vs North Fair Oaks, CA East Palo Alto, CA vs West Menlo Park, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

East Palo Alto's cost of living index is 118, where 100 is the national average. That puts East Palo Alto roughly 18% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $1,087,200 and median rent is $2,142/month.
East Palo Alto's violent crime rate is 607.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1919.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in East Palo Alto are operated by Ravenswood City Elementary. The district has 3 elementary, 1 middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.1:1. 25.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
East Palo Alto, CA has a population of 29,520, a median household income of $103,248, and an unemployment rate of 5.0%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
East Palo Alto averages 57.8°F in January and 79.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 15.1 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of East Palo Alto, California is 29,520 with a median age of 34.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in East Palo Alto: cost of living index 118 (100 = US average), median home $1,087,200, median household income $103,248, crime index 132 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare East Palo Alto side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.