What are the schools like in Palo Alto, CA?

Palo Alto is served primarily by Palo Alto Unified. The district operates 13 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 3 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 17.1:1.

What is the median household income in Palo Alto?

The median household income in Palo Alto, CA is $214,118 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 3.3%.

What is the weather like in Palo Alto, CA?

Palo Alto has an average high temperature of 57.8°F in January and 79.4°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 15.1 inches.

Palo Alto, CA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Palo Alto, CA affordable or expensive?

Palo Alto's cost of living index is 113, where 100 represents the national average. This means Palo Alto is 13% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $2,000,001 and the median rent is $3,169 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Palo Alto, CA?

Palo Alto has a violent crime rate of 212.0 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 3033.2 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Palo Alto, CA a Good Place to Live?

Palo Alto is a mid-sized city of 67,901 in California, with a median household income of $214,118 and a 3.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 113 (US average = 100), which is 13% above the national average.

Strengths: Palo Alto stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

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

All 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: 112.9

Palo Alto's overall cost of living index is 112.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Palo Alto costs roughly 13% more than the average American city.

Metric	Palo Alto, CA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$2,000,001	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$3,169	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	56.0%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$214,118	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Palo Alto's violent crime rate is 212.0 per 100,000 residents — 44% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

212.0 /100k

Property Crime

3033.2 /100k

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

Schools & Education

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

Metric	Palo Alto, CA	National Avg
School District	Palo Alto Unified	—
Elementary Schools	13	—
Middle Schools	3	—
High Schools	3	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	17.1:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	82.2%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	96.8%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

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

Metric	Palo Alto, CA
Average High — January	57.8°F
Average High — July	79.4°F
Annual Precipitation	15.1"
Annual Snowfall	Trace / None

Demographics

Metric	Palo Alto, CA	National Avg
Population	67,901	—
Median Age	42.3	38.9
Unemployment Rate	3.3%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	23.9 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	50.9%	59.3%
Black or African American	2.1%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	5.7%	18.9%
Asian	34.8%	6.3%
Under 18	22.4%	22.2%
65 and over	19.3%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Los Altos Hills, CA 2 mi Stanford, CA 2 mi Ladera, CA 3 mi Los Altos, CA 3 mi Mountain View, CA 4 mi

ZIP Codes in Palo Alto

Palo Alto, CA is covered by 4 ZIP codes:

94303 94306 94304 94301

Palo Alto vs Other Cities

Palo Alto, CA vs Los Altos Hills, CA Palo Alto, CA vs Stanford, CA Palo Alto, CA vs Ladera, CA Palo Alto, CA vs Los Altos, CA Palo Alto, CA vs Mountain View, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Palo Alto, CA affordable or expensive?

Palo Alto's cost of living index is 113, where 100 is the national average. That puts Palo Alto roughly 13% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $2,000,001 and median rent is $3,169/month.

What is the crime rate in Palo Alto, CA?

Palo Alto's violent crime rate is 212.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3033.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Palo Alto?

Public schools in Palo Alto are operated by Palo Alto Unified. The district has 13 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.1:1. 82.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Palo Alto, CA a good place to live?

Palo Alto, CA has a population of 67,901, a median household income of $214,118, and an unemployment rate of 3.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Palo Alto?

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).

What ZIP codes are in Palo Alto?

Palo Alto, CA is covered by 4 ZIP codes: 94303, 94306, 94304, 94301.

What is the population of Palo Alto?

The population of Palo Alto, California is 67,901 with a median age of 42.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Palo Alto?

Key numbers for living in Palo Alto: cost of living index 113 (100 = US average), median home $2,000,001, median household income $214,118, crime index 91 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Palo Alto side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.