Is Portola Valley, CA a Good Place to Live?
Portola Valley is a small town of 4,397 in California, with a median household income of $250,001 and a 2.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 118 (US average = 100), which is 18% above the national average.
Strengths: Portola Valley stands out for solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether Portola Valley is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Portola Valley 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: 118.2Portola Valley's overall cost of living index is 118.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Portola Valley costs roughly 18% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Portola Valley, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $2,000,001 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $3,501 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 81.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $250,001 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AveragePortola Valley's violent crime rate is 264.7 per 100,000 residents — 30% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Portola Valley is served primarily by Portola Valley Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Portola Valley, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Portola Valley Elementary | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 82.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 99.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Portola Valley sees average highs of 54.7°F in January and 80.6°F in July, with 43.6 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Portola Valley, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 54.7°F |
| Average High — July | 80.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Portola Valley, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,397 | — |
| Median Age | 57.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 27.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 80.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 7.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 39.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Portola Valley
Portola Valley, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: