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Living in Palo Alto

There were 10,838 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2026. Median gross rent was US$3,484 per month, while the median home value was US$2,000,001 in July 2026. In July 2026, Palo Alto had a population of 67,237.

Last checked 2026-09-1936 sources

Population67,609people31 Dec 2025Official source · U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program
Median gross salary9,289EUR/month31 Dec 2024Community source · Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B20002 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS)
Median rent3,062EUR/month31 Dec 2024Independent source · Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables
Unemployment rate3.93%31 Dec 2024Independent source · Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables
Recorded crime3,245offences per 100,000country median 1,586 — 105% aboveOfficial source · FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting
PM2.5, annual mean5.23µg/m³31 Dec 2024Independent source · EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 2024

Which United States-wide rules apply when you move to Palo Alto?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Housing and cost

Owner occupation was 54.6%, and the vacancy rate was 11% in July 2026. 44.4% of renter households spent at least 30% of income on housing in July 2026.

What recurs every month5 published recurring costs, € per month
Palo Alto recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€1625
Fitness club€180
Utilities, 85 m² flat€128
Internet, 60 Mbps€63
Mobile plan, 10 GB€42

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly179.7 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Numbeo - Cost of Living in Palo Alto (Wayback Machine capture 20251107071905)36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited62.76 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Numbeo - Cost of Living in Palo Alto (Wayback Machine capture 20251107071905)36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly1,625 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Numbeo - Cost of Living in Palo Alto (Wayback Machine capture 20251107071905)36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB42.38 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Numbeo - Cost of Living in Palo Alto (Wayback Machine capture 20251107071905)36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home127.5 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Numbeo - Cost of Living in Palo Alto (Wayback Machine capture 20251107071905)36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Median gross rent$3,484/month4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent5Official
Households spending over 30% of income on rent44.35 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent5Official
Housing vacancy rate (legacy series)11.01 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent5Official
Property crime per 100,000 residents2,962 per 100,000 people1 Jul 2026FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics12Official
Average monthly rent (whole dwelling)3,631 EUR/month31 Dec 2020ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent)3Official
Median monthly rent3,062 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables26Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Recorded property crimes1,927 offenses/year31 Dec 2025FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip)13Official

Is Palo Alto a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker29%strong on work, weak on safety · range 17–41%
Skilled employee44%strong on work, weak on safety · range 33–55%
Student29%strong on education, weak on housing · range 19–39%
Family33%strong on family, weak on cost · range 24–42%
Retirement31%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 20–42%

Worked out from these numbers

How international is the population?

36.8% of residents hold a foreign nationality — 24,874 of 67,609 people. This counts nationality, not place of birth, so long-settled residents who naturalised are not in it.

Uses a supplemental estimate, so treat it as indicative.

Work and income

Median household income was US$231,101 a year in July 2026.

Unemployment across cities in United StatesUnemployment in Palo Alto is 3.9%. Of 2,153 cities with data, 1,250 have unemployment of 0 to under 5%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median household income231,101 USD/year4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Households with cable, fibre or DSL broadband88.29 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Households with a broadband subscription96.08 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Households with internet but no subscription1.8 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Households without internet2.05 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Households with satellite internet3.87 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Median gross salary9,289 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B20002 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS)25Community estimate · Supplemental context
Unemployment rate3.93 %31 Dec 2024Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables26Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

What does a salary buy in Palo Alto?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

United States median gross pay: €4,747 (2026-08-03).
Left over each month€205of €3,659 take-home
  • Rent
  • Utilities
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.€3,659
Rentaverage rent of a whole dwelling · official · ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent) · 2020-12-31− €3,631
Public transport passnot published for this city—
Utilities, 85 m²€128 · market price · Numbeo - Cost of Living in Palo Alto (Wayback Machine capture 20251107071905) · 2025-12-31− €128
Internet€63 · market price · Numbeo - Cost of Living in Palo Alto (Wayback Machine capture 20251107071905) · 2025-12-31− €63
Mobile plan€42 · market price · Numbeo - Cost of Living in Palo Alto (Wayback Machine capture 20251107071905) · 2025-12-31− €42
Left overbefore the bill this city does not publish-€205
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Palo Alto Salary needed to live in Palo Alto

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Palo Alto. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

American Job Centers — Public employment service

U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration

Job Search

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Palo Alto. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Residents with high school education or higher96.83 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent5Official
Schools85 schools30 Jun 2026NCES CCD public school count16Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · school district
School enrolment, share of residents24.71 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent5Official

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Mental health provider ratio422 ratio30 Jun 2026HRSA mental health provider ratio15Official
Primary care doctors per 100,000 residents10,838 per 100,000 people30 Jun 2026HRSA mental health provider ratio15Official
Preventable hospitalizations1,952 per 100,000 people30 Jun 2026HRSA mental health provider ratio15Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Palo Alto when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

Recorded crime across major citiesPalo Alto highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Palo Alto highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Philadelphia5,457
Houston5,442
San Antonio5,218
Chicago4,012
Dallas4,010
Austin3,709
Palo Alto3,245
Fort Worth3,158
Phoenix3,125
New York City3,039
Los Angeles2,212
San Diego2,082
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents3,245 offences per 100,000country median 1,58631 Dec 2024FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting14Official
Violent crime per 100,000 residents128.5 per 100,000 people1 Jul 2026FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics12Official
Recorded violent crimes107 offenses/year31 Dec 2025FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip)13Official

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Average commute time21.45 minutes4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Workers commuting by bicycle7.91 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Workers commuting by public transport1.96 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Workers walking to work4.61 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Nearest airportPAO3 Aug 2026OurAirports18Official
Distance to nearest airport3 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports18Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Palo Alto. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Adult Education and English Language Acquisition (AEFLA) — State Language Course

U.S. Department of Education

For adult learners, adult English-language learners.

EnglishIn Person, Online, HybridCost varies

USCIS English and citizenship class finder — Civic Orientation

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

For immigrants, future citizens.

EnglishIn Person, OnlineCost varies
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Palo Alto.

Find courses near Palo Alto

Climate and air quality

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in United StatesAnnual PM2.5 in Palo Alto is 5.2 µg/m³. Of 968 cities with data, 261 have annual PM2.5 of 6 to under 7 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean5.23 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 202435Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Average daytime high by monthJan 15 · Feb 16.5 · Mar 18.3 · Apr 20 · May 22 · Jun 24.4 · Jul 24.9 · Aug 25 · Sep 25.4 · Oct 23.4 · Nov 18.6 · Dec 15 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI21Official
Average night-time low by monthJan 5.8 · Feb 6.9 · Mar 8.2 · Apr 9.4 · May 11.4 · Jun 13.2 · Jul 14.7 · Aug 15 · Sep 14.1 · Oct 11.7 · Nov 8 · Dec 5.6 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI22Official
Average temperature by monthJan 10.4 · Feb 11.7 · Mar 13.2 · Apr 14.7 · May 16.7 · Jun 18.8 · Jul 19.8 · Aug 20 · Sep 19.7 · Oct 17.6 · Nov 13.3 · Dec 10.3 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI23Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 63.2 · Feb 73.7 · Mar 51.8 · Apr 24.8 · May 10.9 · Jun 2.7 · Jul 0.1 · Aug 0.3 · Sep 1.9 · Oct 14.2 · Nov 34.5 · Dec 63.6 mm31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI24Official
PM2.5, highest monitored reading49 µg/m³1 Jul 2026EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean11Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · county
PM2.5, annual mean6.48 µg/m³1 Jul 2026EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean11Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · county
PM2.5 monitoring sites12 monitors1 Jul 2026EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean11Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · county
Annual precipitation947.3 mm30 Jun 2026NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals17Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation
Maximum July temperature20.86 °C30 Jun 2026NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals17Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation
Average annual temperature14.26 °C30 Jun 2026NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals17Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation
Minimum January temperature9.27 °C30 Jun 2026NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals17Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation

Similar climate. In United States: Ventura ±1.4 °C. Elsewhere: Vila Franca de Xira (Portugal) ±0.7 °C, Leiria (Portugal) ±1.8 °C, Almada (Portugal) ±1.6 °C, Amadora (Portugal) ±1.6 °C, Oeiras (Portugal) ±1.6 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

Foreign residents and their share come from different publications that count different groups (for example citizens of another country, or people born abroad, or of foreign origin), so 24,874 is not 16.5% of the population. Each row names its source.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Foreign-resident share16.46 %31 Dec 2020Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)9Official
Foreign residents24,874 people31 Dec 2024Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables26Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Population density1,085 people/km²31 Dec 2025Census Reporter / U.S. Census Bureau10Official
Population67,609 people31 Dec 2025U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program20Official
Population covered by crime statistics67,491 people31 Dec 2025FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip)13Official

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median home value2,000,001 USD4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent5Official
Owner-occupied homes54.64 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent5Official
Labour force participation rate62.35 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Residents born abroad36.99 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Naturalized citizens, share of residents20.54 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Non-citizens, share of residents16.46 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Flu vaccination coverage65.54 %30 Jun 2026CDC BRFSS flu vaccination coverage7Official
Mammography screening coverage80.2 %30 Jun 2026CDC mammography screening rate8Official
Residents without health insurance1.92 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent5Official
Residents with a bachelor's degree or higher82.31 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent5Official
Crime reporting agencies1 agencies1 Jul 2026FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics12Official
Households with a vehicle available91.52 %4 Jul 2026ACS median gross rent5Official
Public transport agencies in the National Transit Database0 agencies4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Workers aged 16 and over32,286 workers4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Workers mainly working from home35.35 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official
Households using cellular data plans92.71 %4 Jul 2026ACS total population6Official

Alternatives for people set on Palo Alto

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Mountain View as a Palo Alto alternative in the same region

9 km away, better on 3 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 3.

  • Annual PM2.5: 2.1 µg/m³ Mountain View vs 5.2 µg/m³ Palo Alto−60%
  • Foreign residents: 25.7% Mountain View vs 16.5% Palo Alto+56%
  • Nearest airport: 5.0 km Mountain View vs 3.0 km Palo Alto+67%
  • Basic utilities, 85 m²: €155 Mountain View vs €128 Palo Alto+21%
  • Residents: 85,438 Mountain View vs 67,609 Palo Alto+26%
  • Median gross pay, city: €8,835 Mountain View vs €9,289 Palo Alto−5%
  • Unemployment: 3.7% Mountain View vs 3.9% Palo Alto−5%

Cities near Palo Alto

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Stanford 3.8 km away
Rent
1,826 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
Salary
1,271 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31
Sunnyvale 9.8 km away
Salary
7,943 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2024-12-31

Alternative cities in United States

Other cities in United States to compare with Palo Alto, nearest in population first.

All United States cities

How does Palo Alto compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Palo Alto's.

Palo Alto in rankings

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

What is the unemployment rate in Palo Alto?

The unemployment rate is 3.93 %. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables.

Is the air quality good in Palo Alto?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 5.23 µg/m³. The WHO 2021 guideline is 5 µg/m³ and the EU limit value is 25 µg/m³, so this reading is above the WHO guideline but within the EU limit. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 2024.

How safe is Palo Alto?

Police recorded 3,245 offences per 100,000. This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting.

How many people live in Palo Alto?

The published population is 67,609 people. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program.

How many foreign residents live in Palo Alto?

24,874 residents hold a foreign nationality. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables.

Is Palo Alto a good place to live?

Palo Alto may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Which cities are near Palo Alto?

Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Los Altos, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto are near Palo Alto. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Palo Alto, United States: population, rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 5eb3ab50fc9e75e9e06390b5bd85eac9]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/palo-alto/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_palo-alto-united-states-population-rent-salary-jobs_7ccde4fb245d,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Palo Alto, United States: population, rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {5eb3ab50fc9e75e9e06390b5bd85eac9},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/palo-alto/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Palo Alto, United States: population, rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/palo-alto/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 5eb3ab50fc9e75e9e06390b5bd85eac9; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. 2024 American Community Survey 5-year detailed tables api.census.gov · checked 2026-10-04
  2. ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B25064 (Median Gross Rent), place records www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-18
  3. ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent) www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-19
  4. ACS 2024 1-year table-based Summary File, table B20002 (Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars) by Sex for the Population 16 Years and Over with Earnings) www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-19
  5. ACS median gross rent api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-07-04
  6. ACS total population api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-07-04
  7. CDC BRFSS flu vaccination coverage data.cdc.gov · checked 2026-06-30
  8. CDC mammography screening rate data.cdc.gov · checked 2026-06-30
  9. Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS) api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-08-03
  10. Census Reporter / U.S. Census Bureau api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-08-03
Show 26 more sources
  1. EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean aqs.epa.gov · checked 2026-07-01
  2. FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-07-01
  3. FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip) cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-09-05
  4. FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-08-04
  5. HRSA mental health provider ratio data.hrsa.gov · checked 2026-06-30
  6. NCES CCD public school count nces.ed.gov · checked 2026-06-30
  7. NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-06-30
  8. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  9. U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb Places (layer 4 incorporated places, layer 5 CDPs; identical query) tigerweb.geo.census.gov · checked 2026-09-11
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program www2.census.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  11. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  12. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  13. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  14. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  15. Census Reporter ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B20002 (underlying U.S. Census Bureau ACS) api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-09-11
  16. Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-07-26
  17. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  18. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  19. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  20. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  21. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  22. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  23. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  24. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  25. EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 2024 aqs.epa.gov · checked 2026-07-26
  26. Numbeo - Cost of Living in Palo Alto (Wayback Machine capture 20251107071905) numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-31

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.