Palo Alto, CA

Census Place

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2024 Population
67,237
US Senator
Alex Padilla
Democratic Party
US Senator
Adam Schiff
Democratic Party
2024 Median Age
43.6
2.59% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
6%
11% 1-year increase
2024 Median Household Income
$231,101
4.85% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$2M
2024 Employed Population
32,617
0.755% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Palo Alto, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

83.5% of the residents in Palo Alto, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Palo Alto, CA are Sofia University (383 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Palo Alto, CA was $2M, and the homeownership rate was 54.6%.

Most people in Palo Alto, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Palo Alto, CA was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Palo Alto with the East Bay hills in the distance.
Photo by Don McCullough
United StatesCaliforniaSanta Clara County, CASan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAAlameda County (West)--San Leandro, Alameda, Emeryville & Piedmont Cities PUMA, CASan Mateo County (South & West)--San Mateo (South) & Half Moon Bay Cities PUMA, CASan Mateo County (Southeast)--Menlo Park, East Palo Alto Cities & Atherton Town PUMA, CASanta Clara County (Northwest)--Palo Alto City & Los Altos Hills Town PUMA, CASanta Clara County (Northwest)--Mountain View & Los Altos Cities PUMA, CASanta Cruz County (North)--Watsonville & Scotts Valley Cities PUMA, CA

Population & Diversity

Palo Alto, CA is home to a population of 67.2k people, from which 83.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 36.9% of Palo Alto, CA residents were born outside of the country (24.8k people).

In 2024, there were 1.18 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (30.3k people) in Palo Alto, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 25.6k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 3.68k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

83.5%
2024 Citizenship
84.4%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 83.5% of Palo Alto, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Palo Alto, CA was 84.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Palo Alto, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Palo Alto, CA
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    30.3k ± 1.37k
  2. Asian (Non-Hispanic)
    25.6k ± 1.41k
  3. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    3.68k ± 641
7.85%
Hispanic Population
5.28k people

In 2024, there were 1.18 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (30.3k people) in Palo Alto, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 25.6k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 3.68k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

7.85% of the people in Palo Alto, CA are hispanic (5.28k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Palo Alto, CA as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for California.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    3,862,617 ± 45,816 people
  2. Philippines
    824,246 ± 22,054 people
  3. China
    687,951 ± 20,184 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,862,617 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,246 and China with 687,951.

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Foreign-Born Population

36.9%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
24.8k people
36.2%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
24.3k people

As of 2024, 36.9% of Palo Alto, CA residents (24.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Palo Alto, CA was 36.2%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Palo Alto, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    481 ± 144
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    137 ± 99
  3. Korea
    107 ± 77

Palo Alto, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.51 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Palo Alto, CA.

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Economy

The economy of Palo Alto, CA employs 32.6k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Palo Alto, CA were Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (9,272 people), Educational Services (5,358 people), and Manufacturing (3,598 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($250,001), Information ($250,001), and Manufacturing ($208,250).

Employment

Occupations

32.6k
2024 Value
± 1,402
−0.755%
1 Year decline
± 6.06%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Palo Alto, CA declined at a rate of −0.755%, from 32.9k employees to 32.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Palo Alto, CA, are Management Occupations (5,974 people), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (5,058 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (3,013 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Palo Alto, CA.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

32.6k
2024 Value
± 1,402
−0.755%
1 Year decline
± 6.06%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Palo Alto, CA declined at a rate of −0.755%, from 32.9k employees to 32.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Palo Alto, CA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (9,272 people), Educational Services (5,358 people), and Manufacturing (3,598 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Palo Alto, CA, though some of these residents may live in Palo Alto, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$169,907
Median earning men ± $15,461
$112,339
Median earning women ± $14,474

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Information ($250,001), Wholesale Trade ($250,001), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($250,001).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Information ($243,010), Wholesale Trade ($183,910), and Manufacturing ($182,647).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.
Y-Axis
2.57%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Voting results are not available for Palo Alto, CA. Showing the available data for California.
2024 Election Results
  1. Kamala Harris (58.5%)
    Democratic Party
  2. Donald J. Trump (38.3%)
    Republican Party
  3. Robert Kennedy (1.25%)
    Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.
Alex Padilla
Senator from California3
Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.
Adam Schiff
Senator from California1
Assumed office on December 8, 2024
Elected to the seat to succeed Laphonza Butler, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Palo Alto, CA awarded 383 degrees. The student population of Palo Alto, CA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 307 male students and 730 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Palo Alto, CA are Asian (340 and 88.8%), White (34 and 8.88%), Unknown (5 and 1.31%), and Two or More Races (2 and 0.522%).

The largest universities in Palo Alto, CA by number of degrees awarded are Sofia University (383 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Palo Alto, CA are General Business Administration & Management (283 and 73.9%), Other Psychology (94 and 24.5%), and Computer Science (4 and 1.04%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 1,037 students enrolled in Palo Alto, CA, 29.6% men and 70.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Asian with 807 records, of which 71% were women and 29% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Other Psychology
    83 degrees awarded
  2. Computer Science
    4 degrees awarded
  3. General Business Administration & Management
    283 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Palo Alto, CA was Other Psychology with 83 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Masters Degree from schools in Palo Alto, CA according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Sofia University
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
383 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Sofia University with 383 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2023, 138 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Palo Alto, CA, which is 0.563 times less than the 245 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Asian students. These 340 degrees mean that there were 10 times more degrees awarded to Asian students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 34 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($18,000) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($575) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Housing & Living

People in Palo Alto, CA have an average commute time of 21.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Palo Alto, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$14,217
Median Property Taxes
±$740

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Palo Alto, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Palo Alto, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

54.6%
Homeownership
2024
69%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 54.6% of the housing units in Palo Alto, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 54.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Palo Alto, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$231,101
Median Household Income
± $9,859
26k
Number of Households
± 947

In 2024, the median household income of the 26k households in Palo Alto, CA grew to $231,101 from the previous year's value of $220,408.

The following chart displays the households in Palo Alto, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Palo Alto, CA is from California.
0.495
2023 Wage GINI in California
0.498
2022 Wage GINI in California

In 2023, the income inequality in California was 0.495 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.573% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (44.2%)
  2. Worked At Home (35.4%)
  3. Bicycle (7.91%)

In 2024, 44.2% of workers in Palo Alto, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (35.4%) and those who used a bicycle to get to work (7.91%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

21.4 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Palo Alto, CA have a shorter commute time (21.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0.474% of the workforce in Palo Alto, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Palo Alto, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Palo Alto, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Palo Alto, CA have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Palo Alto, CA (4k out of 66.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 75+, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Palo Alto, CA is White, followed by Asian and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Health

98.1% of the population of Palo Alto, CA has health coverage, with 65.3% on employee plans, 6.82% on Medicaid, 13.8% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 0.349% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in California see 1,233 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,233 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1076 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 213 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.4% under 18 years, 15.4% between 18 and 34 years, 41.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

1.92%
Uninsured
65.3%
Employer Coverage
6.82%
Medicaid
13.8%
Medicare
11.9%
Non-Group
0.349%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Palo Alto, CA declined by 6.15% from 2.05% to 1.92%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Palo Alto, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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