Palo Alto, CA

Census Place

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2021 Population
68,624
0.958% 1-year growth
US Senator
Dianne Feinstein
Democratic Party
US Senator
Alex Padilla
Democratic Party
2021 Median Age
41.8
1.88% 1-year decrease
2021 Poverty Rate
5.02%
9.22% 1-year decrease
2021 Median Household Income
$194,782
11.9% 1-year growth
2021 Median Property Value
$2M
2021 Employed Population
33,912
2.14% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Palo Alto, CA had a population of 68.6k people with a median age of 41.8 and a median household income of $194,782. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Palo Alto, CA grew from 67,973 to 68,624, a 0.958% increase and its median household income grew from $174,003 to $194,782, a 11.9% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Palo Alto, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (50%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (35%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (5.42%), White (Hispanic) (2.55%), and Other (Hispanic) (2.27%).

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.

85.7% of the residents in Palo Alto, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Palo Alto, CA are Sofia University (673 degrees awarded in 2021).

In 2021, the median property value in Palo Alto, CA was $2M, and the homeownership rate was 55.9%.

Most people in Palo Alto, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.4 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.

geosearchPopulation & Diversity

Palo Alto, CA is home to a population of 68.6k people, from which 85.7% are citizens. As of 2021, 34.7% of Palo Alto, CA residents were born outside of the country (23.8k people).

In 2021, there were 1.43 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (34.3k people) in Palo Alto, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 24k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 3.72k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

85.7%
2021 Citizenship
84.9%
2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 85.7% of Palo Alto, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Palo Alto, CA was 84.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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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Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Palo Alto, CA
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    34.3k ± 1.26k
  2. Asian (Non-Hispanic)
    24k ± 1.36k
  3. Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
    3.72k ± 637
6.99%
Hispanic Population
4.8k people

In 2021, there were 1.43 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (34.3k people) in Palo Alto, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 24k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 3.72k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

6.99% of the people in Palo Alto, CA are hispanic (4.8k people).

The following chart shows the 7 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
    3,959,545 ± 46,338 people
  2. Philippines
    828,655 ± 22,113 people
  3. China
    680,942 ± 20,084 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,959,545 California residents, followed by Philippines with 828,655 and China with 680,942.

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Foreign-Born Population

34.7%
2021 Foreign-Born Population
23.8k people
34%
2020 Foreign-Born Population
23.1k people

As of 2021, 34.7% of Palo Alto, CA residents (23.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Palo Alto, CA was 34%, 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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Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    483 ± 134
  2. Korea
    208 ± 98
  3. World War II
    107 ± 57

Palo Alto, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.32 times greater than any other conflict.

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briefcaseEconomy

The economy of Palo Alto, CA employs 33.9k people. The largest industries in Palo Alto, CA are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (9,212 people), Educational Services (5,787 people), and Manufacturing (4,427 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($250,001), Information ($223,661), and Manufacturing ($165,417).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $69,050. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.497, which is higher than than the national average.

Occupations

33.9k
2021 Value
± 1,341
2.14%
1 Year growth
± 5.57%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Palo Alto, CA grew at a rate of 2.14%, from 33.2k employees to 33.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Palo Alto, CA, are Management Occupations (6,425 people), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (4,978 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (3,451 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 false.

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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Employment by Industries

33.9k
2021 Value
± 1,341
2.14%
1 Year growth
± 5.57%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Palo Alto, CA grew at a rate of 2.14%, from 33.2k employees to 33.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Palo Alto, CA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (9,212 people), Educational Services (5,787 people), and Manufacturing (4,427 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

$150,771
Median earning men ± $10,341
$86,390
Median earning women ± $9,585

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Information ($249,250), Wholesale Trade ($241,635), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($215,114).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Information ($200,855), Construction ($156,071), and Manufacturing ($156,029).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.
Y-Axis
2.75%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in California. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.
Top Domestic Production in Dollars
  1. $405B
  2. $159B
  3. $155B

In 2020, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $405B, followed by Mixed freight ($159B) and Pharmaceuticals ($155B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound California products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California.
$2.21T
2020 Value in California
$4.61T
Projected 2050 Value in California
109% growth

In 2020, total outbound California trade was $2.21T. This is expected to increase 109% to $4.61T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound California trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.
Most Common Trade Partners
  1. $84.4B
  2. $44.8B
  3. $40.6B

In 2020, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $84.4B, followed by Arizona with $44.8B and Ohio and $40.6B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that California shares with each state (excluding itself).

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flagCivics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.07%).

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla 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.

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.
Dianne Feinstein
Senator from California1
Assumed office on November 10, 1992
Elected to the seat to succeed John Seymour (California politician)|John Seymour, who had been appointed to the seat after Pete Wilson was elected Governor of California.
Alex Padilla
Senator from California3
Assumed office on January 18, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla 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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US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

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learningEducation

In 2021, universities in Palo Alto, CA awarded 673 degrees. The student population of Palo Alto, CA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 452 male students and 594 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Palo Alto, CA are Unknown (9 and 33.3%), followed by Asian (7 and 25.9%), White (6 and 22.2%), and Black or African American (2 and 7.41%).

The largest universities in Palo Alto, CA by number of degrees awarded are Sofia University (673 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Palo Alto, CA are General Business Administration & Management (637 and 94.7%), Other Psychology (19 and 2.82%), and Computer Science (16 and 2.38%).

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2021 there were 1,046 students enrolled in Palo Alto, CA, 43.2% men and 56.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Unknown with 856 records, of which 52.5% were women and 47.5% men.

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Concentrations

Most Common
  1. 16 degree-majors awarded
  2. 11 degree-majors awarded
  3. 637 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Palo Alto, CA was Computer Science with 16 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
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
673 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Sofia University with 673 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2021, 355 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Palo Alto, CA, which is 1.12 times more than the 318 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Unknown students. These 9 degrees mean that there were 1.29 times more degrees awarded to Unknown students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 7 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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Average Net Price by Sector

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($15,750) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($500) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

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

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Educational Pyramid

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

In 2021, 1.89% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.12% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

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Educational Attainment

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

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were Some college (7.01M), High School or Equivalent (6.74M), and Bachelors Degree (6.25M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

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homeHousing & Living

The median property value in Palo Alto, CA was $2M in 2021, which is 8.17 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $2M to $2M, a 0% change. The homeownership rate in Palo Alto, CA is 55.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Palo Alto, CA have an average commute time of 24.4 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.

Median household income in Palo Alto, CA is $194,782. In 2021, the place with the highest median household income in Palo Alto, CA was Census Tract 5112 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 5114 and Census Tract 5111, with respective values of $250,001 and $246,953.

Property

$2M
Median Property Value 2021
±N/A
$14,538
Median Property Taxes
±$721

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

55.9%
Homeownership
2021
69.9%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2021

In 2021, 55.9% of the housing units in Palo Alto, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 56.3%.

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

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Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.
Race/Ethnicity
Highest Median Household Income (Total)
  1. Census Tract 5112
  2. Census Tract 5114
  3. Census Tract 5111

In 2021, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Palo Alto, CA was Census Tract 5112 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 5114 and Census Tract 5111, with respective values of $250,001 and $246,953.

The following map shows all of the places in Palo Alto, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$194,782
Median Household Income
± $13,692
26k
Number of Households
± 970

In 2021, the median household income of the 26k households in Palo Alto, CA grew to $194,782 from the previous year's value of $174,003.

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.
0.497
2021 Wage GINI in California
0.498
2020 Wage GINI in California

In 2021, the income inequality in California was 0.497 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.12% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. 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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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021
  1. Drove Alone (51.8%)
  2. Worked At Home (24.1%)
  3. Bicycle (7.5%)

In 2021, 51.8% of workers in Palo Alto, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (24.1%) and those who used a bicycle to get to work (7.5%).

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

24.4 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Palo Alto, CA have a shorter commute time (24.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.59% 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 & Diversity

5.02% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Palo Alto, CA (3.42k out of 68.2k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 75+, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 18 - 24.

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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pulseHealth

98% of the population of Palo Alto, CA has health coverage, with 68.2% on employee plans, 4.88% on Medicaid, 12.4% on Medicare, 12.5% on non-group plans, and 0.163% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Santa Clara County, CA see 947 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.56% decrease from the previous year (962 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 827 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 251 patients per year.

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Santa Clara County, CA.
947 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Santa Clara County, CA

Primary care physicians in Santa Clara County, CA see an average of 947 patients per year. This represents a 1.56% decrease from the previous year (962 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Santa Clara County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24% under 18 years, 17.8% between 18 and 34 years, 40% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.7% were men and 52.3% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

1.95%
Uninsured
68.2%
Employer Coverage
4.88%
Medicaid
12.4%
Medicare
12.5%
Non-Group
0.163%
Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Palo Alto, CA declined by 6.56% from 2.09% to 1.95%.

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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