Palo Alto, CA

Census Place

Add Comparison

2019 Population

66,573

0.665% 1-year decline

US Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Democratic Party

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

2019 Median Age

41.8

0.239% 1-year decrease

2019 Poverty Rate

6.14%

4.09% 1-year increase

2019 Median Household Income

$158,271

0.733% 1-year growth

2019 Median Property Value

$2M

2019 Employed Population

31,982

0.945% 1-year decline

About

In 2019, Palo Alto, CA had a population of 66.6k people with a median age of 41.8 and a median household income of $158,271. Between 2018 and 2019 the population of Palo Alto, CA declined from 67,019 to 66,573, a −0.665% decrease and its median household income grew from $157,120 to $158,271, a 0.733% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Palo Alto, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (54.9%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (32.4%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.64%), White (Hispanic) (4%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (1.76%). 0% of the households in Palo Alto, CA speak a non-English language at home as their primary language.

84.6% of the residents in Palo Alto, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Palo Alto, CA are Sofia University (814 degrees awarded in 2020).

In 2019, 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 23 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 States California Santa Clara County, CA San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Menlo Park, East Palo Alto Cities & Atherton Town PUMA, CA Mountain View, Palo Alto & Los Altos Cities PUMA, CA

Diversity

Palo Alto, CA is home to a population of 66.6k people, from which 84.6% are citizens. As of 2019, 35.3% of Palo Alto, CA residents were born outside of the country (23.5k people).

In 2019, there were 1.7 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (36.6k people) in Palo Alto, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 21.6k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 3.09k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Palo Alto, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
36.6k ± 1.14k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
21.6k ± 986
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
3.09k ± 565

5.55%

Hispanic Population

3.7k people

5.55% of the people in Palo Alto, CA are hispanic (3.7k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Palo Alto, CA as a share of the total population.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

35.3%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

23.5k people

34.4%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

23.1k people

As of 2019, 35.3% of Palo Alto, CA residents (23.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.7%. In 2018, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Palo Alto, CA was 34.4%, 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.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 2

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1

In 2019, the median age of all people in Palo Alto, CA was 41.8. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 35, were generally younger than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 46. But people in Palo Alto, CA are getting getting younger. In 2018, the average age of all Palo Alto, CA residents was 42.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
4,083,367 ± 46,962 people
Philippines
839,299 ± 22,251 people
China
667,994 ± 19,895 people

In 2019, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 4,083,367 California residents, followed by Philippines with 839,299 and China with 667,994.

Citizenship

84.6%

2019 Citizenship

84.2%

2018 Citizenship

As of 2019, 84.6% of Palo Alto, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2018, the percentage of US citizens in Palo Alto, CA was 84.2%, 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.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
559 ± 141
Korea
320 ± 96
Gulf War (2001-)
186 ± 101

Palo Alto, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.75 times greater than any other conflict.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for California. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in California, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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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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Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in California. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

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Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of California across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Economy

Median household income in Palo Alto, CA is $158,271. In 2019, the place with the highest median household income in Palo Alto, CA was Census Tract 5111 with a value of $248,750, followed by Census Tract 5114 and Census Tract 5112, with respective values of $247,955 and $218,906.

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $62,156. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.499, which is higher than than the national average.

The economy of Palo Alto, CA employs 32k people. The largest industries in Palo Alto, CA are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (8,665 people), Educational Services (5,216 people), and Manufacturing (4,090 people), and the highest paying industries are Information ($202,321), Manufacturing ($154,263), and Finance & Insurance ($148,036).

Wages

Median Household Income

$158,271

2019 value

± $6,623

0.733%

1 Year Growth

± 5.17%

Households in Palo Alto, CA have a median annual income of $158,271, which is more than the median annual income of $65,712 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $157,120 in 2018, which represents a 0.733% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Palo Alto, CA compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Sex in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for California.

$78,556

Average Male Salary in California

± $756

$62,156

Average Female Salary in California

± $629

In 2019, full-time male employees in California made 1.26 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the sex-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in California by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for California.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in California

Asian
$73,480 ± $1,183
White
$65,253 ± $608
Two or More Races
$54,888 ± $1,917

In 2019 the highest paid race/ethnicity of California workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.13 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in California.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in California by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Palo Alto, CA is from California.

0.499

2019 Wage GINI in California

0.5

2018 Wage GINI in California

In 2019, the income inequality in California was 0.499 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.144% decline from 2018 to 2019, 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.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 5111
Census Tract 5114
Census Tract 5112

In 2019, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Palo Alto, CA was Census Tract 5111 with a value of $248,750, followed by Census Tract 5114 and Census Tract 5112, with respective values of $247,955 and $218,906.

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

Poverty by Age and Sex

Females 75+

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

6.14% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Palo Alto, CA (4.06k out of 66.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.3%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 75+, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

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.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
1,844 ± 314
Asian
1,774 ± 363
Hispanic
603 ± 188

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

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

32k

2019 Value

± 1,133

−0.945%

1 Year decline

± 5.21%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Palo Alto, CA declined at a rate of −0.945%, from 32.3k employees to 32k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Palo Alto, CA, are Management Occupations (5,882 people), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (4,944 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (3,070 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Palo Alto, CA.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Palo Alto, CA, by number of employees, are Management Occupations (5,882 people), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (4,944 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (3,070 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Palo Alto, CA has an unusually high number of residents working as Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations (5.32 times higher than expected), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (4.9 times), and Architecture & Engineering Occupations (3.63 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Palo Alto, CA, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($197,768), Management Occupations ($159,833), and Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($157,928).

Industries

Employment by Industries

32k

2019 Value

± 1,133

−0.945%

1 Year decline

± 5.21%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Palo Alto, CA declined at a rate of −0.945%, from 32.3k employees to 32k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Palo Alto, CA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (8,665 people), Educational Services (5,216 people), and Manufacturing (4,090 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.

Most Common

The most common industries in Palo Alto, CA, by number of employees, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (8,665 people), Educational Services (5,216 people), and Manufacturing (4,090 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Palo Alto, CA has an unusually high number of Information (4.29 times higher than expected), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (3.74 times), and Educational Services (1.76 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Palo Alto, CA, by median earnings, are Information ($202,321), Manufacturing ($154,263), and Finance & Insurance ($148,036).

Domestic Trade

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

In 2020, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $407B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($158B) and Mixed freight ($149B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California.

$2.26T

2020 Value in California

$4.61T

Projected 2050 Value in California

104% growth

In 2020, total outbound California trade was $2.26T. This is expected to increase 104% 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.

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

Texas
$83.5B
Arizona
$44.4B
Ohio
$43.3B

In 2020, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $83.5B, followed by Arizona with $44.4B and Ohio and $43.3B.

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

Civics

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%). The most partisan county was San Francisco County, CA with 85.3% of the vote going to Joseph R Biden Jr. running for the Democratic Party.

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 53 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Palo Alto, CA. Showing the available data for California.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (63.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (34.3%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.07%)
Libertarian Party

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%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Presidential voting results are only available at the county level. Showing data for the counties inside of California.

Joseph R Biden Jr.

Popular Vote for California

63.5% for the Democratic Party

Most Partisan Counties in California

San Francisco County, CA
85.3% for Joseph R Biden Jr. (Democratic Party)
Marin County, CA
82.3% for Joseph R Biden Jr. (Democratic Party)
Alameda County, CA
80.2% for Joseph R Biden Jr. (Democratic Party)

In the 2020 presidential election, the most partisan county in California was San Francisco County, CA with 85.3% of the vote going to Joseph R Biden Jr. running for the Democratic Party.

The following map shows the counties in California colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Dianne Feinstein

Senator from California

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 California

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.

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.

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 53 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.

Education

In 2020, universities in Palo Alto, CA awarded 814 degrees. The student population of Palo Alto, CA is skewed towards women, with 746 male students and 768 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Palo Alto, CA are Unknown (29 and 55.8%), followed by Asian (12 and 23.1%), White (9 and 17.3%), and Black or African American (1 and 1.92%).

The largest universities in Palo Alto, CA by number of degrees awarded are Sofia University (814 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Palo Alto, CA are General Business Administration & Management (754 and 92.6%), Other Psychology (36 and 4.42%), and Computer Science (21 and 2.58%).

Concentrations

Most Common

Computer Science
21 degree-majorss awarded
Other Psychology
17 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
754 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Palo Alto, CA was Computer Science with 21 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Sofia University

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

814 degrees awarded

In 2020, the Palo Alto, CA institution with the largest number of graduating students was Sofia University with 814 degrees awarded.

Student Sex for Common Institutions

358

Degrees Awarded to Men

456

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2020, 358 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Palo Alto, CA, which is 0.785 times less than the 456 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the sex disparity between the institutions in Palo Alto, CA by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

Unknown
29 degrees awarded
Asian
12 degrees awarded
White
9 degrees awarded

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions in Palo Alto, CA was Unknown students. These 29 degrees mean that there were 2.42 times more degrees awarded to Unknown students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 12 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Palo Alto, CA was $2M in 2019, which is 8.32 times larger than the national average of $240,500. Between 2018 and 2019 the median property value increased from $2M to $2M, a 0% change. The homeownership rate in Palo Alto, CA is 54.6%, which is lower than the national average of 64.1%. People in Palo Alto, CA have an average commute time of 23 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 Value

$2M

2019 Median

± N/A

$2M

2018 Median

± N/A

In 2019, the median property value in Palo Alto, CA stayed at to $2M from the previous year's value of $2M.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Palo Alto, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Palo Alto, CA the largest share of households have a property value in the $2M+ range.

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$158,271

Median Household Income

± $6,623

26.2k

Number of Households

± 976

In 2019, the median household income of the 26.2k households in Palo Alto, CA grew to $158,271 from the previous year's value of $157,120.

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.

Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Palo Alto, CA 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.

Rent vs Own

54.6%

2019 Homeownership

55.1%

2018 Homeownership

In 2019, 54.6% of the housing units in Palo Alto, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 55.1%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 64.1%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Palo Alto, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

23 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Palo Alto, CA have a shorter commute time (23 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 3.05% 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.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2019

Drove Alone (62.8%)
Worked At Home (9.83%)
Bicycle (9.19%)

In 2019, 62.8% of workers in Palo Alto, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.83%) and those who used a bicycle to get to work (9.19%).

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.

Transportation

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, followed by false.

Health

97.9% of the population of Palo Alto, CA has health coverage, with 66% on employee plans, 5.01% on Medicaid, 13% on Medicare, 13.7% on non-group plans, and 0.16% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in California was $7,549 in 2014. This is a 4.04% increase from the previous year ($7,256).

Primary care physicians in Santa Clara County, CA see 962 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.207% decrease from the previous year (964 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 845 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 274 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Amador County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (17%). Additionally, Colusa County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (39%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Santa Clara County, CA.

962 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 962 patients per year. This represents a 0.207% decrease from the previous year (964 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.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

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

$7,549

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in California

$4,735

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$5,368

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,833

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in California (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4.04%, from $7,256 to $7,549.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

2.14%

Uninsured

66%

Employer Coverage

5.01%

Medicaid

13%

Medicare

13.7%

Non-Group

0.16%

Military or VA

Between 2018 and 2019, the percent of uninsured citizens in Palo Alto, CA declined by 13.6% from 2.47% to 2.14%.

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.