Palo Alto, CA

Census Place

Add Comparison

Population

67,019

0.0939% 1-year decline

US Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Democratic Party

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

Median Age

41.9

Poverty Rate

5.9%

Median Household Income

$157,120

6.5% 1-year growth

Median Property Value

$2M

0.538% 1-year growth

Number of Employees

32,287

0.805% 1-year decline

About

In 2018, Palo Alto, CA had a population of 67k people with a median age of 41.9 and a median household income of $157,120. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Palo Alto, CA declined from 67,082 to 67,019, a -0.0939% decrease and its median household income grew from $147,537 to $157,120, a 6.5% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Palo Alto, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (55.2%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (32.5%), White (Hispanic) (4.44%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.26%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (1.54%). NaNk% of the people in Palo Alto, CA speak a non-English language, and 84.2% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Palo Alto, CA are Sofia University (31 degrees awarded in 2017).

The median property value in Palo Alto, CA is $2M, and the homeownership rate is 55.1%. Most people in Palo Alto, CA commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 22.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Palo Alto, CA is 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

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.

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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Impact on Employment

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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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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Civics

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Santa Clara County, CA went to Hillary Rodham Clinton with 72.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (20.6%), followed by Other (6.71%). The most partisan county was San Francisco County, CA with 85% of the vote going to Hillary Rodham Clinton 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 Santa Clara County, CA.

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

2016 Election Results

Hillary Rodham Clinton (72.7%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (20.6%)
Republican Party
Other (6.71%)
Other Party

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Hillary Rodham Clinton with 72.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (20.6%), followed by Other (6.71%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2016.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

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

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Popular Vote for Santa Clara County, CA

72.7% for the Democratic Party

Most Partisan Counties in California

San Francisco County, CA
85% for Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democratic Party)
Alameda County, CA
78.7% for Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democratic Party)
Marin County, CA
78.1% for Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democratic Party)

In the 2016 presidential election, the most partisan county in California was San Francisco County, CA with 85% of the vote going to Hillary Rodham Clinton 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 elected Governor of California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Elected to the seat to succeed 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.

Diversity

Palo Alto, CA is home to a population of 67k people, from which 84.2% are citizens. As of 2018, 34.4% of Palo Alto, CA residents were born outside of the country (23.1k people).

In 2018, there were 1.7 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (37k people) in Palo Alto, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 21.8k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 2.98k White (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)
37k ± 1.2k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
21.8k ± 1.08k
White (Hispanic)
2.98k ± 754

5.72%

Hispanic Population

3.83k people

5.72% of the people in Palo Alto, CA are hispanic (3.83k people).

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

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

34.4%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

23.1k people

34.7%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

23.3k people

As of 2018, 34.4% of Palo Alto, CA residents (23.1k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.7%. In 2017, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Palo Alto, CA was 34.7%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

± 2.3

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 0.9

In 2018, the median age of all people in Palo Alto, CA was 41.9. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 35, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 45. But people in Palo Alto, CA are getting getting older. In 2017, 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
4,212,695 ± 47,591 people
Philippines
836,199 ± 22,209 people
China
612,429 ± 19,062 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 4,212,695 California residents, followed by Philippines with 836,199 and China with 612,429.

Citizenship

84.2%

2018 Citizenship

84.5%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 84.2% of Palo Alto, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Palo Alto, CA was 84.5%, 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.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
634 ± 150
Korea
341 ± 107
World War II
254 ± 94

Palo Alto, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.86 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

Median household income in Palo Alto, CA is $157,120. In 2018, 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 5111 and Census Tract 5114, with respective values of $243,889 and $227,083.

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,252. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.5, which is higher than than the national average.

The economy of Palo Alto, CA employs 32.3k people. The largest industries in Palo Alto, CA are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (8,324 people), Educational Services (4,993 people), and Manufacturing (4,222 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($250,001), Information ($190,908), and Manufacturing ($150,355).

Wages

Median Household Income

$157,120

2018 value

± $4,870

6.5%

1 Year Growth

± 4.71%

Households in Palo Alto, CA have a median annual income of $157,120, which is more than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $147,537 in 2017, which represents a 6.5% 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 Gender in Common Jobs

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

$72,235

Average Male Salary in California

± $699

$57,252

Average Female Salary in California

± $582

In 2017, full-time male employees in California made 1.26 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-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
$65,946 ± $1,081
White
$59,925 ± $556
Two or More Races
$49,289 ± $1,826

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of California workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.1 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.

0.5

2017 Wage GINI in California

0.5

2016 Wage GINI in California

In 2017, the income inequality in California was 0.5 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.16% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 5112
Census Tract 5111
Census Tract 5114

In 2018, 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 5111 and Census Tract 5114, with respective values of $243,889 and $227,083.

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

Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 75+

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

5.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Palo Alto, CA (3.93k out of 66.6k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 75+, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 45 - 54.

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
1,962 ± 330
Asian
1,572 ± 339
Hispanic
524 ± 184

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

32.3k

2018 Value

± 1,212

-0.805%

1 Year decline

± 5.26%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Palo Alto, CA declined at a rate of -0.805%, from 32.5k employees to 32.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Palo Alto, CA, are Management Occupations (5,924 people), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (4,824 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (3,104 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 (5,924 people), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (4,824 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (3,104 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Palo Alto, CA has an unusually high number of residents working as Computer & Mathematical Occupations (4.88 times higher than expected), Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations (4.83 times), and Architecture & Engineering Occupations (3.72 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Palo Alto, CA, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($190,144), Management Occupations ($159,869), and Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($152,930).

Industries

Employment by Industries

32.3k

2018 Value

± 1,212

-0.805%

1 Year decline

± 5.26%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Palo Alto, CA declined at a rate of -0.805%, from 32.5k employees to 32.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Palo Alto, CA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (8,324 people), Educational Services (4,993 people), and Manufacturing (4,222 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 (8,324 people), Educational Services (4,993 people), and Manufacturing (4,222 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Palo Alto, CA has an unusually high number of Information (4.4 times higher than expected), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (3.63 times), and Educational Services (1.67 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Palo Alto, CA, by median earnings, are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($250,001), Information ($190,908), and Manufacturing ($150,355).

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 2015, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $196B, followed by Mixed freight ($157B) and Gasoline ($127B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California.

$1.54T

2015 Value in California

$2.48T

Projected 2045 Value in California

61.2% growth

In 2015, total outbound California trade was $1.54T. This is expected to increase 61.2% to $2.48T by 2045.

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
$63.1B
Arizona
$42.2B
Washington
$31.2B

In 2015, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $63.1B, followed by Arizona with $42.2B and Washington and $31.2B.

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

Education

In 2017, universities in Palo Alto, CA awarded 31 degrees. The student population of Palo Alto, CA is skewed towards women, with 129 male students and 216 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Palo Alto, CA are White (13 and 61.9%), followed by Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders (3 and 14.3%), Unknown (3 and 14.3%), and Black or African American (1 and 4.76%).

The largest universities in Palo Alto, CA by number of degrees awarded are Sofia University (31 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Palo Alto, CA are Other Psychology (18 and 58.1%), Computer Science (10 and 32.3%), and Clinical Psychology (3 and 9.68%).

The median tuition costs in Palo Alto, CA are $N/A for private four year colleges, and $N/A and $N/A respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

Computer Science
10 degree-majorss awarded
N/A
N/A degree-majorss awarded
Other Psychology
15 degree-majorss awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Palo Alto, CA was Computer Science with 10 degree-majorss 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

31 degrees awarded

$N/A

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2017, the Palo Alto, CA institution with the largest number of graduating students was Sofia University with 31 degrees awarded.

Student Gender for Common Institutions

Degrees Awarded to Men

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 15 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Palo Alto, CA, which is 0.938 times less than the 16 female students who received degrees in the same year.

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

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
13 degrees awarded
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders
3 degrees awarded
Unknown
3 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Palo Alto, CA were to White students. These 13 degrees mean that there were 4.33 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, with 3 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Palo Alto, CA was $2M in 2018, which is 8.71 times larger than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $1.99M to $2M, a 0.538% increase. The homeownership rate in Palo Alto, CA is 55.1%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Palo Alto, CA have an average commute time of 22.6 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. 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

2018 Median

± $N/A

$1.99M

2017 Median

± $82,686

In 2018, the median property value in Palo Alto, CA grew to to $2M from the previous year's value of $1.99M.

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 N/A range.

Household Income

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

$157,120

Median Household Income

± $4,870

26.2k

Number of Households

± 938

In 2018, the median household income of the 26.2k households in Palo Alto, CA grew to $157,120 from the previous year's value of $147,537.

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

55.1%

2018 Homeownership

54.9%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 55.1% of the housing units in Palo Alto, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 54.9%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Palo Alto, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

22.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Palo Alto, CA have a shorter commute time (22.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.3 minutes). Additionally, 2.38% 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 Method of Travel

Drove Alone
63.8%
Worked At Home
8.93%
Bicycle
8.88%

In 2018, the most common method of travel for workers in Palo Alto, CA was Drove Alone (63.8%), followed by those who Worked At Home (8.93%) and those who Bicycle (8.88%).

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 1 car.

Health

97.5% of the population of Palo Alto, CA has health coverage, with 66.3% on employee plans, 4.56% on Medicaid, 12.3% on Medicare, 14.1% on non-group plans, and 0.212% 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 973 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.103% increase from the previous year (972 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 888 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 329 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Tehama County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (10.6%). Additionally, Tulare County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (33.4%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

973 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 973 patients per year. This represents a 0.103% increase from the previous year (972 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

2.47%

Uninsured

66.3%

Employer Coverage

4.56%

Medicaid

12.3%

Medicare

14.1%

Non-Group

0.212%

Military or VA

Between 2017 and 2018, the percent of uninsured citizens in Palo Alto, CA declined by 20.5% from 3.11% to 2.47%.

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.