United States › California › Atherton CITY · INCORPORATED 1923
Atherton California · 6,960 residents (2025 est.) · 5.02 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Atherton is home to 6,993 people in California. That is roughly 152% ahead of the California median. Median household income runs $250,000+, well clear of the $82,259 US median. This is an unusually credentialed place: 83% of adults have a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $2,000,000+, having more than doubled since 2000. Renters pay $3,500+ a month at the median.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 49.1
US median: 38.9
More educated
83% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 7,194 in 2000
6,960 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,394 / sq mi
−4%since 2009
from 1,449 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 45.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
7K 7K 7K 7K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Atherton Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $250,001
−31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $200,001 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $112,408 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 82.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 1.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.531 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 11.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 4.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.3%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$2,000,001
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,000,001 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$3,501
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $2,001 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 94.8% in 2000
12.4% rent
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.94 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 40.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 24.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 5.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 83.7%(6,022)
Hispanic / Latino 2.8%(200)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 62%(4,338)
Hispanic / Latino 14.2%(992)
from 38 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data from 76.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 96.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 40.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 77.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 48.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 56.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 68.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 7.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 2.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 94.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 98.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 81.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 36.1%(1,085)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 2.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 64.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 25.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 5.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 85.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 27.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 3.6%(7)
Gulf War (1990s) 11.3%(22)
Share of the 194 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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ATHERTON VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Atherton, California? Atherton, California has about 6,993 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Atherton, California? The typical household in Atherton, California earns about $250,001 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Atherton, California expensive? In Atherton, California, the median home is worth about $2,000,001, and the typical rent is about $3,501 a month.
How educated are people in Atherton, California? About 83.1% of adults age 25 and over in Atherton, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Atherton, California? About 5.3% of people in Atherton, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Atherton, California grown since 1990? Yes, Atherton, California has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 170 residents, a change of about -2 percent over that period.
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