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
median household income $250,000+, 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%
Top-priced homes
median home value $2,000,000+, the Census reporting cap
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Atherton
What changed most since 1990
White share88.5% → 62.0%(−26.4 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Asian share7.3% → 18.0%(+10.7 pts)US over the same years: +3.1 pts
Homes owned by their occupants93.3% → 87.6%(−5.7 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)11.3%(22)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era52.1%(101)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War18.6%(36)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Atherton, decade by decade
Atherton population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
7,163
$313,771
$1,200,037+
68.3%
26.3
2000
7,194
$364,333+
$1,821,657+
76.2%
36.0
2010
6,914
$321,680
$1,438,572+
82.6%
46.1
2020
7,188
$303,011+
$2,424,079+
82.6%
65.4
2024
6,993
$250,000+
$2,000,000+
83.1%
70.0
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
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 $250,000 or more a year. The Census Bureau does not publish medians above that cap, so the exact figure is not known.
Is Atherton, California expensive?
In Atherton, California, the median home is worth $2,000,000 or more, and the typical rent is $3,500 or more 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.
