Los Altos is a city of 30,698 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: 88% 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 45.9
US median: 38.9
More educated
88% 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 Los Altos
What changed most since 1990
Asian share10.0% → 38.9%(+28.9 pts)US over the same years: +3.1 pts
White share86.6% → 49.5%(−37.1 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree59.6% → 88.1%(+28.5 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 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)5.3%(27)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)16%(82)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era53.4%(274)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7%(36)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II5.8%(30)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 513 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
Los Altos, decade by decade
Los Altos 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
26,303
$190,995
$1,200,037+
59.6%
30.0
2000
27,693
$230,877
$1,773,381
71.3%
45.4
2010
28,976
$215,734
$1,438,572+
78.2%
60.2
2020
31,625
$291,003
$2,424,079+
84.6%
74.2
2024
30,698
$250,000+
$2,000,000+
88.1%
74.6
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.
Los Altos, California has about 30,698 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Los Altos, California?
The typical household in Los Altos, 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 Los Altos, California expensive?
In Los Altos, 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 Los Altos, California?
About 88.1% of adults age 25 and over in Los Altos, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Los Altos, California?
About 3.2% of people in Los Altos, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Los Altos, California grown since 1990?
Yes, Los Altos, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 4,395 residents, a change of about 17 percent over that period.
