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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Los Altos

California · 26,303 residents · 6.54 sq mi
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The short version

Los Altos is a city of 26,303 people in California. That is roughly 122% ahead of the California median. Median household income runs $79,579, well clear of the $30,130 US median. This is an unusually credentialed place: 60% of adults have a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $500,001. The median age is 43.8, about 11 years above the US median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 43.8
US median: 33.0
More educated
60% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 32%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

26,303
−5%vs 2000
vs 27,693 in 2000
1990 – 2025
43.8
−1%vs 2000
vs 44.2 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
6.54 sq mi
Population, 19902024
26K27K29K31K32K19902000201020202024Los Altos
202431K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 55%(1,324)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 95.1%(1,342)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.9%(1,819)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 195.3%(1,404)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 242.8%(747)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3410.2%(2,678)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4416.9%(4,444)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5416.8%(4,409)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 6412.3%(3,248)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 7411.8%(3,092)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 845.4%(1,428)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.4%(368)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$79,579
−17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $126,740 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$37,776
−43%vs 2000
vs $66,776 in 2000
US average: $14,340
1.2%
−1.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 2.4% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$500,001
−32%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $973,500 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$1,001
−24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $1,727 in 2000
US average: $450
87.8%
+2.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 85.6% in 2000
12.2% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic78.2%(21,656)
Black0.5%(127)
Hispanic / Latino3%(822)
Asian15.4%(4,252)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic89.1%(23,445)
Black0.3%(81)
Hispanic / Latino3%(785)
Asian10%(2,637)
Other0.5%(140)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.8%(554)
Chilean1%(316)
Argentine0.5%(168)
Spaniard0.3%(85)
Venezuelan0.3%(79)
Dominican0.2%(61)
Ecuadorian0.2%(58)
Peruvian0.2%(55)
Colombian0.1%(45)
Puerto Rican0.1%(33)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Honduran0.1%(32)
Salvadoran0.1%(32)
Nicaraguan0.1%(25)
Costa Rican0.1%(23)
Panamanian0.1%(23)
Asian origin
Chinese15.9%(4,890)
Asian Indian12.9%(3,956)
Korean3.2%(991)
Taiwanese2%(603)
Japanese1.5%(451)
Vietnamese0.7%(212)
Filipino0.4%(126)
Pakistani0.4%(109)
Singaporean0.2%(53)
Hmong0.1%(40)
Cambodian0.1%(30)
Kazakh0%(12)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Thai0%(7)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German10%(3,057)
English9.3%(2,850)
Irish6.4%(1,957)
Italian4.1%(1,263)
Russian3%(918)
French2.4%(722)
Iranian2.3%(715)
Polish2.1%(649)
American2%(603)
Scottish1.5%(452)
Ukrainian1.3%(410)
Danish1.2%(377)
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish1.2%(369)
British1.2%(363)
Norwegian1%(293)
Canadian0.9%(262)
Swiss0.8%(245)
Croatian0.8%(233)
Arab0.7%(223)
Israeli0.7%(219)
Dutch0.7%(213)
Portuguese0.5%(155)
Greek0.5%(142)
Romanian0.5%(140)
Australian0.4%(129)
Armenian0.4%(120)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(112)
Czech0.3%(79)
Palestinian0.2%(64)
Austrian0.2%(64)
Slovene0.2%(64)
Lithuanian0.2%(62)
Welsh0.2%(58)
Brazilian0.2%(57)
Hungarian0.2%(53)
Egyptian0.1%(45)
Finnish0.1%(40)
Latvian0.1%(40)
Lebanese0.1%(38)
Serbian0.1%(37)
Belgian0.1%(36)
West Indian0.1%(33)
Jamaican0.1%(33)
Moroccan0.1%(27)
Turkish0.1%(25)
Macedonian0.1%(18)
Jordanian0%(10)
Slovak0%(9)
Section 05

Education

59.6%
−11.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 71.3% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
95.7%
−1.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 97.2% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
27.4%
−8.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 35.8% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

21.9 min
+59%vs 2000
vs 13.7 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married23.6%(2,881)
Married71.6%(8,754)
Widowed1.6%(196)
Divorced3.2%(390)
Women 15+
Never married22.6%(2,841)
Married64.8%(8,144)
Widowed6.2%(783)
Divorced6.4%(800)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

1.4%
−1.1 ptssince 2013
from 2.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
74.7%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 74.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
17.7%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 19.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
19.2%
+2.5 ptssince 2020
from 16.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
2.7%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 3.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 0.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
89.9%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 90.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
20.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 19.4% 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)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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Los Altos, California?

Los Altos, California has about 26,303 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Los Altos, California?

The typical household in Los Altos, California earns about $79,579 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Los Altos, California expensive?

In Los Altos, California, the median home is worth about $500,001, and the typical rent is about $1,001 a month.

How educated are people in Los Altos, California?

About 59.6% 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 1.2% of people in Los Altos, California live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →