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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Los Altos

California · 27,693 residents · 6.54 sq mi
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The short version

Los Altos is a city of 27,693 people in California. That is roughly 167% ahead of the California median. Median household income runs $126,740, well clear of the $42,589 US median. This is an unusually credentialed place: 71% of adults have a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $973,500, having more than doubled since 1990. Median rent is $1,727 a month.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 44.2
US median: 35.2
More educated
71% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Less affordable
home values up 48%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
27,693
+5%since 1990
from 26,303 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
44.2
+1%since 1990
from 43.8 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
6.54 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
26K27K29K31K32K19902000201020202024Los Altos
202431K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.9%(1,629)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97.1%(1,974)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.1%(1,975)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 194.8%(1,332)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 242.2%(609)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 347.2%(1,989)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4417.3%(4,794)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5416.9%(4,668)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6412.2%(3,377)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 749%(2,483)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 847.8%(2,155)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.6%(708)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$126,740
+21%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $79,579 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$66,776
+77%since 1990
from $37,776 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
2.4%
+1.1 ptssince 1990
from 1.2% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$973,500
+48%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $500,001 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,727
+31%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $1,001 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
85.6%
−2.2 ptssince 1990
from 87.8% in 1990
14.4% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

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

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

Bachelor's degree or higher
71.3%
+11.7 ptssince 1990
from 59.6% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
97.2%
+1.5 ptssince 1990
from 95.7% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
35.8%
+8.3 ptssince 1990
from 27.4% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
13.7 min
−37%since 1990
from 21.9 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married19.2%(2,004)
Married73%(7,609)
Widowed2.3%(241)
Divorced5.5%(575)
Women 15+
Never married15.1%(1,751)
Married68%(7,878)
Widowed10.1%(1,174)
Divorced6.8%(789)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
1.4%
−1.1 ptssince 2013
from 2.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
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%
Medicare
19.2%
+2.5 ptssince 2020
from 16.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Los Altos

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Pop 30,418
Los Gatos
Pop 32,576
Parkland
Pop 39,186
Pinecrest
Pop 18,635
Places similar to Los Altos
Head to head

Compare Los Altos to nearby cities

LOS ALTOS VS
Los Altos Hills
Income$250,001+97%
Home value$2,000,001+105%
Population8,419−73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LOS ALTOS VS
Mountain View
Income$189,917+50%
Home value$1,927,000+98%
Population85,438+176%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LOS ALTOS VS
Palo Alto
Income$231,101+82%
Home value$2,000,001+105%
Population67,609+118%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LOS ALTOS VS
Sunnyvale
Income$186,170+47%
Home value$1,801,800+85%
Population156,577+406%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Los Altos, California?

Los Altos, California has about 27,693 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Los Altos, California earns about $126,740 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 $973,500, and the typical rent is about $1,727 a month.

How educated are people in Los Altos, California?

About 71.3% 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 2.4% 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 1,390 residents, a change of about 5 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →