With 67,237 people, Palo Alto is a city in California. That is roughly 133% ahead of the California median. The median household earns $231,101, about 181% above the national median. 82% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $2,000,000+. Renters pay $3,484 a month at the median.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $231,101, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.6
US median: 38.9
More educated
82% 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 Palo Alto
What changed most since 1990
Asian share10.2% → 38.1%(+27.9 pts)US over the same years: +3.1 pts
White share81.4% → 45.0%(−36.4 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median household income (2024 dollars)$132,803 → $231,101(+74%)US over the same years: +14%
Palo Alto's population equals 3.5% of Santa Clara County's. Its number of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher equals 5.3% of the county's. Its number of households without a car equals 5.6% of the county's.
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)12.1%(137)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)8.3%(94)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era42.6%(481)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War9.5%(107)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II3.7%(42)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,128 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
Palo Alto, decade by decade
Palo Alto 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
55,900
$132,803
$1,096,351
65.2%
40.4
2000
58,598
$164,636
$1,413,604
74.4%
54.5
2010
64,403
$173,592
$1,438,572+
79.3%
69.2
2020
68,572
$210,898
$2,424,079+
82.7%
78.8
2024
67,237
$231,101
$2,000,000+
82.3%
80.1
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.
