Population 29,222 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in East Palo Alto
Household size in East Palo Alto
| Period | East Palo Alto | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.90 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 4.32 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.89 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.72 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.18 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
East Palo Alto is a place of big households: 3.72 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.90, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in East Palo Alto
| Period | East Palo Alto | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.3 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 28.8 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.1 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.3 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.1 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
East Palo Alto is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.3, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 28.3, a much bigger shift than nationally. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in East Palo Alto
| Period | East Palo Alto | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.5% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.7% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.6% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.9% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −9.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in East Palo Alto (12.9%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 9.6 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in East Palo Alto
Renters in East Palo Alto
| Period | East Palo Alto | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.5% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 62.8% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.9% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 50.8% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in East Palo Alto rent: 50.8% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 39.0% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in East Palo Alto
| Period | East Palo Alto | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in East Palo Alto as nationally: 10.8%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the San Francisco area overall (7.5%). East Palo Alto has a higher vacancy rate than at least four in five California cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in East Palo Alto
| Period | East Palo Alto | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1965 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in East Palo Alto is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1965, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1961 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the northwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in East Palo Alto
| Period | East Palo Alto | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,349 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,573 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,945 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,599 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,250 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in East Palo Alto costs $2,599 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,250 a month from 2006–10, a 93% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 37.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the west.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in East Palo Alto
Bachelor's degrees in East Palo Alto
| Period | East Palo Alto | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.0% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.2% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.4% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.8% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.9 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in East Palo Alto than nationally: 27.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 11.9 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the northwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in East Palo Alto
| Period | East Palo Alto | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 64.7% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 66.2% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 65.7% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 76.1% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly a quarter of adults in East Palo Alto never finished high school, well above the national share: only 76.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 11.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in East Palo Alto
| Period | East Palo Alto | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in East Palo Alto than nationally: unemployment was 4.5%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 5.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
East Palo Alto compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Palo Alto | 3.72 | 36.3 | 12.9% | 50.8% | 10.8% | 1965 | $2,599 | 27.8% | 76.1% | 4.5% |
| Menlo Park | 2.79 | 40.4 | 6.5% | 42.0% | 11.7% | 1967 | $3,095 | 72.5% | 92.5% | 5.0% |
| Palo Alto | 2.64 | 44.2 | 6.1% | 45.5% | 10.9% | 1964 | $3,187 | 82.7% | 96.8% | 4.2% |
| Stanford | 1.87 | 23.7 | 7.0% | 74.5% | 21.6% | 1989 | $1,998 | 88.8% | 96.0% | 10.0% |
| Atherton | 2.78 | 44.1 | 4.0% | 16.2% | 15.9% | 1963 | $3,422 | 80.5% | 97.7% | 3.7% |
| North Fair Oaks | 3.70 | 34.7 | 16.9% | 59.7% | 6.9% | 1967 | $2,231 | 20.1% | 70.3% | 8.8% |
| Redwood City | 2.78 | 39.7 | 8.3% | 48.1% | 7.1% | 1970 | $3,033 | 55.4% | 87.4% | 4.3% |
| Mountain View | 2.42 | 36.8 | 6.4% | 62.4% | 9.8% | 1977 | $3,009 | 74.6% | 95.0% | 3.7% |
| Los Altos Hills | 2.78 | 54.1 | 3.4% | 7.4% | 10.5% | 1975 | $3,488 | 83.8% | 98.9% | 3.4% |
| Woodside | 2.94 | 43.1 | 5.1% | 14.6% | 9.3% | 1966 | $3,298 | 74.5% | 99.0% | 4.3% |
| Portola Valley | 2.55 | 56.8 | 2.0% | 17.3% | 8.3% | 1966 | $3,499 | 81.9% | 94.2% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Longwood, FL · Scaggsville, MD · San Ysidro, CA · Salem, NH · Ruston, LA · Oceanside, NY · Oakdale, CA · O'Fallon, IL · McMinnville, TN · Maumee, OH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up East Palo Alto. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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