Population 37,999 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Los Altos: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Los Altos
Household size in Los Altos
| Period | Los Altos | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.97 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 3.05 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.81 | 3.07 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.79 | 2.96 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.14 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Los Altos holds 2.79 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Even so, the typical household here is smaller than in the San Jose area as a whole, where it has 2.96 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.66, even as the national average fell.
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 Los Altos
| Period | Los Altos | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.7 | 36.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.2 | 37.6 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.8 | 38.5 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.7 | 39.4 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Los Altos skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.7, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 45.7, in line with the national trend.
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 Los Altos
| Period | Los Altos | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 10.4% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.1% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 9.0% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Los Altos: 4.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 1.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 30 have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Los Altos
Renters in Los Altos
| Period | Los Altos | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.9% | 40.6% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.4% | 42.9% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.2% | 43.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.9% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +3.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 21.9% of households in Los Altos rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About four in ten owners (40.1%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the east. The renter share is up 6.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Los Altos
| Period | Los Altos | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 6.2% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.8% | 4.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 5.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 6.4% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +0.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Los Altos is close to the national rate: 8.1% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the wider San Jose area (6.4%). Vacancy is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Los Altos
| Period | Los Altos | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1973 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1974 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1965 | 1975 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1977 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Los Altos is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1967, 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 1962 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the center.
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 Los Altos
| Period | Los Altos | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,881 | $1,524 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,988 | $1,670 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $3,170 | $2,389 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,499 | $2,873 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,618 | +$1,348 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Los Altos runs $3,499 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,618 a month from 2006–10, an 86% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 31.5% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only three have higher rents.
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 Los Altos
Bachelor's degrees in Los Altos
| Period | Los Altos | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.4% | 43.9% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 79.1% | 46.5% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 83.1% | 51.6% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 86.7% | 55.3% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +11.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Los Altos: 86.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 9.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only two have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Los Altos
| Period | Los Altos | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.3% | 85.5% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.5% | 86.4% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.0% | 88.1% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.7% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Los Altos: 98.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Only 15 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Los Altos
| Period | Los Altos | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.2% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 4.4% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 4.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Los Altos is close to the national rate: 4.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Los Altos 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Altos | 2.79 | 46.7 | 4.5% | 21.9% | 8.1% | 1967 | $3,499 | 86.7% | 98.7% | 4.8% |
| 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% |
| Sunnyvale | 2.60 | 37.6 | 6.5% | 56.1% | 5.6% | 1977 | $3,105 | 69.6% | 94.5% | 4.8% |
| Cupertino | 2.80 | 42.2 | 4.5% | 40.7% | 6.4% | 1974 | $3,364 | 81.8% | 97.1% | 4.1% |
| 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% |
| Portola Valley | 2.55 | 56.8 | 2.0% | 17.3% | 8.3% | 1966 | $3,499 | 81.9% | 94.2% | 3.9% |
| Santa Clara | 2.57 | 36.3 | 5.1% | 58.4% | 6.7% | 1977 | $2,986 | 66.4% | 93.4% | 4.9% |
| 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% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Indian Trail, NC · Long Beach, NY · Linton Hall, VA · Laurel, MS · Lake Wales, FL · La Quinta, CA · La Puente, CA · Kearney, NE · Jamestown, NY · Saratoga Springs, NY
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 Los Altos. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.