Population 14,522 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Los Altos
Household size in Los Altos
| Period | Los Altos | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.76 | 2.97 | 3.14 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.76 | 3.00 | 3.20 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.79 | 2.91 | 3.16 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.86 | 2.78 | 3.01 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | −0.20 | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Los Altos holds 2.86 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 2.76 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the north and smallest in the center.
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 | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.7 | 33.5 | 35.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.1 | 34.9 | 36.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.3 | 36.3 | 38.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.7 | 38.3 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +4.9 | +4.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Los Altos skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.7, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.7, mirroring the country.
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 | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 17.9% | 14.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 17.2% | 14.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 14.8% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 14.4% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −3.5 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.3% of households in Los Altos, well below the national share of 11.6%. Los Altos has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Long Beach neighborhoods.
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 | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.3% | 57.6% | 48.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.4% | 59.7% | 50.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.1% | 60.0% | 51.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.8% | 58.7% | 51.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +13.5 pts | +1.1 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Los Altos own their homes; 29.8% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 29.8% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share has risen 13.5 points since 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 | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.5% | 8.5% | 7.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.7% | 7.1% | 6.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 5.7% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 6.4% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Los Altos: just 5.1% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. The picture is much the same across Long Beach. Vacancy has edged up 0.6 points since 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 | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1953 | 1956 | 1965 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1954 | 1957 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1954 | 1959 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1954 | 1960 | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Los Altos is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1954, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
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 | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,531 | $1,142 | $1,328 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,722 | $1,242 | $1,415 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,981 | $1,490 | $1,755 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,687 | $2,041 | $2,279 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,156 | +$898 | +$951 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Los Altos runs $2,687 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,156 a month since 2006–10, up 75%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the southeast.
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 | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.4% | 26.6% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.8% | 27.4% | 30.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.3% | 29.7% | 33.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 54.4% | 34.5% | 37.6% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Los Altos is highly educated: more than half of adults 25 and older (54.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 9.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.5% | 77.2% | 76.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.2% | 78.1% | 77.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.2% | 79.4% | 80.0% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.0% | 81.8% | 82.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +4.6 pts | +5.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Los Altos: 97.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.6 points, in line with the national trend. Only two of Long Beach's 22 neighborhoods 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 | Long Beach | Los Angeles area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 10.4% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 12.5% | 10.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 6.2% | 5.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 6.7% | 6.7% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | −3.7 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Los Altos runs well above the national rate: 8.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Only one other Long Beach neighborhood has higher unemployment. Since 2006–10, unemployment has risen 3.1 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Altos | 2.86 | 42.7 | 6.3% | 29.8% | 5.1% | 1954 | $2,687 | 54.4% | 97.0% | 8.7% |
| Park Estates | 2.07 | 45.9 | 11.6% | 42.8% | 5.5% | 1960 | $1,837 | 69.4% | 97.1% | 3.5% |
| The Plaza | 2.83 | 43.4 | 8.3% | 12.6% | 4.2% | 1956 | $3,147 | 48.8% | 96.3% | 3.4% |
| State College Area | 2.43 | 42.8 | 4.2% | 22.4% | 2.7% | 1966 | $3,111 | 59.4% | 96.6% | 6.6% |
| City College Area | 2.69 | 45.2 | 5.5% | 11.0% | 4.9% | 1951 | $2,969 | 45.3% | 93.6% | 4.2% |
| Circle Area | 2.52 | 33.8 | 12.9% | 71.8% | 5.6% | 1967 | $2,060 | 35.9% | 79.3% | 5.6% |
| East Side | 2.30 | 36.3 | 12.0% | 77.5% | 5.9% | 1961 | $1,943 | 39.6% | 83.4% | 4.8% |
| Naples-Marina Area | 2.08 | 56.7 | 5.6% | 26.8% | 10.9% | 1962 | $2,858 | 66.6% | 98.2% | 3.8% |
| Belmont Shore | 1.75 | 45.3 | 8.2% | 70.7% | 7.0% | 1951 | $2,221 | 61.7% | 95.8% | 4.5% |
| El Dorado Park | 2.87 | 46.4 | 8.3% | 12.2% | 2.8% | 1968 | $2,582 | 57.0% | 94.6% | 5.9% |
| Belmont Heights | 1.91 | 42.0 | 3.0% | 71.2% | 11.4% | 1954 | $2,198 | 62.9% | 94.4% | 6.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Harrowgate, Philadelphia, PA · Southeast, Eugene, OR · South Park, Los Angeles, CA · South Englewood, Chicago, IL · South Deering, Chicago, IL · South Broad Street, Newark, NJ · Somerset, Bellevue, WA · Savage-Guilford, Laurel, MD · Rock Creek, Little Rock, AR · Riviera, Santa Barbara, CA
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.
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