Los Altos vs Redwood City
Los Altos, California versus Redwood City, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Los Altos edges out Redwood City on overall objective livability (57 vs 52 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Los Altos | Redwood City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $250k | $146k |
| Cost of Living | $94k | $94k |
| Home Value | $2.0M | $1.8M |
| Monthly Rent | $4k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.50% | 0.52% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 20.22% | 22.53% |
| Unemployment | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 51°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 66°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.0 in | 19.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 231 days | 231 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 232 days | 232 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 78.4 | 86.2 |
| Air Quality | 38 AQI | 35 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 218/100k | 771/100k |
| Property Crime | 1210/100k | 1971/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 31,133 | 83,077 |
| Median Age | 46.6 | 37.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.56 | 0.70 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | D+59 | D+59 |
| White (%) | 53.0% | 39.3% |
| Black (%) | 0.7% | 1.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.5% | 36.1% |
| Asian (%) | 36.7% | 16.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 6.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 12.9/20 | 13.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 12 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 97.5% | 93.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 279.77 | 80.77 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Los Altos or Redwood City more affordable?
- Redwood City has the lower cost of living: its index is $94k, compared with Los Altos's $94k and Redwood City's $94k. Median rent is $4k in Los Altos versus $3k in Redwood City.
- Is Los Altos or Redwood City safer?
- Los Altos has the lower violent crime rate. Los Altos reports 218/100k and Redwood City reports 771/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Los Altos or Redwood City?
- The median home value is $2.0M in Los Altos and $1.8M in Redwood City, so homes are more affordable in Redwood City.