Los Altos, California
Among the top 3% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 5% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 96% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 82% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 97% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 94% of US places
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 3% for airport distance
- bottom 1% for cost of living
Los Altos is a mid-size city in California with about 31,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, airport distance, and walkability. It rates lower on monthly rent and cost of living.
Official websitelosaltosca.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cool winters · Dry
cool
comfortable
warm
comfortable
cool
80%53%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.5 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$250k100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$94kbetter than 1% of US places
Home Value$2.0M100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$4kbetter than 1% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$4kbetter than 1% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.50%better than 88% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden20.22%better than 6% of US places
Unemployment3.9%better than 50% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)51°F90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)68°F8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation17.0 in10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days231 daysbetter than 46% of US places
Summer Humidity53°Fbetter than 86% of US places
Comfortable Days232 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk78.4better than 29% of US places
Air Quality38 AQIbetter than 81% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime218/100kbetter than 80% of US places
Property Crime1210/100kbetter than 40% of US places
Community
Population31,13395th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age46.670th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5690th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0258th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+592nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)53.0%19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.7%54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.5%55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)36.7%99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.1%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 70% of US places
Walkability12.9/20better than 94% of US places
Airport Distance9 mibetter than 97% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access97.5%better than 90% of US places
Amenities Nearby279.77better than 75% of US places
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 72% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Los Altos an affordable place to live?
- Los Altos is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $94k, better than 0% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Los Altos?
- The median home value in Los Altos is $2.0M, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Los Altos?
- Median household income in Los Altos is $250k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Los Altos?
- Median gross rent in Los Altos is $4k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Los Altos safe?
- Los Altos is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 218/100k (better than 80%). Property crime is 1210/100k.
- What is the weather like in Los Altos?
- Los Altos averages 68°F in July and 51°F in January, with 17.0 in of annual precipitation and about 231 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Los Altos?
- Public-school quality in Los Altos is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Los Altos?
- The average one-way commute in Los Altos is 23 min.
Other places in San Mateo County
Places near Los Altos
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)