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CA area data

Palo Alto, CA

Aggregated across 3 ZIP codes in Palo Alto.

Population: 49,691 (Census ACS)

The typical home value in Palo Alto, CA is $3.60M — up 5.8% over the past year. Homes sell for a median $3.62M after a median 16 days on market. Typical rent runs $4,375/month. 12 schools serve the area (NCES). FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall natural-hazard risk Very High, with earthquake, inland flooding, coastal flooding the top-rated hazards. Cost of living is 10.7% above the US average (BEA, metro/state-level).

Backed by 25+ public sourcesFEMA · U.S. Census · NOAA · Dept. of Education · EPA · and more

$3.60M

Typical home value

+5.8%

1-year change

16

Median days on market

Very High

Hazard risk (county)

Home values & appreciation

Typical home value
$3.60M
1-year appreciation
+5.8%
3-year appreciation
+14.6%
5-year appreciation
+20.4%
10-year appreciation
+52.3%
Peak value since 2000 (Aug 2026)
$3.61M
House Price Index (state)
423.4 (-0.3% YoY)

Sources: home value index (ZIP-level) · FHFA House Price Index (state-level)

Market activity

Median sale price
$3.62M
Median list price
$3.49M
Median price per sqft
$1,951
1-year sale-price change
-1.1%
Median days on market
16 days
Homes sold (recent period)
103
For-sale inventory
76
Sale-to-list ratio
105.0%
Active listings
64
1-year forecast
+2.8%
Days to pending
21 days
New listings (monthly)
33

Source: recent area sales and market data (ZIP-level)

Rents

Typical rent
$4,375/mo
1-year rent change
+8.1%
Studio fair-market rent
$2,458/mo
1BR fair-market rent
$2,778/mo
2BR fair-market rent
$3,272/mo
3BR fair-market rent
$4,396/mo
4BR fair-market rent
$4,688/mo

Sources: market rent index (ZIP-level) · HUD Fair Market Rents (metro/county-level, 40th-percentile regulatory reference)

Affordability

Cost of living index (High)
110.7 (100 = US avg)
Electricity rate (state-level)
32.5¢/kWh
Natural gas rate (state-level)
$22.00/MCF
30-year mortgage rate (national)
7.40%
15-year mortgage rate (national)
6.73%

Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities (metro/state-level) · EIA energy rates (state-level) · Freddie Mac PMMS (national)

Schools

Total schools
12
Elementary schools
7
Middle schools
2
High schools
2
Avg student-teacher ratio
13.0 : 1
Schools include
Addison Elementary, Walter Hays Elementary, Palo Alto High, Packard Children's Hospital/Stanford, Herbert Hoover Elementary

Source: NCES school directory, 2024-25 (school-address-based)

Natural hazards & flood risk

Overall hazard risk (county)
Very High
Top hazards (county)
earthquake, inland flooding, coastal flooding, drought, heat wave
Notable hazard ratings (county)
earthquake: Very High · inland flooding: Very High · drought: Relatively High · heat wave: Relatively High · landslide: Relatively High · coastal flooding: Relatively High
Most common flood zone among NFIP claims (varies by location)
Zone AO
NFIP flood claims on record
193
Wildfire risk to homes (county)
Higher than 97% of US counties
Buildings in wildfire direct-exposure zone
8.2%
Radon potential (county)
Moderate radon potential — EPA Zone 2 of 3
EPA Superfund (NPL) sites within 5 mi
8
Nearest Superfund site
Hewlett-Packard (620-640 Page Mill Road) (0.8 mi)
Flood zones vary by property. Look up a specific address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
EPA recommends radon testing for every home regardless of zone.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (county-level) · FEMA NFIP flood-insurance claims (ZIP-level) · USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (county-level) · EPA radon zones + Superfund NPL

Climate (30-year normals)

Average annual temperature
59.3°F
Average high
72.3°F
Average low
46.0°F
Annual precipitation
27.3 in
USDA plant hardiness zone
9b (extreme annual low 25 to 30°F)

Sources: NOAA Climate Normals (30-year, nearest-station) · USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)

Air quality

Air quality rating
Good
Median AQI (annual)
43
Days with Good air quality
240
Days with Moderate air quality
121
Highest AQI recorded (year)
134

Source: EPA annual air quality index (county-level)

Walkability & transit

Walkability index
18.9 / 20
Transit service frequency
216
Jobs reachable by car (30 min)
89,096
Jobs reachable by transit (45 min)
59,604

Source: EPA Smart Location Database (metropolitan block groups)

Amenities

National parks within ~60 mi
11
Nearest national park
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (27 mi)
National parks include
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Presidio of San Francisco
Airports within 30 mi
14
Nearest airport
Palo Alto Airport (PAO) (2 mi)
Nearest major airport
Palo Alto Airport (PAO) (2 mi)
Hospitals in or near a typical ZIP here
40
Hospitals include
ST ROSE HOSPITAL, PENINSULA MEDICAL CENTER, CALIFORNIA PACIFIC MEDICAL CTR-DAVIES CAMPUS HOSP
Avg hospital rating (CMS)
3.9 / 5
Best hospital rating nearby (CMS)
5.0 / 5
EV charging stations (within 10 mi)
140
Solar radiation rating
Good (5.0 kWh/m²/day)

Sources: National Park Service · FAA airport data · CMS hospital data (same ZIP, else within ~40 mi) · DOE/NREL (proximity-based)

Migration

Net migration (county)
-12,496 tax filers

Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration (county-level; published with a multi-year lag)

Housing stock

Median year housing built
1972
Housing built before 1970
45.8%
Housing built 2000 or later
24.2%
Median annual property tax
$10,001
Mean commute to work
14 min
Households with broadband internet
86.1%

Source: Census ACS 5-year estimates (ZIP-level)

Employment & development

Total county employment
1,021,232
Average weekly wage
$4,258
Top industries (by employment)
Health Care, Professional Services, Information
Annual residential building permits (county)
5,323

Sources: BLS QCEW (county-level) · Census Building Permits (county-level)

How it compares

Palo AltoState medianUS median
Typical home value$3.60M$695,380$288,527
Median sale price$3.62M$696,000$325,000
Median days on market16 days39 days51 days
Typical rent$4,375/mo$2,786/mo$1,809/mo
Median annual property tax$10,001$4,533$2,006

State and US medians are computed across all US ZIP codes with sufficient public-data coverage, from the same sources as the figures above.

Area data compiled from public government, academic, and industry research feeds. Data sources →

Common questions

What is the typical home value in Palo Alto, CA?
$3.60M.
What is the median sale price in Palo Alto, CA?
$3.62M.
How long do homes take to sell in Palo Alto, CA?
Median days on market: 16 days.
What is typical rent in Palo Alto, CA?
Typical rent: $4,375/month.
What is the natural-hazard risk in Palo Alto, CA?
Overall risk: Very High (FEMA NRI, county-level). Top hazards: earthquake, inland flooding, coastal flooding, drought, heat wave.
Is Palo Alto, CA in a flood zone?
Flood zones vary by property across the city. 193 FEMA flood-insurance (NFIP) claims are on record; the most common zone among them is AO. Check a specific address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
What is the wildfire risk in Palo Alto, CA?
Risk to homes is higher than 97% of US counties (USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities, county-level).
What is the radon potential in Palo Alto, CA?
Moderate radon potential — EPA Zone 2 of 3, county-level. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.
Are there Superfund sites near Palo Alto, CA?
8 current or proposed National Priorities List sites within 5 miles (EPA). Nearest site: Hewlett-Packard (620-640 Page Mill Road), 0.8 mi.
How many schools serve Palo Alto, CA?
12 schools (7 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high) (NCES, 2024-25).
Is Palo Alto, CA walkable?
Walkability index: 18.9/20 (EPA Smart Location Database).
What is the air quality in Palo Alto, CA?
Good. Median AQI: 43. (EPA AQI).
What is the cost of living in Palo Alto, CA?
Regional Price Parity: 110.7 (100 = US average) (High) (BEA RPP, metro/state-level).

ZIP codes in Palo Alto

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Data last updated

Most recent source refresh: Oct 2026. See all data sources →

Data compiled by REAIGENT7 — AI listing platform for real estate agents