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CA area data

Palo alto, CA

Aggregated across 3 ZIP codes in Palo alto.

Population: 49,691 (Census ACS)

The median home value in Palo alto, CA is $3.65M — up 5.0% over the past year. Homes sell for a median $4.27M after a median 27 days on market. Typical rent runs $4,269/month. 12 schools serve the area (NCES). FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall natural-hazard risk Very High, with earthquake, inlandflooding, coastalflooding the top-rated hazards. Cost of living is 13.3% above the US average (BEA, metro/state-level).

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

$3.65M

Median home value

+5.0%

1-year change

27

Median days on market

Very High

Hazard risk (county)

Home values & appreciation

Median home value
$3.65M
1-year appreciation
+5.0%
3-year appreciation
+15.1%
5-year appreciation
+21.0%
10-year appreciation
+46.5%
All-time peak (2022-05)
$3.71M
House Price Index (state)
417.4 (-0.8% YoY)

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

Market activity

Median sale price
$4.27M
Median list price
$3.78M
Median price per sqft
$1,921
1-year sale-price change
+15.9%
Median days on market
27 days
Homes sold (recent period)
27
For-sale inventory
76
Sale-to-list ratio
102.0%
Active listings
9
1-year forecast
+0.2%
Days to pending
21 days
New listings (monthly)
32

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

Rents

Typical rent
$4,269/mo
1-year rent change
+7.8%
Studio fair-market rent
$3,010/mo
1BR fair-market rent
$3,423/mo
2BR fair-market rent
$4,000/mo
3BR fair-market rent
$5,287/mo
4BR fair-market rent
$5,753/mo

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

Affordability

Cost of living index (High)
113.3 (100 = US avg)
Electricity rate (state-level)
32.5¢/kWh
Natural gas rate (state-level)
$22.00/MCF
30-year mortgage rate (national)
6.66%
15-year mortgage rate (national)
6.00%

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
Schools include
Addison Elementary, Walter Hays Elementary, Palo Alto High, Packard Children's Hospital/Stanford, Herbert Hoover Elementary

Source: NCES school directory, 2022-23 (school-address-based)

Natural hazards & flood risk

Overall hazard risk (county)
Very High
Top hazards (county)
earthquake, inlandFlooding, coastalFlooding, drought, heatWave
Notable hazard ratings (county)
coastalFlooding: Relatively High · drought: Relatively High · earthquake: Very High · hail: Relatively Low · heatWave: Relatively High · inlandFlooding: Very High
FEMA flood zone (varies by location)
includes AO
Flood risk level
High
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)
EPA recommends radon testing for every home regardless of zone.

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

Climate (30-year normals)

Average annual temperature
59.7°F
Average high
71.3°F
Average low
47.3°F
Annual precipitation
38.3 in
Annual snowfall
0.5 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 air quality data (nearest monitoring station, annual)

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
31
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
41
Nearest airport
Palo Alto Airport (PAO) (2 mi)
Nearest major airport
Palo Alto Airport (PAO) (2 mi)
Hospitals nearby (~15 mi)
12
Hospitals include
ST ROSE HOSPITAL, PENINSULA MEDICAL CENTER, SANTA CLARA VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER
Avg hospital rating (CMS)
4.1 / 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 · DOE/NREL (proximity-based)

Migration

Net migration (county)
-12,496 tax filers

Source: IRS county-to-county migration data (county-level, ~12-month lag)

Housing stock

Median year housing built
1,972
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
1,025,254
Average weekly wage
$3,486
Top industries (by employment)
Professional Services, Health Care, Information
Annual residential building permits (county)
1,919

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

How it compares

Palo altoState medianUS median
Median home value$3.65M$702,573$289,727
Median sale price$4.27M$696,000$325,000
Median days on market27 days39 days51 days
Typical rent$4,269/mo$2,767/mo$1,808/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 median home value in Palo alto, CA?
$3.65M.
What is the median sale price in Palo alto, CA?
$4.27M.
How long do homes take to sell in Palo alto, CA?
Median days on market: 27 days.
What is typical rent in Palo alto, CA?
Typical rent: $4,269/month.
What is the natural-hazard risk in Palo alto, CA?
Overall risk: Very High (FEMA NRI, county-level). Top hazards: earthquake, inlandFlooding, coastalFlooding, drought, heatWave.
Is Palo alto, CA in a flood zone?
High (FEMA NFIP). Parts of the area include FEMA flood zone AO; zones vary by location within the city.
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, 2022-23).
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: 113.3 (100 = US average) (High) (BEA RPP, metro/state-level).

ZIP codes in Palo alto

Selling a home in Palo alto, CA?

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Data last updated

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

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