Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | East Palo Alto | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $1,250,000 | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 17.6% | 10.0% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $2,212 | $1,955 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.1% | 6.0% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in East Palo Alto is about 95% higher than in California. Rent is about 13% higher than the California average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in East Palo Alto, up about 17.6% and 5.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in East Palo Alto rose about 48.5% between 2015 and 2023, from $1,490 to $2,212. Over the same span, rent in California rose about 55.7%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 12.2 yearly household incomes in East Palo Alto.
Buying the median-priced home in East Palo Alto costs roughly 47.1 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in East Palo Alto. The price-to-rent ratio in California is about 27.4.
| Metric | East Palo Alto | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $1,250,000 | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $102,139 | $96,718 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 12.2 | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in East Palo Alto rose about 669.2%, while median household income rose about 108.7% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | East Palo Alto | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 44.3% | 51.6% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 45.5% | 40.9% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 10.2% | 7.6% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
East Palo Alto has a homeownership rate of 44.3%, lower than the California average of 51.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 10.2%, compared with 7.6% in California.
Housing Stock
| Metric | East Palo Alto | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 3.40 people | 2.85 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1970 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in East Palo Alto was built around 1970. On average, 3.4 people live in a home with about 4.5 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in East Palo Alto, California.
What is the median home price in East Palo Alto, California?
The median home price in East Palo Alto, California is $1,250,000, higher than the California average of $642,203.
What is the average home price in East Palo Alto, California?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in East Palo Alto, California?
The median gross rent in East Palo Alto, California is $2,212 per month, higher than the California average of $1,955.
What was the median gross rent in East Palo Alto in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in East Palo Alto, California was $1,785 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in East Palo Alto, California?
The price-to-rent ratio in East Palo Alto, California is about 47.1, meaning it would take roughly 47.1 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in East Palo Alto.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in East Palo Alto, California?
Both home prices and rent are rising in East Palo Alto, up about 17.6% and 5.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in East Palo Alto, California?
44.3% of households in East Palo Alto, California own their home, lower than the California average of 51.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in East Palo Alto, California?
The housing vacancy rate in East Palo Alto, California is 10.2%, higher than the California average of 7.6%.