Los Altos, California Income Statistics
Los Altos Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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A+
Los Altos Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Los Altos | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $211,028 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $139,054 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 1.4% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 48.6% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 64.1% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Los Altos is about 113% higher than in California. Income has been growing slower in Los Altos (1.4%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 49% of adults in Los Altos earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Los Altos, California grew by 33.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $211,028 in 2024. That's an average of about 1.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Los Altos
| Metric | Los Altos | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.479 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $143,956 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $138,034 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 4.1% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Los Altos, it is 0.479, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 4% more than women's income in Los Altos, California. Over a 35-year career, a 4% wage gap accumulates to roughly $207,270 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Los Altos, California has narrowed from about 25% to 4% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $28,246 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Los Altos | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 39.4% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 616 people are unemployed in Los Altos, California.
The average commute time in Los Altos is 21 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Los Altos, California has fallen from 6.3% to 4.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 6.4% in 2012 and fell as low as 3.0% in 2016.
Los Altos, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Los Altos, CA is the smallest of the 4 cities compared here, 30,560 residents against a local median of 68,352. The measure that sets Los Altos, CA apart most is income growth: 1.4%/yr, 73% below the local median of 5.1%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves sit within 2.9%/yr of each other on income growth, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Los Altos, CA, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Los Altos, CA has the 4th highest income growth of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Altos, CA | 30,560 | $211,028 #1/4 | 1.4%/yr #4/4 | 4.4% #4/4 | 0.479 #2/4 |
| Mountain View, CA | 81,842 | $193,154 | 7.2%/yr | 3.7% | 0.465 |
| Palo Alto, CA | 68,352 | $203,799 | 5.1%/yr | 4.0% | 0.482 |
| Cupertino, CA | 56,040 | $205,362 | 4.3%/yr | 4.2% | 0.511 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Los Altos, California has an overall wealth index grade of A+, making it far better than California, and far better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Los Altos, California.
How Rich Is Los Altos, California?
Los Altos has a wealth index grade of A+. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an A+ grade means it is one of the most prosperous areas in the country. The median household income is $211,028, about 113% higher than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in Los Altos, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Los Altos, California rose 33%, from $158,623 to $211,028. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +33% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Los Altos in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Los Altos, California was $210,904, about the same as in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Los Altos in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Los Altos, California was $207,267. By 2024 it had risen 2% to $211,028.
How many people earn six figures in Los Altos, California?
Yes. 49% of adults in Los Altos, California earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 2), against 18% (about 1 in 6) in California. 64% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 20% in California.
Is it hard to find a job in Los Altos, California?
Unemployment in Los Altos, California is only 4.4%, well below the California rate of 6.6%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Los Altos, California?
The Gini coefficient in Los Altos is 0.479. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Los Altos, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Los Altos, California has narrowed from about 25% to 4% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $28,246 since 2009.
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