Mountain View, California Income Statistics
Mountain View 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+
Mountain View Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Mountain View | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $193,154 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $129,987 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 7.2% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 45.9% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 48.3% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Mountain View is about 95% higher than in California. Income has been growing faster in Mountain View (7.2%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 46% of adults in Mountain View 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 Mountain View, California grew by 120.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $193,154 in 2024. That's an average of about 7.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Mountain View
| Metric | Mountain View | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.465 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $133,638 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $128,991 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 3.5% | 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 Mountain View, it is 0.465, 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 Mountain View, California. Over a 35-year career, a 4% wage gap accumulates to roughly $162,645 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mountain View, California has narrowed from about 20% to 3% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $11,968 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Mountain View | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 30.9% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 1,846 people are unemployed in Mountain View, California.
The average commute time in Mountain View is 21 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Mountain View, California has fallen from 7.2% to 3.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.6% in 2012 and fell as low as 3.3% in 2019.
Mountain View, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Mountain View, CA is the 2nd largest of the 4 cities compared here, 81,842 residents against a local median of 68,352. The measure that sets Mountain View, CA apart most is income growth: 7.2%/yr, 41% above the local median of 5.1%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 3.7% against a local median of 4.4%, 15% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Mountain View, CA is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The cities themselves spread 5.2%/yr on income growth, so Mountain View, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Mountain View, CA has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View, CA | 81,842 | $193,154 #3/4 | 7.2%/yr #1/4 | 3.7% #1/4 | 0.465 #1/4 |
| Los Altos, CA | 30,560 | $211,028 | 1.4%/yr | 4.4% | 0.479 |
| Sunnyvale, CA | 155,720 | $186,994 | 6.6%/yr | 4.6% | 0.483 |
| Palo Alto, CA | 68,352 | $203,799 | 5.1%/yr | 4.0% | 0.482 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Mountain View, 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 Mountain View, California.
How Rich Is Mountain View, California?
Mountain View 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 $193,154, about 95% higher than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in Mountain View, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Mountain View, California rose 120%, from $87,812 to $193,154. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +120% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Mountain View in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Mountain View, California was $184,383, up 4% from $177,887 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Mountain View in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Mountain View, California was $146,977. By 2024 it had risen 31% to $193,154.
Is Mountain View, California a high-income area?
Yes. 46% of adults in Mountain View, California earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 2), against 18% (about 1 in 6) in California. 48% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 20% in California.
Is it hard to find a job in Mountain View, California?
Unemployment in Mountain View, California is only 3.7%, 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 Mountain View, California?
The Gini coefficient in Mountain View is 0.465. 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 Mountain View, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mountain View, California has narrowed from about 20% to 3% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $11,968 since 2009.
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