Santa Clara, California Income Statistics
Santa Clara 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.
-
A
Santa Clara Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Santa Clara | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $179,943 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $116,889 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 7.2% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 38.1% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 45.4% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Santa Clara is about 81% higher than in California. Income has been growing faster in Santa Clara (7.2%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 38% of adults in Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara, California grew by 117.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $179,943 in 2024. That's an average of about 7.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Santa Clara
| Metric | Santa Clara | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.504 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $126,694 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $109,198 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.8% | 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 Santa Clara, it is 0.504, 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 16% more than women's income in Santa Clara, California. Over a 35-year career, a 16% wage gap accumulates to roughly $612,360 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Santa Clara, California has narrowed from about 28% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,824 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Santa Clara | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 25.9% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 3,872 people are unemployed in Santa Clara, California.
The average commute time in Santa Clara is 20 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Santa Clara, California has fallen from 8.2% to 4.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.2% in 2013 and fell as low as 3.7% in 2019.
Santa Clara, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Santa Clara, CA is the 2nd largest of the 4 cities compared here, 127,362 residents against a local median of 56,040. Santa Clara, CA's income growth, at 7.2%/yr, runs 63% above the 4.4%/yr typical of the cities around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The cities themselves spread 2.3%/yr on income growth, so Santa Clara, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Santa Clara, 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara, CA | 127,362 | $179,943 #3/4 | 7.2%/yr #1/4 | 4.9% #3/4 | 0.504 #2/4 |
| Sunnyvale, CA | 155,720 | $186,994 | 6.6%/yr | 4.6% | 0.483 |
| Campbell, CA | 46,259 | $139,034 | 4.4%/yr | 5.7% | 0.512 |
| Cupertino, CA | 56,040 | $205,362 | 4.3%/yr | 4.2% | 0.511 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Santa Clara, California has an overall wealth index grade of A, making it notably better than California, and notably better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Santa Clara, California.
How Rich Is Santa Clara, California?
Santa Clara 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 residents are much better off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $179,943, about 81% higher than the California average of $99,161.
How has median household income changed in Santa Clara, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Santa Clara, California rose 117%, from $82,751 to $179,943. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +117% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Santa Clara in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Santa Clara, California was $175,004, up 7% from $163,541 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Santa Clara in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Santa Clara, California was $137,921. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $179,943.
Is Santa Clara, California a high-income area?
Yes. 38% of adults in Santa Clara, California earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 3), against 18% (about 1 in 6) in California. 45% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 20% in California.
How strong is the job market in Santa Clara, California?
Unemployment in Santa Clara, California is only 4.9%, 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 Santa Clara, California?
The Gini coefficient in Santa Clara is 0.504. 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 Santa Clara, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Santa Clara, California has narrowed from about 28% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,824 since 2009.
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