Housing data for East Palo Alto, CA
East Palo Alto, CA has an estimated 29,069 residents and 9,160 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in San Mateo County.
50.9% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $2,244 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−1.8%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 29,069 (±37)
- Housing units
- 9,160 (±404)
- Households that rent
- 50.9%
- Median gross rent
- $2,244
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −1.8%
What stands out in East Palo Alto
Median home value: $1,102,600 (±$75,213) in East Palo Alto, lower than in San Mateo County ($1,559,600).
Working from home: 14.5% (±2.9 points) in East Palo Alto, lower than in San Mateo County (24.3%).
Median household income: $113,493 (±$15,823) in East Palo Alto, lower than in San Mateo County ($158,855).
Median gross rent: $2,244 (±$166) in East Palo Alto, lower than in San Mateo County ($2,922).
- Home values in East Palo Alto
- Commute and cars in East Palo Alto
- Income and affordability in East Palo Alto
- Median rent in East Palo Alto
Housing in East Palo Alto at a glance
- Median rent: $2,244 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $2,446 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 58.0% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 50.9% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $113,493 median household income
- Home values: $1,102,600 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $3,875 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $7,700 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 33.5% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 50.5% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 70.2% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 11.4% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 64.1% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 23.7 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 552 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: −1.8% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 20.7% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 14.6% of homes have more than 1 person per room
East Palo Alto against San Mateo County, its state and the nation
| East Palo Alto | San Mateo County | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 29,069 (±37) | 742,340 (exact) | 39,287,377 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 9,160 (±404) | 287,184 (±144) | 14,644,735 (±1,665) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 50.9% (±4.3 points) | 41.5% (±0.7 points) | 44.1% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $2,244 (±$166) | $2,922 (±$40) | $2,036 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $113,493 (±$15,823) | $158,855 (±$2,851) | $99,122 (±$310) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $1,102,600 (±$75,213) | $1,559,600 (±$16,159) | $734,700 (±$1,307) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $7,700 (±$1,048) | $9,519 (±$153) | $5,124 (±$17) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 70.2% (±7.0 points) | 72.5% (±1.1 points) | 56.0% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 23.7 minutes (±1.2) | 26.4 minutes (±0.3) | 28.7 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 92.6% (±2.4 points) | 95.7% (±0.4 points) | 93.5% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 36.3 years (±1.8) | 40.9 years (±0.2) | 37.9 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
East Palo Alto covers 2.5 square miles of land, about 11,499 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How East Palo Alto has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 29,593 (±37) | 29,069 (±37) | −1.8% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 8,342 (±429) | 9,160 (±404) | +9.8% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $1,766 (±$97) | $2,244 (±$166) | +27.1% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $821,200 (±$37,109) | $1,102,600 (±$75,213) | +34.3% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $67,087 (±$7,600) | $113,493 (±$15,823) | +69.2% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $2,665 (±$204) | $3,875 (±$286) | +45.4% | Up after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $5,882 (±$387) | $7,700 (±$1,048) | +30.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 60.2% (±3.8 points) | 50.9% (±4.3 points) | −9.3 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.5% (±3.7 points) | 11.4% (±3.2 points) | +3.9 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in East Palo Alto
In 2025, the East Palo Alto Police Department reported 552 violent and 1,609 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across San Mateo County, the departments that report recorded 226 violent and 1,396 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in East Palo Alto
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 94303 | 30% | 46,879 | $2,771 | $1,826,200 | $151,609 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near East Palo Alto
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Menlo Park | 1.2 mi | $3,239 | $2,000,000 or more | 45.8% |
| Stanford | 3.4 mi | $1,976 | $2,000,000 or more | 73.2% |
| Atherton | 3.8 mi | $3,500 or more | $2,000,000 or more | 12.4% |
| North Fair Oaks | 3.9 mi | $2,314 | $1,276,900 | 52.3% |
| West Menlo Park | 4.5 mi | $3,324 | $2,000,000 or more | 21.7% |
| Palo Alto | 5.0 mi | $3,484 | $2,000,000 or more | 45.4% |
| Redwood City | 5.5 mi | $2,968 | $1,801,700 | 51.4% |
| Mountain View | 5.5 mi | $3,062 | $1,927,000 | 61.4% |
Places in California most like East Palo Alto
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Rafael | $2,377 | $1,355,600 | $119,435 | 47.0% |
| Costa Mesa | $2,446 | $1,115,100 | $111,505 | 60.4% |
| La Mesa | $2,049 | $812,000 | $95,028 | 52.3% |
| Torrance | $2,280 | $1,074,700 | $116,217 | 45.0% |
| Burbank | $2,192 | $1,089,100 | $97,082 | 56.7% |
| Goleta | $2,437 | $1,062,100 | $122,370 | 49.3% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across California.
HUD Fair Market Rent for East Palo Alto, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,574 | $3,003 | $3,697 | $4,832 | $5,439 |
HUD income limits for East Palo Alto, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $44,150 | $73,550 | $117,700 |
| 2 people | $50,450 | $84,050 | $134,500 |
| 3 people | $56,750 | $94,550 | $151,300 |
| 4 people | $63,050 | $105,050 | $168,100 |
| 5 people | $68,100 | $113,500 | $181,550 |
| 6 people | $73,150 | $121,900 | $195,000 |
| 7 people | $78,200 | $130,300 | $208,450 |
| 8 people | $83,250 | $138,700 | $221,900 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $200,800.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about East Palo Alto
What is the average rent in East Palo Alto, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in East Palo Alto is $2,244 (±$166) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in East Palo Alto?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in East Palo Alto, CA is $1,791 (±$102) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in East Palo Alto rent-burdened?
58.0% of renting households in East Palo Alto pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in East Palo Alto?
East Palo Alto has an estimated 4,211 (±424) renting households, 50.9% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in East Palo Alto?
The median household income in East Palo Alto is $113,493 (±$15,823) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in East Palo Alto, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $1,102,600 (±$75,213) for owner-occupied homes in East Palo Alto (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is East Palo Alto growing?
In East Palo Alto, the number of residents went from 29,593 in 2015–2019 to 29,069 in 2020–2024 (−1.8%), a measurable decrease.
What ZIP codes are in East Palo Alto?
The ZIP code that covers East Palo Alto is 94303.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 94303?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 94303 is $2,771 (±$215) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — East Palo Alto city, California
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — East Palo Alto city, California
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — East Palo Alto city, California
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — East Palo Alto city, California
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — East Palo Alto city, California
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — East Palo Alto city, California
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — East Palo Alto city, California
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: East Palo Alto Police Department (ORI CA0412700)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for East Palo Alto city, California (place:20956, in state:06).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .