How long is the commute from Palo Alto, CA?

Name: Commute and cars in Palo Alto, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Workers who live in Palo Alto, CA take an average of 21.4 minutes to get to work (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

44.2% of workers drive alone to work.

2.0% take public transportation.

4.6% of workers walk to work.

35.4% work from home.

8.5% of households have no vehicle.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Average commute: 21.4 minutes (±0.7)
Public transportation: 2.0%
Work from home: 35.4%
Households without a car: 8.5%

How people in Palo Alto get to work

Workers 16 and over by means of transportation to work, 2020–2024
Means of transportation	Palo Alto	Santa Clara County	California	United States
Drove alone	44.2% (±2.2 points)	59.9%	65.7%	68.8%
Carpooled	4.6% (±1.3 points)	9.0%	9.5%	8.5%
Public transportation	2.0% (±0.6 points)	2.3%	2.9%	3.2%
Walked	4.6% (±1.2 points)	2.1%	2.4%	2.4%
Other means (bicycle, taxi, motorcycle)	9.3% (±1.4 points)	2.8%	2.4%	2.0%
Worked from home	35.4% (±2.7 points)	23.9%	17.2%	15.1%

In Palo Alto, the average commute is lower than in Santa Clara County (26.2 minutes).

It is also lower than in California (28.7 minutes).

It is lower than the national figure (26.4 minutes).

In Palo Alto, the share commuting by public transportation is not measurably different from Santa Clara County (2.3%).

It is also lower than in California (2.9%).

It is lower than the national figure (3.2%).

In Santa Clara County, Palo Alto ranks 22 of 23 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest average commute.

Statewide, it ranks 899 of 1,076.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Cars per household in Palo Alto

Occupied housing units by vehicles available, 2020–2024
Vehicles available	Palo Alto	Santa Clara County	California	United States
No vehicle	8.5% (±1.4 points)	6.0%	7.1%	8.4%
1 vehicle	35.6% (±2.1 points)	31.0%	30.7%	33.1%
2 vehicles	39.6% (±2.1 points)	38.6%	36.3%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	16.3% (±1.5 points)	24.4%	25.8%	21.9%

In Palo Alto, the share of households without a vehicle is higher than in Santa Clara County (6.0%).

It is not measurably different from California (7.1%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (8.4%).

Working from home and internet access in Palo Alto

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Palo Alto	Santa Clara County	California	United States
Workers working from home	35.4% (±2.7 points)	23.9% (±0.5 points)	17.2% (±0.1 points)	15.1%
Households with a computer	98.5% (±0.6 points)	98.0% (±0.2 points)	96.9% (±0.1 points)	95.5%
Households with broadband internet	96.1% (±0.8 points)	95.6% (±0.2 points)	93.5% (±0.1 points)	91.0%

In Palo Alto, the share of households with a broadband subscription is not measurably different from Santa Clara County (95.6%).

It is also higher than in California (93.5%).

It is higher than the national figure (91.0%).

Average commute in places near Palo Alto

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Palo Alto
Place	Distance	Average commute	Compared with this place
Palo Alto	—	21.4 minutes (±0.7)	—
Los Altos Hills	2.1 mi	29.2 minutes (±3.9)	Higher
Stanford	2.5 mi	14.6 minutes (±1.0)	Lower
Ladera	3.1 mi	20.7 minutes (±6.9)	Not measurably different
Los Altos	3.2 mi	22.3 minutes (±1.2)	Not measurably different
Mountain View	3.5 mi	23.3 minutes (±0.7)	Higher
Loyola	4.0 mi	27.8 minutes (±4.9)	Higher
West Menlo Park	4.2 mi	20.7 minutes (±3.0)	Not measurably different
East Palo Alto	5.0 mi	23.7 minutes (±1.2)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Stanford, CA (14.6 minutes).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Los Altos Hills, CA (29.2 minutes), Mountain View, CA (23.3 minutes), Loyola, CA (27.8 minutes).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Average commute across Santa Clara County, place by place

Rank	Place	Average commute
16	Cupertino	23.6 minutes (±0.8)
17	Campbell	23.4 minutes (±1.1)
18	Mountain View	23.3 minutes (±0.7)
19	Sunnyvale	23.0 minutes (±0.5)
20	Santa Clara	22.6 minutes (±0.7)
21	Los Altos	22.3 minutes (±1.2)
22	Palo Alto	21.4 minutes (±0.7)
23	Stanford	14.6 minutes (±1.0)

Showing 8 of 23 places in Santa Clara County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Palo Alto

How long is the average commute in Palo Alto?

Workers who live in Palo Alto, CA take an average of 21.4 minutes each way (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Can you live in Palo Alto without a car?

8.5% of households in Palo Alto have no vehicle, and 2.0% of workers commute by public transportation.

How many people work from home in Palo Alto?

35.4% (±2.7 points) of workers who live in Palo Alto worked from home, and 96.1% of households have a broadband subscription.

Sources

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 Palo Alto city, California (place:55282, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP03_0018E, DP03_0018M, DP03_0025E, DP03_0025M, DP03_0019PE, DP03_0019PM, DP03_0020PE, DP03_0020PM, DP03_0021PE, DP03_0021PM, DP03_0022PE, DP03_0022PM, DP03_0023PE, DP03_0023PM, DP03_0024PE, DP03_0024PM, DP04_0058PE, DP04_0058PM, DP04_0059PE, DP04_0059PM, DP04_0060PE, DP04_0060PM, DP04_0061PE, DP04_0061PM, DP02_0153PE, DP02_0153PM, DP02_0154PE, DP02_0154PM

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.