What is the rental vacancy rate in Palo Alto, CA?

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

The rental vacancy rate in Palo Alto, CA is 10.2% (±2.8 points) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

The homeowner vacancy rate is 1.0% (±0.6 points).

3,220 (±498) homes, 11.0% of all housing units, were vacant, a count that includes seasonal homes and homes being sold or rented.

In Palo Alto, the rental vacancy rate went from 6.4% in 2015–2019 to 10.2% in 2020–2024 (+3.8 percentage points), a measurable increase.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Rental vacancy rate: 10.2% (±2.8 points)
Homeowner vacancy rate: 1.0% (±0.6 points)
Vacant homes: 3,220 (±498)

Vacancy in Palo Alto against Santa Clara County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Palo Alto	Santa Clara County	California	United States
Rental vacancy rate	10.2% (±2.8 points)	5.1% (±0.4 points)	4.2% (±0.1 points)	5.5%
Homeowner vacancy rate	1.0% (±0.6 points)	0.7% (±0.1 points)	0.8% (±0.1 points)	0.9%
Vacant housing units	3,220 (±498)	39,484 (±1,910)	1,096,644 (±18,928)	14,547,859

The rental vacancy rate is the share of rental homes that are vacant and for rent; it leaves out homes already rented but not yet moved into, and seasonal homes.

In Palo Alto, the rental vacancy rate is higher than in Santa Clara County (5.1%).

It is also higher than in California (4.2%).

It is higher than the national figure (5.5%).

Rental vacancy rate in places near Palo Alto

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Palo Alto
Place	Distance	Rental vacancy rate	Compared with this place
Palo Alto	—	10.2% (±2.8 points)	—
Los Altos Hills	2.1 mi	0.0% (±19.1 points)	Not measurably different
Stanford	2.5 mi	9.7% (±5.7 points)	Not measurably different
Ladera	3.1 mi	0.0% (±75.8 points)	Not measurably different
Los Altos	3.2 mi	4.6% (±3.5 points)	Lower
Mountain View	3.5 mi	8.6% (±1.6 points)	Not measurably different
Loyola	4.0 mi	8.7% (±11.8 points)	Not measurably different
West Menlo Park	4.2 mi	41.1% (±29.9 points)	Higher
East Palo Alto	5.0 mi	11.4% (±3.2 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Los Altos, CA (4.6%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: West Menlo Park, CA (41.1%).

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

Rental vacancy rate across Santa Clara County, place by place

Rank	Place	Rental vacancy rate
1	Monte Sereno	42.4% (±42.4 points)
2	Palo Alto	10.2% (±2.8 points)
3	Stanford	9.7% (±5.7 points)
4	Loyola	8.7% (±11.8 points)
5	Mountain View	8.6% (±1.6 points)
6	Burbank (community)	8.4% (±8.0 points)
7	East Foothills	8.0% (±12.2 points)
8	Morgan Hill	5.9% (±2.7 points)

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

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 Palo Alto

Is it hard to find a rental in Palo Alto?

The rental vacancy rate in Palo Alto, CA is 10.2% (±2.8 points); a low rate means few rental homes stand empty and for rent at any time, which usually means more competition for each one.

Is the rental market in Palo Alto tighter than it was?

In Palo Alto, the rental vacancy rate went from 6.4% in 2015–2019 to 10.2% in 2020–2024 (+3.8 percentage points), a measurable increase.

How many homes are vacant in Palo Alto?

An estimated 3,220 (±498) housing units, 11.0% of the total, including seasonal homes and homes waiting to be sold or rented.

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 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M, DP04_0004E, DP04_0004M, DP04_0003E, DP04_0003M, DP04_0003PE, DP04_0003PM

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.