Jobs, pay and daily life in Palo Alto, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Palo Alto is a city in California with 67,237 residents. The median household earns $231,101 a year and the median rent is $3,484 a month, which is 18.1% of the median household income. It is part of the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 1,134,970 jobs.
How Palo Alto compares. Among the 145 places in California, Palo Alto is #122 by population, #4 for college degrees (#1 = most), #139 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #7 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Santa Clara County, is #1 of 58 counties for average pay ($197,043).
Palo Alto has 67,237 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of California. It covers 24 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,796 people per square mile. The median age is 43.6, 15% older than the state median (43.6 against 37.9).
The median gross rent is $3,484 a month (rent plus utilities), 71% above the state median ($3,484 against $2,036). Over a year that is 18.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is above $2 million (the ACS reports $2,000,001 as its highest value, so the true median is higher), which is at least 8.7 times the median household income ($231,101); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 54.6% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (54.6% against 55.9%).
The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metropolitan area has 1,134,970 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $84,050 a year, 65% above the national median ($84,050 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are computer and mathematical (149,970 jobs, median $186,320); management (115,110 jobs, median $210,750); business and financial operations (94,210 jobs, median $125,240). The area is most specialised in computer and mathematical (3.9 times) and architecture and engineering (2.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($210,750) and legal ($195,190). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Santa Clara County was 4.2%. 62.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Santa Clara County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 44.2% drive alone, 2.0% use public transit, 4.6% walk, 35.4% work from home. 8.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 58% below the state average (8.2% against 19.4%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
82.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 122% above the state share (82.3% against 37.1%). 37.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 37% above the state share (37.0% against 27.0%). The poverty rate is 6.0%, 50% below the state rate (6.0% against 12.0%).
The warmest month is Aug, averaging 68°F (19.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 47°F (8.3°C). About 510 mm (20 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (114 mm) and Jul the driest (0 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Los Altos Hills (2 miles, similar rent); Los Altos (3 miles, similar rent); Mountain View (4 miles, rent 12% lower); East Palo Alto (5 miles, rent 36% lower). Rent differences are against Palo Alto; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in California (1,717) →State guide: CaliforniaCountry guideSanta Clara CountyCalifornia rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,717 federal postings open in California (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in California →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | 87,350 | 7.09 | $213,110 | $138,420 | $289,150 | +57% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 49,610 | 1.58 | $37,640 | $37,600 | $44,870 | +5% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 23,060 | 0.82 | $44,570 | $37,860 | $54,220 | +43% |
| Registered Nurses | 22,930 | 0.93 | $216,740 | $124,140 | $235,190 | +122% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 19,070 | 3.90 | $291,660 | $164,400 | $377,060 | +67% |
| Retail Salespersons | 18,340 | 0.64 | $44,220 | $39,300 | $58,300 | +25% |
| General and Operations Managers | 17,230 | 0.67 | $163,860 | $76,890 | $346,810 | +55% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 16,680 | 5.25 | $184,430 | $98,340 | $290,240 | +58% |
| Cashiers | 16,530 | 0.73 | $42,960 | $38,240 | $57,670 | +31% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 15,780 | 0.98 | $43,870 | $38,520 | $59,780 | +19% |
| Managers, All Other | 13,740 | 3.03 | $217,280 | $136,880 | $335,800 | +53% |
| Office Clerks, General | 13,470 | 0.75 | $58,840 | $41,690 | $83,580 | +31% |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 13,390 | 1.46 | $116,510 | $49,500 | $217,680 | +66% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 13,180 | 1.25 | $121,700 | $78,440 | $196,890 | +45% |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 12,710 | 1.94 | $141,960 | $66,660 | $251,750 | +80% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 12,600 | 0.76 | $41,920 | $37,340 | $97,730 | +19% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 11,970 | 1.51 | $108,330 | $61,010 | $216,720 | +30% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 11,830 | 0.55 | $47,060 | $39,710 | $66,060 | +17% |
| Security Guards | 11,800 | 1.26 | $46,250 | $43,900 | $66,970 | +22% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 10,610 | 0.51 | $44,970 | $39,120 | $62,820 | +20% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,120 | 1.43 | $351,760 | $83,390 | $372,950 | +44% |
| Lawyers | 6,040 | 1.10 | $301,320 | $129,350 | $421,000 | +89% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 19,070 | 3.90 | $291,660 | $164,400 | $377,060 | +67% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 1,160 | 1.46 | $263,810 | $157,910 | $333,270 | +58% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 5,130 | 3.19 | $234,590 | $174,850 | $318,400 | +37% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,580 | 0.67 | $231,560 | $163,670 | $283,410 | +75% |
| Marketing Managers | 7,300 | 2.53 | $231,370 | $143,670 | $350,150 | +39% |
| Training and Development Managers | 880 | 2.52 | $230,020 | $134,060 | $326,940 | +73% |
| Financial Managers | 7,970 | 1.30 | $225,280 | $134,010 | $447,580 | +35% |
| Physician Assistants | 1,030 | 0.87 | $223,640 | $100,240 | $287,420 | +65% |
| Human Resources Managers | 2,800 | 1.74 | $220,460 | $124,990 | $397,910 | +48% |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | 2,210 | 8.14 | $218,420 | $133,270 | $310,190 | +56% |
| Managers, All Other | 13,740 | 3.03 | $217,280 | $136,880 | $335,800 | +53% |
| Registered Nurses | 22,930 | 0.93 | $216,740 | $124,140 | $235,190 | +122% |
| Public Relations Managers | 980 | 1.79 | $213,510 | $137,170 | $338,830 | +45% |
| Software Developers | 87,350 | 7.09 | $213,110 | $138,420 | $289,150 | +57% |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 7,940 | 14.19 | $209,860 | $141,590 | $284,400 | +30% |
| Dentists, General | 1,130 | 1.24 | $207,910 | $124,470 | $294,290 | +22% |
| Sales Managers | 8,940 | 1.92 | $201,780 | $84,330 | $345,980 | +36% |
| Pharmacists | 1,960 | 0.83 | $199,040 | $151,900 | $234,080 | +41% |
These figures are for the whole San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $84,050 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 30.4% |
| Education and health care | 27.1% |
| Manufacturing | 11.0% |
| Information | 8.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 4.3% |
| Retail trade | 3.9% |
| Other services | 2.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.1% |
| Public administration | 1.9% |
| Construction | 1.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Palo Alto lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara County | 1,902,047 | $438,483 million | $230,532 | 1,116,581 | 83,418 | $197,043 | -0.3% | 4.2% | 1,040,676 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional and technical services | 160,179 | 15.7% | $291,081 | 2.06 |
| Health care and social assistance | 151,414 | 14.9% | $86,799 | 0.95 |
| Manufacturing | 122,683 | 12.0% | $316,673 | 1.34 |
| Information | 92,985 | 9.1% | $488,642 | 4.44 |
| Accommodation and food services | 83,084 | 8.1% | $39,219 | 0.82 |
| Retail trade | 70,920 | 7.0% | $60,350 | 0.64 |
| Management of companies | 60,198 | 5.9% | $452,085 | 3.20 |
| Administrative and waste services | 56,739 | 5.6% | $71,743 | 0.86 |
| Construction | 51,277 | 5.0% | $126,637 | 0.87 |
| Educational services | 43,856 | 4.3% | $110,169 | 1.90 |
| Wholesale trade | 27,154 | 2.7% | $181,061 | 0.62 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 26,004 | 2.6% | $58,871 | 0.77 |
| Finance and insurance | 20,630 | 2.0% | $216,816 | 0.46 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 18,007 | 1.8% | $67,864 | 0.96 |
| Real estate and rental | 15,391 | 1.5% | $113,254 | 0.89 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 14,081 | 1.4% | $73,494 | 0.30 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 3,033 | 0.3% | $52,122 | 0.34 |
| Utilities | 1,777 | 0.2% | $185,661 | 0.42 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 157 | 0.0% | $104,020 | 0.04 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 44.2% |
| Public transit | 2.0% |
| Walk | 4.6% |
| Work from home | 35.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $231,101 |
| Income per person | $123,939 |
| Median gross rent per month | $3,484 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.1% |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 |
| Homeowners | 54.6% |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 110.4 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $84,050 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 13.30%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 43.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 96.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 82.3% |
| Born abroad | 37.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 62.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.3 | 47 | 88 |
| Feb | 9.2 | 49 | 91 |
| Mar | 10.7 | 51 | 77 |
| Apr | 11.9 | 53 | 40 |
| May | 14.5 | 58 | 14 |
| Jun | 17.6 | 64 | 4 |
| Jul | 19.6 | 67 | 0 |
| Aug | 19.8 | 68 | 1 |
| Sep | 19.4 | 67 | 3 |
| Oct | 16.3 | 61 | 25 |
| Nov | 11.7 | 53 | 53 |
| Dec | 8.4 | 47 | 114 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Altos Hills | CA | 2 mi | 8,377 | $250,001 | $3,501 |
| Los Altos | CA | 3 mi | 30,698 | $250,001 | $3,501 |
| Mountain View | CA | 4 mi | 83,732 | $189,917 | $3,062 |
| East Palo Alto | CA | 5 mi | 29,069 | $113,493 | $2,244 |
| Atherton | CA | 5 mi | 6,993 | $250,001 | $3,501 |
| Menlo Park | CA | 6 mi | 32,727 | $210,025 | $3,239 |
| Sunnyvale | CA | 6 mi | 154,236 | $186,170 | $3,039 |
| Cupertino | CA | 8 mi | 58,566 | $234,707 | $3,501 |
| Redwood City | CA | 9 mi | 82,447 | $157,814 | $2,968 |
| Newark | CA | 10 mi | 46,903 | $169,064 | $2,776 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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Large employers headquartered in Palo Alto (from our list of the 200 largest US-based employers):
| Company ⇅ | Industry ⇅ | Employees (global) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| HP | Information technologyComputer hardware | 55,000 (2025) |
67,237 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$3,484 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.1% of the median household income.
$231,101 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.2% (BLS county, Santa Clara County (latest month 2026M09)).
California. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.