Los Altos receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Los Altos
Milpitas
Opportunity
68 · Top 26%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
46 · Bottom 43%
vs28 · Bottom 15%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 20%
vs25 · Bottom 20%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 21%
vs60 · Bottom 20%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
62 · Top 46%
vs72 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Los Altos | Milpitas | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,698 | 78,578 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $250,000+ | $178,798 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $149,247 | $69,335 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,694/sq mi | 5,829/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $1,251,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,501 | $3,120 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.7% | 58.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 88.1% | 58.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.2% | 5.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 121 | 75 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -53.1% | -66.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 13.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 28.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.9 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.16 | 23.11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 5.6% | 38.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Los Altos
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Milpitas
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Los Altos, CA · Milpitas, CA · How this is calculated: methodology