Mountain View receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Mountain View
Los Altos
Opportunity
83 · Top 4%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 20%
vs25 · Bottom 20%
Housing affordability
52 · Bottom 12%
vs61 · Bottom 21%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
73 · Top 22%
vs62 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Mountain View | Los Altos | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 83,732 | 30,698 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $189,917 | $250,000+ | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $112,591 | $149,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,002/sq mi | 4,694/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,927,000 | $2,000,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,062 | $3,501 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 38.6% | 81.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 75.0% | 88.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 3.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 109 | 121 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -6.8% | -53.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 13.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 24.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 45.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.14 | 20.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 22.4% | 5.6% | 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
Mountain View
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Los Altos
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Mountain View
67
Your Score
64
Area Score
Los Altos
64
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Mountain View, CA · Los Altos, CA · How this is calculated: methodology