Signals
Palo Alto
Castro Valley
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
26 · Bottom 21%
vs37 · Bottom 29%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 16%
vs54 · Bottom 14%
Access
98 · Top 20%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs68 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Palo Alto | Castro Valley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 67,237 | 65,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $231,101 | $142,779 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $123,939 | $60,688 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,796/sq mi | 3,858/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $1,104,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,484 | $2,554 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.6% | 72.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 82.3% | 44.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 77°F | 75°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 16.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 34.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.6 | 42.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 24 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.19 | 23.35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.2% | 38.7% | 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
Palo Alto
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Castro Valley
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Palo Alto
66
Your Score
63
Area Score
Castro Valley
69
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Palo Alto, CA · Castro Valley, CA · How this is calculated: methodology