Palo Alto and Santa Clara receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Palo Alto
Santa Clara
Opportunity
74 · Top 16%
vs76 · Top 13%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs65 · Top 24%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
26 · Bottom 21%
vs25 · Bottom 20%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 16%
vs51 · Bottom 11%
Access
98 · Top 20%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs72 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Palo Alto | Santa Clara | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 67,237 | 130,256 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $231,101 | $178,958 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $123,939 | $89,833 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,796/sq mi | 7,127/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $1,582,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,484 | $3,016 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.6% | 40.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 82.3% | 65.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 8.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 371 | 749 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.5 | 5.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 64.2% | 340.6% | 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 | 12 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.6 | 34.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 24 | 24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.19 | 18.93 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.2% | 27.5% | 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.
Santa Clara
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.
Palo Alto
66
Your Score
63
Area Score
Santa Clara
68
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Palo Alto, CA · Santa Clara, CA · How this is calculated: methodology