The Town FilesEast Palo Alto, California
City in San Mateo County · population 30,034 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,102,600
- Household income
- $113,493
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 36.3
East Palo Alto is a city of 30,034 people in San Mateo County, California. The median home is worth $1,102,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for cycling than 97% of California towns, more seaside character than 92% of California towns, more walkable than 90% of California towns.
How East Palo Alto ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in East Palo Alto is worth $1,102,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 9.7 times the median household income of $113,493, which is more affordable than 11% of California towns. Median rent is $2,244 a month. 49.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | East Palo Alto | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,102,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,244 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $113,493 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.7× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 49.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in East Palo Alto
| People | East Palo Alto | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 1.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 44.1% | — |
| Work from home | 14.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in East Palo Alto
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 39.0°F. About 15.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 14 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Palo Alto since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 5, 1998 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 5, 1998.
Severe weather in San Mateo County since 1996
San Mateo County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in San Mateo County
San Mateo County had 416,422 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $196,441 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in East Palo Alto itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in East Palo Alto
7 public schools with 2,263 students, about 18.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aspire East Palo Alto Charter (charter) | K-8 | 564 | 31.3 |
| Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle | 6-8 | 482 | 16.6 |
| Costano Elementary | K-5 | 318 | 17.7 |
| East Palo Alto Academy (charter) | 9-12 | 287 | 14.4 |
| Los Robles-Ronald McNair Academy | K-5 | 266 | 24.2 |
| KIPP Esperanza High (charter) | 9-12 | 241 | 10.0 |
| Oxford Day Academy (charter) | 9-12 | 105 | 52.5 |
Towns near East Palo Alto
- Menlo Park, CA1.2 mi · 33,780 people · home $2,000,001
- Stanford, CA3.4 mi · 21,150 people · home $2,000,001
- Atherton, CA3.8 mi · 7,188 people · home $2,000,001
- North Fair Oaks, CA3.9 mi · 14,027 people · home $1,276,900
- West Menlo Park, CA4.5 mi · 3,930 people · home $2,000,001
- Palo Alto, CA5.0 mi · 68,572 people · home $2,000,001
- Redwood City, CA5.5 mi · 84,292 people · home $1,801,700
- Mountain View, CA5.5 mi · 82,376 people · home $1,927,000
East Palo Alto questions
Is East Palo Alto, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, East Palo Alto scores better for retirees than 15% of California towns and quieter than 8%. 10.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.3).
How much does a house cost in East Palo Alto?
The median owner-occupied home in East Palo Alto is valued at $1,102,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $113,493, so homes cost about 9.7 times income. Median rent is $2,244 a month.
What is the weather like in East Palo Alto?
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 39.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does East Palo Alto get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Palo Alto since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 5, 1998. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)