States › California › East Palo Alto

Is East Palo Alto, CA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 23 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$2,34033% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$122,402about $10,200/month · 41% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$1,102,600231% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 81% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 9.0 years of household income, so buying is hard for most locals.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $93,600 a year. That is $45 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other California cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of California. It is number 321 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

East Palo Alto
$2,340
San Lorenzo
$3,570
Suisun City
$3,500+
Monterey
$2,873
San Carlos
$2,529
East Niles
$1,587
Atascadero
$2,659

How much do households earn in East Palo Alto?

Under $25k
6.3%
$25k–50k
14.3%
$50k–100k
32.3%
$100k–150k
20.2%
$150k+
23.2%

Share of households by yearly income. 43.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in East Palo Alto

SizeEast Palo AltoU.S. average
Studio$2,149$1,338
1 bedroom$1,899$1,324
2 bedrooms$2,593$1,509
3 bedrooms$3,095$1,698
4 bedrooms$3,500+$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is East Palo Alto overall?

Everyday prices in California overall are 11% above the U.S. average (index 110.7, U.S. = 100).

Housing
154
Goods (food, clothes…)
106
Utilities
159
Other services
103
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for East Palo Alto, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in East Palo Alto

🏛️ Property tax$7,700a year · 0.70% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$142a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in East Palo Alto

Commute to work23.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree26.8%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home49.1%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line10.3%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.1%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in East Palo Alto?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $5,311 a month less.

Renting
$2,340
Owning
$7,651

Owning assumes a typical $1,102,600 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $110,260 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in East Palo Alto, CA?

Renting in East Palo Alto costs a median of about $2,340 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

How much do I need to make to live in East Palo Alto?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $93,600 a year, or $45 an hour at a full-time job.

Is East Palo Alto cheap or expensive?

East Palo Alto is rated OK: rent takes 22.9% of the typical household income of $122,402. It ranks 321st cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in East Palo Alto?

The median homeowner in East Palo Alto pays $7,700 a year in property taxes, about 0.70% of the median home value.

Is East Palo Alto more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in California are 11% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in East Palo Alto?

The median home value in East Palo Alto is $1,102,600, about 9.0 times the typical yearly household income.

29,069 people live in East Palo Alto. Numbers are typical (middle) values.