States › California › Los Altos Hills

Is Los Altos Hills, CA expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 17 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$3,500+100% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$250,000+about $20,833/month · 187% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$2,000,000+501% higher than U.S. average

Rent here is among the highest 10% in the country. Household incomes are higher than in 99% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 8.0 years of household income, so buying is hard for most locals. Most homes (93.4%) are owned, so rentals can be hard to find. It is a highly educated city: 84.9% of adults have a college degree.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $140,040 a year. That is $67 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other California cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of California. It is number 625 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Los Altos Hills
$3,500+
Alondra Park
$1,888
Highgrove
$1,551
La Cresta
$1,507
Firebaugh
$1,407
Orland
$1,215
Fort Irwin
$2,668

How much do households earn in Los Altos Hills?

Under $25k
5.5%
$25k–50k
4.4%
$50k–100k
13.2%
$100k–150k
12.3%
$150k+
62.8%

Share of households by yearly income. 75.1% of households earn $100,000 or more.

How expensive is Los Altos Hills 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 Los Altos Hills, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Los Altos Hills

🏛️ Property tax$10,000+a year · 0.50% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$277a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Los Altos Hills

Commute to work29.2 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree84.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home93.4%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line7.3%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.5%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Los Altos Hills?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $10,376 a month less.

Renting
$3,500+
Owning
$13,877

Owning assumes a typical $2,000,000+ home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $200,000 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Los Altos Hills, CA?

Renting in Los Altos Hills costs a median of about $3,500+ a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

How much do I need to make to live in Los Altos Hills?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $140,040 a year, or $67 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Los Altos Hills cheap or expensive?

Los Altos Hills is rated Cheap: rent takes 16.8% of the typical household income of $250,000+. It ranks 625th cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Los Altos Hills?

The median homeowner in Los Altos Hills pays $10,000+ a year in property taxes, about 0.50% of the median home value.

Is Los Altos Hills 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 Los Altos Hills?

The median home value in Los Altos Hills is $2,000,000+, about 8.0 times the typical yearly household income.

8,377 people live in Los Altos Hills. Numbers are typical (middle) values.