Residential comparison · 13 facts
Los Altos, CA vs Mountain View, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Los Altos needs about $75,000 in Mountain View to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Mountain View, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $95,000 in Los Altos.
A few differences
- Los Altos is higher on median household income ($250,001 vs $189,917).
- Mountain View is lower on cost of living index (222 vs 228).
- Mountain View is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($3,340/mo vs $3,501/mo).
Los Altos vs Mountain View · facet by facet
| Facet | Los Altos, CA | Mountain View, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $2,000,001 | $1,927,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,501/mo | $3,340/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 228 | 222 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $250,001 | $189,917 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Los Altos, CA · Mountain View, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Los Altos cheaper than Mountain View?
- Mountain View has the lower day-to-day cost index (222 vs 228 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Mountain View equals $85,000 in Los Altos?
- A household earning $85,000 in Los Altos needs about $75,000 in Mountain View to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Mountain View lifestyle costs about $95,000 in Los Altos.