Residential comparison · 13 facts
Los Altos, CA vs Redwood City, 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 $76,500 in Redwood City to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Redwood City, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $94,000 in Los Altos.
A few differences
- Los Altos is higher on median household income ($250,001 vs $157,814).
- Redwood City is lower on cost of living index (215 vs 228).
- Redwood City is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($3,366/mo vs $3,501/mo).
Los Altos vs Redwood City · facet by facet
| Facet | Los Altos, CA | Redwood City, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $2,000,001 | $1,801,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,501/mo | $3,366/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 | 215 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $250,001 | $157,814 |
| 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 · Redwood City, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Los Altos cheaper than Redwood City?
- Redwood City has the lower day-to-day cost index (215 vs 228 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Redwood City equals $85,000 in Los Altos?
- A household earning $85,000 in Los Altos needs about $76,500 in Redwood City to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Redwood City lifestyle costs about $94,000 in Los Altos.