Palo Alto, CA · standard
ZIP Code 94303
San Mateo County, California - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 45,467
- 2,204/sq mi High-density area
- $151,609
- Median income Above-median income area
- $1,826,200
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 49.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Palo Alto pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a suburban-density, mixed-tenure area.
- Top 4%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 1%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 2,204
- people per sq mi
- 58%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 94303 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 94303 (Palo Alto, CA) rose +9.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 273.4 in 2023 to 300.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 94303 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Palo Alto, San Mateo County, California, with 45,467 residents across 20.6 square miles, a density of 2,204 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 94303 skews affluent, with a median household income of $151,609 (49% above the average California ZIP), while per-capita income is $72,225. The poverty rate is 7.1%, with unemployment at 6.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $1,826,200 (136% above the average California ZIP) and median rent is $2,771; 57.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 49.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.5, and the average commute is 23 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in San Mateo County, so 94303 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 94303
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Palo Alto, CA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 94303.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
248 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
100 establishments
- Construction 94
Construction
94 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 73
Real estate and rental and leasing
73 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 67
Other services (except public administration)
67 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 94303, Palo Alto, CA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
45,467
Population
20.6
Area (sq mi)
2,204
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 94303?
39.5
Median Age
49.5%
Male
50.5%
Female
43.0%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$151,609
Median Household Income
+49% vs state ZIP avg
$72,225
Per Capita Income
7.1%
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Unemployment Rate
23.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 94303 ranks nationally
Palo Alto, CA household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$151,609 Top 4% higher than 96% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
15,891housing units
15,891
Total Housing Units
14,466
Occupied Units
1,425
Vacant Units
3.22
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$1,826,200
Median Home Value
+136% vs state ZIP avg
$2,771
Median Rent
1960
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+9.8%
YoY Change (2024)
300
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+200%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 94303 have increased 9.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +200% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -10.6% | 219 |
| 2021 | +4.8% | 229 |
| 2022 | +14.7% | 263 |
| 2023 | +4.0% | 273 |
| 2024 | +9.8% | 300 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 989 business establishments in ZIP 94303, employing approximately 17,648 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,677,210,000.
989
Businesses
17,648
Employees
$2.7B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 248 | 25.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 100 | 10.1% |
| Construction | 94 | 9.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 73 | 7.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 67 | 6.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 65 | 6.6% |
| Educational services | 54 | 5.5% |
| Retail trade | 51 | 5.2% |
| Information | 51 | 5.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 48 | 4.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 41 | 4.2% |
| Manufacturing | 23 | 2.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 23 | 2.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 22 | 2.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 19 | 1.9% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 5 | 0.5% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 94303 vs 94301 →
ZIP 94303 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 94303
Palo Alto (94303)
45,467 residents
- 94025
Menlo Park (94025)
40,526 residents
- 94040
Mountain View (94040)
32,996 residents
- 94043
Mountain View (94043)
28,358 residents
- 94306
Palo Alto (94306)
26,469 residents
- 94022
Los Altos (94022)
18,500 residents
- 94301 16,995
Palo Alto (94301)
16,995 residents
- 94305 13,862
Stanford (94305)
13,862 residents
- 94041 13,292
Mountain View (94041)
13,292 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 94303 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 94303 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 94022
Los Altos (94022)
$250,000 median income
- 94027
Atherton (94027)
$250,000 median income
- 94301
Palo Alto (94301)
$242,006 median income
- 94025
Menlo Park (94025)
$216,601 median income
- 94306
Palo Alto (94306)
$210,000 median income
- 94043
Mountain View (94043)
$203,298 median income
- 94040
Mountain View (94040)
$187,781 median income
- 94041
Mountain View (94041)
$178,558 median income
- 94303
Palo Alto (94303)
$151,609 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 94303 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 94301 | Palo Alto, CA | 16,995 | 1.7 mi |
| 94306 | Palo Alto, CA | 26,469 | 2.5 mi |
| 94025 | Menlo Park, CA | 40,526 | 3.1 mi |
| 94043 | Mountain View, CA | 28,358 | 3.5 mi |
| 94305 | Stanford, CA | 13,862 | 3.7 mi |
| 94027 | Atherton, CA | 7,089 | 4.7 mi |
| 94040 | Mountain View, CA | 32,996 | 5.2 mi |
| 94041 | Mountain View, CA | 13,292 | 4.9 mi |
| 94022 | Los Altos, CA | 18,500 | 6.6 mi |
| 95002 | Alviso, CA | 2,077 | 6.3 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 94303, both outside CA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (45,467 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in San Mateo County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 94303 in?
ZIP code 94303 (Palo Alto) is located in San Mateo County, California. San Mateo County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/san-mateo-ca.
What is the population of ZIP code 94303?
ZIP code 94303 in Palo Alto, CA has a population of 45,467 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 94303?
The median household income in ZIP 94303 is $151,609, which is 99% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 94303?
The median home value in ZIP 94303 is $1,826,200, which is 557% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 94303?
The largest racial group in ZIP 94303 is White at 25.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 38.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 94303?
ZIP code 94303 has 989 business establishments employing approximately 17,648 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 94303?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 94303 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (248), Health care and social assistance (100), Construction (94). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 94303?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 94303 increased by 9.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 200%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 94303?
In ZIP code 94303, 65.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 49.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 94303?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 94303 is 23.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 94303?
In ZIP code 94303, approximately 57.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 94303?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 94303 is 7.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 94303's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 94303 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Palo Alto, CA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.