Palo Alto, CA · standard
ZIP Code 94306
Santa Clara County, California - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 26,469
- 2,437/sq mi High-density area
- $210,000
- Median income Above-median income area
- $2,000,000+
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 80.9%
- 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 1%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 1%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 2,437
- people per sq mi
- 53%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 94306 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 94306 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California, with 26,469 residents across 10.9 square miles, a density of 2,437 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 94306 skews affluent, with a median household income of $210,000 (107% above the average California ZIP), while per-capita income is $114,197. The poverty rate is 8.9%, with unemployment at 2.8%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $2,000,000+ (159% above the average California ZIP) and median rent is $2,994; 52.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 80.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.3, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Santa Clara County, so 94306 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 94306
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Palo Alto, CA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 94306.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
313 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
156 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 101
Accommodation and food services
101 establishments
- Information 97
Information
97 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 77
Other services (except public administration)
77 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 94306, 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
26,469
Population
10.9
Area (sq mi)
2,437
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 94306?
42.3
Median Age
48.5%
Male
51.5%
Female
36.5%
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?
$210,000
Median Household Income
+107% vs state ZIP avg
$114,197
Per Capita Income
8.9%
Poverty Rate
2.8%
Unemployment Rate
22.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 94306 ranks among California ZIPs
Palo Alto, CA household income vs. every California ZIP code
Median household income among 1,583 reporting California ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$210,000 Top 3% higher than 97% of 1,583 California ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more California 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
11,744housing units
11,744
Total Housing Units
10,640
Occupied Units
1,104
Vacant Units
2.55
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$2,000,000+
Median Home Value
+159% vs state ZIP avg
$2,994
Median Rent
1963
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
+0.7%
YoY Change (2022)
121
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+21%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 94306 have increased 0.7% over the past year (2022). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +21% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +8.6% | 208 |
| 2017 | -39.7% | 125 |
| 2020 | – | 120 |
| 2021 | -0.1% | 120 |
| 2022 | +0.7% | 121 |
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 2022. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 1,079 business establishments in ZIP 94306, employing approximately 16,926 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,798,946,000.
1,079
Businesses
16,926
Employees
$2.8B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 313 | 29.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 156 | 14.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 101 | 9.4% |
| Information | 97 | 9.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 77 | 7.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 63 | 5.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 59 | 5.5% |
| Retail trade | 51 | 4.7% |
| Educational services | 48 | 4.5% |
| Construction | 30 | 2.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 22 | 2.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 21 | 1.9% |
| Manufacturing | 19 | 1.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 11 | 1.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 0.5% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 0.4% |
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 94306 vs 94305 →
ZIP 94306 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
- 94024
Los Altos (94024)
22,385 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
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 94306 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 94306 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
- 94024
Los Altos (94024)
$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
- 94304
Palo Alto (94304)
$154,141 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 94306 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 94305 | Stanford, CA | 13,862 | 2.2 mi |
| 94303 | Palo Alto, CA | 45,467 | 2.5 mi |
| 94301 | Palo Alto, CA | 16,995 | 2.2 mi |
| 94043 | Mountain View, CA | 28,358 | 3.3 mi |
| 94022 | Los Altos, CA | 18,500 | 4.1 mi |
| 94304 | Palo Alto, CA | 3,627 | 3.3 mi |
| 94040 | Mountain View, CA | 32,996 | 3.5 mi |
| 94041 | Mountain View, CA | 13,292 | 3.6 mi |
| 94025 | Menlo Park, CA | 40,526 | 4.0 mi |
| 94024 | Los Altos, CA | 22,385 | 4.8 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 94306, 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 (26,469 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Santa Clara County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 94306 in?
ZIP code 94306 (Palo Alto) is located in Santa Clara County, California. Santa Clara County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/santa-clara-ca.
What is the population of ZIP code 94306?
ZIP code 94306 in Palo Alto, CA has a population of 26,469 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 94306?
The median household income in ZIP 94306 is $210,000, which is 175% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 94306?
The median home value in ZIP 94306 is $2,000,000+, which is 619% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 94306?
The largest racial group in ZIP 94306 is White at 43.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 94306?
ZIP code 94306 has 1,079 business establishments employing approximately 16,926 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 94306?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 94306 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (313), Health care and social assistance (156), Accommodation and food services (101). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 94306?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 94306 increased by 0.7% in 2022. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 21%. 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 94306?
In ZIP code 94306, 86.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 80.9% 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 94306?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 94306 is 22.0 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 94306?
In ZIP code 94306, approximately 52.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 47.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 94306?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 94306 is 8.9% 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 94306's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 94306 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.