County-level Census Bureau data covering income, housing, demographics, education, employment, and more. Counties are the primary administrative division in the U.S. and the most common unit for comparing local conditions across a state.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Palo Alto County
- What is the median household income in Palo Alto County?
- The median household income in Palo Alto County is $104,190 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Palo Alto County?
- The poverty rate in Palo Alto County is 7.6% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Palo Alto County?
- $524,900 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Palo Alto County?
- The median gross rent in Palo Alto County is $1,679 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Palo Alto County residents have a college degree?
- 69.2% of adults in Palo Alto County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
38,747
Median Income
$104,190
Median Home Value
$524,900
Poverty Rate
7.6%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
4.9%
Median Age
35.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$22,671 (+27.8%)
Home Value:
+$143,600 (+37.7%)
Poverty Rate:
0.0 pp (+0%)
Bachelor's+:
+7.6 pp (+12.3%)
Unemployment:
-0.4 pp (-7.5%)
Demographics
Total Population
38,747
Median Age
35.0
Female
51.7%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%
White (non-Hisp.) 68.5%
Black 8.5%
Asian 9.4%
Two or More 8.9%
Other 2.0%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Chinese
4.2%
Indian
1.3%
Vietnamese
1.2%
Korean
0.9%
Filipino
0.5%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
1.7%
Puerto Rican
1.7%
Cuban
0.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$104,190
±$9,531
+$31,043 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$159,369
Median Family Income
$168,079
Poverty Rate
7.6%
+0.7 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
10.2%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
11.7%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
17.1%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
3.5%
$10–15k
3.2%
$15–25k
6.2%
$25–35k
5.6%
$35–50k
5.5%
$50–75k
12.6%
$75–100k
12.0%
$100–150k
14.9%
$150–200k
11.7%
$200k+
24.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
20,735
Owner-Occupied
54.7%
Renter-Occupied
45.3%
Vacancy Rate
6.8%
Median Home Value
$524,900
+$329,000 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$1,679
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
14.3%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
30.4%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
0.7%
$50–100k
0.6%
$100–200k
1.0%
$200–300k
11.2%
$300–500k
32.7%
$500k–$1M
45.4%
$1M+
7.6%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
6.0%
$500–1k
10.1%
$1–1.5k
22.3%
$1.5–2k
32.4%
$2–2.5k
15.6%
$2.5–3.5k
5.5%
$3.5k+
8.1%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
29.1%
1 vehicle
52.5%
2 vehicles
15.6%
3+
2.8%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
4.5%
Single-fam. att.
60.3%
2–4 units
6.1%
5–19 units
5.4%
20+ units
10.0%
Mobile home
0.3%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
52.6%
1940–1969
4.6%
1970–1999
6.6%
2000–2009
6.8%
2010+
9.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
93.1%
Bachelor's or Higher
69.2%
+38.3 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
33.4%
Some College / Associate
8.8%
Less Than High School
2.6%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
76.8%
Unemployment Rate
4.9%
+1.3 pp vs. state
Work from Home
31.2%
Self-Employed
6.1%
Government Workers
7.1%
Private For-Profit
86.7%
Industry
Edu/Health
29.5%
Prof. Services
21.3%
Finance
9.8%
Arts/Entmt.
9.0%
Retail
8.2%
Manufacturing
5.9%
Public Admin
3.6%
Information
3.0%
Construction
2.5%
Transportation
1.8%
Wholesale
1.2%
Agriculture
0.1%
Occupation
Management
69.7%
Sales
14.9%
Food Prep
10.4%
Production
3.6%
Construction
1.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
28.0 min
Drove Alone
27.0%
Carpool
3.6%
Public Transit
12.5%
Work from Home
31.2%
Walked
16.1%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
19,329
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
34.0%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
13.9%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
6.5%
5–9
4.7%
10–14
3.8%
15–19
2.0%
20–24
4.7%
25–34
25.9%
35–44
20.3%
45–54
9.8%
55–64
4.2%
65–74
4.5%
75–84
7.9%
85+
3.8%
Under 18: 16.0%
Working age (18–64): 84.0%
65 and over: 13.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
11.0%
Naturalized Citizen
62.7%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
6.0%
Foreign-Born Origin
Asia
59.6%
Europe
22.5%
Latin America
11.7%
Africa
1.4%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
2.6%
With a Disability
11.1%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
95.5%
Uninsured
4.5%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
93.7%
Has a Computer
95.6%
Same House 1 Year Ago
82.4%
Moved from Abroad
0.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Palo Alto County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Palo Alto County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 34 | 56 |
| Other flows - Midwest | 28 | 45 |
| Emmet County | 24 | 47 |
| Kossuth County | 21 | 34 |