9 Most Affordable Palo Alto Suburbs to Live in 2024
Palo Alto, CA, is one of the many amazing cities in Silicon Valley. It’s close to major tech offices, cities like San Francisco, San Jose, and Santa Clara, and has plenty to offer its residents. As a result, it shouldn’t come as a shock that roughly 66,700 people live in Palo Alto.
If you’re looking to buy a home in Palo Alto, expect to see the median home sale price coming in at $2,975,000. And if you’re considering renting an apartment, the average rent in Palo Alto is $4,117.
Don’t worry if those prices don’t fit in your budget – we’ve got options to help you find a home or apartment that does. At Redfin, we’ve collected a list of the 9 best affordable Palo Alto suburbs to check out. And they’re all less than 11 miles away from the city. You’ll still be close enough to Palo Alto to explore all the city has to offer without the price of living there.
#1: East Palo Alto
Median home price: $1,000,500
Average sale price per square foot: $667
Distance from Palo Alto: 2 miles
East Palo Alto, CA homes for sale
East Palo Alto, CA apartments for rent
With a median home sale price of $1,000,500, East Palo Alto is the most affordable Palo Alto suburb on our list. About 30,000 people live in this suburban area and you’ll only be about 2 miles away from downtown Palo Alto. Living in East Palo Alto, you can enjoy the views at Faber Marsh Fishing Area and visit Cooley Landing Park.
#2: Sunnyvale
Median home price: $1,703,000
Average sale price per square foot: $1,230
Average rent for an apartment: $3,028
Distance from Palo Alto: 10 miles
Sunnyvale, CA homes for sale
Sunnyvale, CA apartments for rent
The second most affordable suburb is Sunnyvale which is about a 10 mile drive away from downtown Palo Alto. Living in Sunnyvale, you’ll want to explore the Heritage District, hike the Bay Trail, and check out Baylands Park. When living in this suburb of 155,800 people, you can also spend the day checking out the charming downtown.
#3: Mountain View
Median home price: $1,830,500
Average sale price per square foot: $1,050
Average rent for an apartment: $3,235
Distance from Palo Alto: 8 miles
Mountain View, CA homes for sale
Mountain View, CA apartments for rent
Drive just 8 miles away from Palo Alto and you’ll reach Mountain View, another great suburb. From parks and outdoor recreation to supporting local businesses, there are lots of things that make Mountain View a great place to live. Make sure to see a concert at Shoreline Amphitheatre, check out the charming downtown Mountain View area, and visit the Google Campus.
#4: Redwood City
Median home price: $1,925,000
Average sale price per square foot: $1,050
Average rent for an apartment: $3,732
Distance from Palo Alto: 8 miles
Redwood City, CA homes for sale
Redwood City, CA apartments for rent
Only slightly more expensive than Mountain View is the suburb of Redwood City. With a population close to 84,300, there are still plenty to do in this Palo Alto suburb. Plan to spend the day hiking the Sunset Trailhead at Edgewood Park, exploring downtown Redwood City filled with local shops and restaurants, and checking out the San Mateo County History Museum.
#5: San Carlos
Median home price: $2,350,000
Average sale price per square foot: $1,231
Average rent for an apartment: $5,083
Distance from Palo Alto: 11 miles
San Carlos, CA homes for sale
San Carlos, CA apartments for rent
Drive 11 miles north of Palo Alto and you’ll find the suburb of San Carlos, another great area to add to your list. With 30,700 people living in this affordable town, San Carlos is a great option to consider when looking to stay close to Palo Alto without paying the premium for a home in the city. Living in San Carlos, you can hike the Eaton Park Trailhead through Eaton Park, visit the Hiller Aviation Museum, and walk out to the Bair Island Observation Deck.
#6: North Fair Oaks
Median home price: $2,410,000
Average sale price per square foot: $1,050
Average rent for an apartment: $3,815
Distance from Palo Alto: 4 miles
North Fair Oaks, CA homes for sale
North Fair Oaks, CA apartments for rent
Sixth on the list is another well-known Palo Alto suburb, North Fair Oaks, where the median home sale price is about $500K less than in Palo Alto. With just about 14,000 people living in North Fair Oaks, it’s a great suburb to consider buying a house in. Whether you check out the local shops and cafes in the area, there are many activities to do and see in this suburb.
#7: Menlo Park
Median home price: $2,600,000
Average sale price per square foot: $1,350
Average rent for an apartment: $4,316
Distance from Palo Alto: 3 miles
Menlo Park, CA homes for sale
Menlo Park, CA apartments for rent
Claiming the seventh spot on our list of affordable Palo Alto suburbs is Menlo Park, which is about a 3 mile drive into downtown. With a population of nearly 33,800, living in Menlo Park is a great alternative to Palo Alto’s hustle and bustle. If you find yourself moving to this suburb, make sure to visit the cafes in downtown Menlo Park, see a show at The Guild Theatre, and hike the trail to Dumbarton Bridge Vista Point.
#8: Stanford
Median home price: $2,610,000
Average sale price per square foot: $1,010
Distance from Palo Alto: 3 miles
Stanford, CA homes for sale
Stanford, CA apartments for rent
If you’ve lived in or around Palo Alto for a while, you may know our eighth suburb – Stanford. This affordable town is home to about 21,200 residents, so you’ll have a fraction of Palo Alto’s population while remaining only 3 miles from the city. Living in Stanford, be sure to explore the Stanford University Campus, shop at the Stanford Shopping Center, and see the Rodin Sculpture Garden.
#9: Woodside
Median home price: $2,800,000
Average sale price per square foot: $1,656
Distance from Palo Alto: 11 miles
Woodside, CA homes for sale
Woodside, CA apartments for rent
To end our list of affordable Palo Alto suburbs is Woodside. Just about 11 miles away from Palo Alto and a median home price of $2,800,000, there are plenty of reasons you may want to move to Woodside. Just about 5,300 people live in this suburb, but you’ll find lots of outdoor activities in Woodside. Attractions in Woodside include hiking through one of the many green spaces and nature preserves like Teague Hill Open Preserve, Thornewood Open Space Preserve, or Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve.
Methodology: Affordability is based on whether a suburb’s median home sale price or average sale price per square foot is less than Palo Alto and under an 11-mile drive from downtown Palo Alto. Median home sale price data and average rent price from the Redfin Data Center during December 2023. Population data sourced from the United States Census Bureau.
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