How much rent can you afford in Los Altos, CA?
Run your salary against Los Altos's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Los Altos
At a median rent of $6,886/mo, Los Altos is moderately stretched when measured against Los Altos median household income of $250,001/yr. Rent would consume roughly 33% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $275,440 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Los Altos compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Los Altos?
On a $250,001 salary (the Los Altos median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $6,250/mo. Los Altos's median rent is $6,886/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Los Altos?
To keep Los Altos's $6,886/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $275,440/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Los Altos affordable on the median California income?
Los Altos is moderately stretched on a $250,001 income. Rent would take 33% of pre-tax pay, outside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".