CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

40.69° N · 76.17° W · GEOID 4257752

Palo Alto

Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania · part of the Pottsville, PA metro

Limited data population under 5,000

PennsylvaniaPalo Alto, PAPalo AltoPalo Alto

The short answer

Palo Alto is home to 960 people. Median household income is $61,667 a year and median rent is $961 a month, 18.7% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $91,100, about 1.5x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$961
30% below the median place
Median household income
$61,667
23% below the median place
Median home value
$91,100
71% below the median place
Unemployment
4.3%
13% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Palo Alto

  • Half the homes were built before 1938, older housing than in 97% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 271 Pennsylvania places.
  • The median home is worth 1.5 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 99% of places its size.
  • Owning with a mortgage costs about $7 a month less than the median rent, which is rarer than in 94% of places its size.
  • 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, a smaller share than in 95% of places its size.
  • Only 7% of workers mostly work from home, fewer than in 83% of places its size.
01

Moving to Palo Alto

Schuylkill County gains about 9.8 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in5,417
Moved out4,291
Net+1,126

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Pennsylvania, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within PennsylvaniaOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$48K
Leavers$50K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Schuylkill County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
3.4% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.0% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Schuylkill County report $47,700 a year in income on average; those leaving, $49,500.
Income you would need
$38,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $961 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $954 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $91,100.
Getting to work
25 minutes each way on average; 6.5% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Eaton Rapids, MI matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
0.0%
below the median place (median 2.0%)
Income of households moving in7
$47,716
32% below the median place
Income of households moving out7
$49,538
30% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasurePalo AltoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure3.4%42% below
Moved from another state10.0%below (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure9.8above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$47,71632% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$49,53830% below
02

What it costs to live here

Median year built is 1938, 2% below the median place.

Palo Alto18.7%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$38,440
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
18.7%
8% below the median place
Home price to income
1.5x
61% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
19%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$50,500
a year, prices not adjusted
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Palo Alto, $961 a month. It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Palo Alto.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Palo Alto? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median year built1
1938
2% below the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$954
49% below the median place
Median home value1
$91,100
71% below the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasurePalo AltoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$96130% below
Rent to income118.7%8% below
Property tax rate11.5%67% above
Home price to income11.5x61% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms2County figure$1,06834% below
HUD area median income3County figure$85,60020% below
Property tax paid (median)1$1,38857% below
Median home value1$91,10071% below
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure5.8%83% above
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure63.5%23% above
Homeownership183.2%25% above
Renters paying 30%+149.1%3% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$95449% below
Vacant homes112.1%71% above
Median year built119382% below
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Works from home1
6.5%
47% below the median place
Income per person1
$29,684
26% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Median household income$61,667 −23%
Unemployment4.3% −13%
Poverty rate12.3% +14%
Mean commute25 min +2%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasurePalo AltoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$61,66723% below
Income per person1$29,68426% below
Unemployment14.3%13% below
Average annual pay5County figure$55,85815% below
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure3.2%14% below
Jobs5County figure50,50266% below
Poverty rate112.3%14% above
Mean commute125 min2% above
Works from home16.5%47% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Bachelor's or higher is 10.9%, 66% below the median place.

Bachelor's or higher1
10.9%
66% below the median place
Homes with broadband1
81.0%
12% below the median place
Median age1
42.2
8% above the median place
All 9 people measures
MeasurePalo AltoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population19606646th largest
Population change since 202061.2%8% above
Median age142.28% above
Bachelor's or higher110.9%66% below
High school or higher190.2%2% below
Household size12.38% below
Born abroad1County figure2.8%69% below
No health insurance1County figure6.9%8% above
Homes with broadband181.0%12% below
05

Life in Palo Alto

20 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars15.7 −25%
Shops30.9 +2%
Arts, recreation and fitness2.6 −37%
Doctors' offices and clinics15.9 −21%
Child care centers2.7 +17%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8
2.6
37% below the median place
Restaurants and bars per 10k8
15.7
25% below the median place
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8
15.9
21% below the median place
All 9 schools and local life measures
MeasurePalo AltoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools10County figure35289% above
Public school students10County figure18,259273% above
Students per teacher10County figure13.512% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure15.725% below
Shops per 10k8County figure30.92% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure2.637% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure15.921% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.717% above
National Register listings9County figure2054% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

July average high is 82°F, 5% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Palo Alto. Larger places are fetched first.

July average high11
82°F
5% below the median place
Average temperature11
50°F
10% below the median place
Annual precipitation11
50.2 in
15% above the median place
All 9 weather and risk measures
MeasurePalo AltoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high11County figure82°F5% below
January average low11County figure19°F26% below
Average temperature11County figure50°F10% below
Annual precipitation11County figure50.2 in15% above
Natural hazard risk12County figure85.38% below
Hurricane risk12County figure82.617% above
Tornado risk12County figure66.219% below
Wildfire risk12County figure55.69% below
Heat wave risk12County figure74.317% below
08

Palo Alto in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 19% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 19% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$961/mo (2024)$1,230/mo$1,010 to $1,510/mo+4.3%
Median household income$61,667 (2024)$79,000$66,500 to $93,500+4.2%
Median home value$91,100 (2024)$124,000$90,000 to $171,000+5.3%
Population983 (2025)1,000960 to 1,040+0.3%

The median home would be worth 1.6 years of the median income in 2030, against 1.5 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Palo Alto

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Eaton Rapids, MI$972$63,875Compare
Elwood, IN$860$53,280Compare
Dixon, IL$912$59,406Compare
Pontiac, IL$842$61,279Compare
Pontiac, ILDixon, ILElwood, INEaton Rapids, MIPalo Alto, PAPalo AltoElwoodDixonPalo AltoElwoodDixon

Common questions

Is Palo Alto a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Half the homes were built before 1938, older housing than in 97% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 271 Pennsylvania places. The median home is worth 1.5 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 99% of places its size. On cost, space and class size it scores 79 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Palo Alto expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 18.7% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $91,100.

What salary do you need to live in Palo Alto?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $38,440 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Palo Alto?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Eaton Rapids, MI, Elwood, IN, Dixon, IL and Pontiac, IL.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  3. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  10. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  11. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  12. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Palo Alto with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Palo Alto itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/palo-alto-pennsylvania

Citytistics. “Palo Alto, Pennsylvania.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/palo-alto-pennsylvania/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.