Los Altos, CA Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Los Altos, CA

Is Los Altos safe?

Los Altos earns an overall crime grade of B+ and a city-wide safety rating of A (Very Safe) — a strong performance for any city in the Silicon Valley region. Across all 8 analyzed neighborhoods, 100% received a Grade A or better, meaning not a single neighborhood fell below the top safety tier. Palo Alto Hills leads with a perfect A+, while neighborhoods like Woodland Acres, South Los Altos, and Rancho all hold a solid Grade A. Even the relatively lower-rated areas — Loyola Corners, North Los Altos, and Country Club — still grade out at A-, placing them well above average nationally. By comparison, most U.S. cities have a significant share of neighborhoods grading C or below. Los Altos has none.

What is the crime rate in Los Altos?

Los Altos maintains one of the lowest crime profiles in Santa Clara County. All 8 neighborhoods analyzed received grades in the A range — Grade A+ through A- — with zero neighborhoods grading B, C, D, or F. The city's 2.8% poverty rate and 3.6% unemployment rate are both well below national averages, two socioeconomic factors that strongly correlate with reduced crime. With a median household income of $240,094, Los Altos ranks among the most affluent communities in the country, and that economic stability is reflected directly in its safety grades. Property crime — particularly opportunistic theft — represents the most common incident category, while violent crime remains exceptionally rare across all neighborhoods.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Los Altos?

Every neighborhood in Los Altos qualifies as safe, but the top performers stand out clearly in the data:

• Palo Alto Hills — A+: The highest-graded neighborhood in the city, with a median household income of $412,669 and a population of just 164 residents, making it one of the most exclusive and secure enclaves in the region.
• Woodland Acres — A: Home to 3,059 residents with a median income of $236,432, this neighborhood combines community scale with excellent safety outcomes.
• South Los Altos — A: The most populous neighborhood analyzed (6,636 residents) that still maintains a Grade A, demonstrating that safety holds even at larger population sizes within the city.
• Rancho — A: A smaller enclave of 344 residents with a median income of $208,879 and a consistent Grade A safety record.
• Old Los Altos — A: With 1,324 residents and a median income of $219,576, this historic neighborhood pairs charm with strong safety grades.

The relatively lower-graded neighborhoods — Country Club, North Los Altos, and Loyola Corners — all hold A- ratings, meaning even the areas with the most reported activity in Los Altos are considered very safe by any objective measure.

Which neighborhoods in Los Altos have the most crime?

Using a relative lens within Los Altos, the neighborhoods with the highest reported crime activity are Loyola Corners (A-), North Los Altos (A-), and Country Club (A-). It's important to put this in context: an A- grade still represents a very safe neighborhood — these areas simply rank slightly lower than the A and A+ neighborhoods when comparing within the city. North Los Altos is the most populous neighborhood at 12,321 residents, which naturally produces a higher absolute count of incidents even if the per-capita rate remains low. Loyola Corners, with a median income of $148,222 — the lowest in the city — still grades out at A-, reflecting that even the most economically diverse part of Los Altos maintains strong safety outcomes.

Is Los Altos a good place to live?

The data makes a compelling case. Los Altos combines a B+ overall crime grade with a 100% Grade A neighborhood distribution, a $240,094 median household income, a 2.8% poverty rate, and a 3.6% unemployment rate — all figures that rank it among the top-performing small cities in California. The median home value of $2,000,000 and median rent of $3,375 reflect the premium residents pay for this quality of life, but the safety data justifies that premium. With a population density of just 1,822 people per square mile, Los Altos offers a suburban feel without the crime pressures of denser urban environments. Families, professionals, and retirees alike consistently rate it among the most desirable communities in Silicon Valley, and the neighborhood-level crime grades back that reputation up with hard data.

How does Los Altos compare to nearby cities in terms of safety?

Los Altos stands out even within the generally safe South Bay region. Its 100% Grade A neighborhood rate — with no neighborhoods grading below A- — is an exceptional outcome. Cities of comparable size often have at least some neighborhoods grading C or D, particularly in higher-density corridors. Los Altos's low poverty rate of 2.8% (versus a national average closer to 12%) and its low unemployment rate of 3.6% contribute to this consistently strong safety performance across all eight analyzed neighborhoods, from the smaller enclave of Rancho to the larger residential area of North Los Altos. For homebuyers and renters weighing safety as a primary factor, the grade distribution in Los Altos offers rare consistency.