Atherton, CA

Census place 0603092 · pop 6,993

C67/ 100
👍 Solid
A
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Smoking5.1% · top 1%
🚽 Cost$2,000,001 · bottom 1%
Taxes
0.50% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Housing cost$2,000,0010

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$2,000,001 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Income inequality0.534

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.53 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level99/10011

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

99/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Population growth (5yr)-2.4%16

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-2.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Property crime rate1267/100k51

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

1267 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Commute time23 min54

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

23 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.5%56

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Violent crime rate104/100k70

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

104 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Poverty rate5.3%85

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

5.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden0.50%91

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.50% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Homeownership87.6%94

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

87.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Broadband access97.6%95

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

97.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Air quality (AQI)County-level27 AQI96

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

27 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Physical inactivity14.3%98

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

14.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poor mental health11.8%98

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

11.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Adult obesity19.6%99

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

19.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Uninsured adults3.0%99

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

3.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Bachelor's degree or higher83.1%99

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

83.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Median household income$250,001100

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$250,001 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Adult smoking5.1%100

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

5.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Not measured for Atherton: Rent. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Atherton, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Atherton scores 67/100 — a C (Solid) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 21 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult smoking and its weakest is housing cost. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Atherton, CA?
Atherton reports 104 violent crimes per 100k and 1267 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Atherton, CA expensive to live in?
Atherton has a median home value of $2,000,001 — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Atherton, CA?
Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($2,000,001) — 0/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Atherton, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is adult smoking (5.1%) — 100/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.