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Los Altos vs Moraga

33 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (8.6× in Moraga) and street grid (3.5× in Los Altos).

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Los Altos, CAHomes around $4.53MCalifornia · 30,698 people
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Moraga, CAHomes around $1.61MCalifornia · 16,769 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $16,420 more a month in Los Altos

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Los Altos$25,650/mo
Typical home $4.53M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.50%+ · or rent about $3,501/mo · Housing →
Moraga$9,220/mo
Typical home $1.61M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.60%+ · or rent about $2,895/mo · Housing →

The difference: $16,420 a month, about $197,100 a year, between Los Altos and Moraga.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value; “+” means the Census top-codes that town’s bill at $10,000, so its real rate is higher.

Report cards

Los Altos places higher on 14 of 21 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Los AltosMoraga
Snow a year—1″
January low—42°F
July high—83°F
Growing season (days)—282d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)91st86th
Outdoors & history
Los AltosMoraga
Trails2 mi15 mi
Conserved land0.7%4.5%
Settled1952—
National Register places1—
Archive photos411
Famous people born here—8
Community
Los AltosMoraga
Library hours a week68 hrs40 hrs
Colleges in town—1
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

33 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Los Altos ↔ Moraga33 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Los AltosMoraga
People
Population 30,698Highest 16,769Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +9.1%Highest CA: +6.1% +5.3%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 45.9±1.4Highest 21% above CA 40.1±2.3Lowest 6% above CA
Kids under 18 24.2%±1.9Highest CA: 22% 22.7%±2.5Lowest CA: 22%
Los Altos and Moraga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.8%±1.4Highest CA: 15.7% 19.8%±2.2Lowest CA: 15.7%
Los Altos and Moraga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 88.1%Highest CA: 37.1% 81.8%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.8%±1.4Lowest CA: 7.6% 16.1%±3.4Highest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $250,001Highest 152% above CA $216,193±$21kLowest 118% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $2,000,001Highest 172% above CA $1,663,200±$89kLowest 126% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $3,501Highest 72% above CA $2,895±$593Lowest 42% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $10,000+ at least 95% above CA $10,000+ at least 95% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 39.7%±7.8Lowest CA: 55.3% 60%±16.4Highest CA: 55.3%
Moraga and Los Altos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 3.2%Lowest CA: 12% 7.3%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 81.7%Lowest CA: 55.9% 83.1%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1964Lowest 12 yrs older than CA 1972Highest 4 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 22% below CA 31 minHighest 7% above CA
Work from home 39.4%±3.4Lowest CA: 17.2% 39.8%±3.9Highest CA: 17.2%
Moraga and Los Altos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.9%Lowest 6.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.3 miLowest 14.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.87Highest 0.59Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town San Jose (11%)San Francisco (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MoragaFew work in Los Altos
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.7%Lowest 4.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.7 miLowest 14.7 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 1.6 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 12Highest 6Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 145Highest 42.0Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #51 of 574 in CA#145 of 574 in CA
School district Cupertino Union · Los Altos ElementaryAcalanes Union High · Moraga Elementary
High school in town Los Altos HighCampolindo High
Students per teacherat that high school 18.1Lowest 19.8Highest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Los Altos neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Los Altos’s Town Square.

Moraga neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Moraga’s Town Square.

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Bordering Los Altos

Towns like Los Altos

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks California towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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