




Nearly one-fifth of all households in East Palo Alto are shared with
relatives (18.9 percent), double the County average of 8.9 percent.

East Palo Alto has a young population, with 35.1 percent of residents
younger than 18, as compared to the County average of 24.3 percent.

The more densely populated Westside has smaller household sizes,
fewer elderly residents, and a higher percentage of residents who speak
only Spanish.

Overall, educational levels in East Palo Alto lag behind San Mateo
County, but there is some evidence that the City is closing the gap.

East Palo Alto is dominated by residents who identify as Hispanic or
Latino, roughly two-thirds of all residents in 2010.

Thirty-one percent of City residents are not U.S. citizens, and thirtyseven percent are Spanish speakers who are not fluent in English.

After adjusting for inflation, median household income in East Palo Alto
has decreased since 2000, dropping by nearly $10,000.
1
The U.S. Census is conducted every ten years and provides official counts of the
entire U.S. population. The American Community Survey (ACS) is conducted every year
and produces estimates for topics such as education, housing, jobs and more. Census
block level data is utilized for Figures 2-8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20.
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
The percentage of the population falling under 200 percent of the
poverty level has risen by more than 10 percent since 2000.

Average life expectancy in East Palo Alto is 62 years, 13 years less than
the San Mateo County average of 75 years.
Current demographic conditions are compared to those in the past (typically
1990 and 2000), as well as comparisons to the greater San Mateo County to
give perspective on the contrast between East Palo Alto and the neighboring
cities.
The most readily available demographic data is from the 2010 U.S. Census.
However, Census data from 2010 may not reflect the current population in
East Palo Alto. One likely reason is the high number of vacant units in the
Westside during the 2010 census count. Wells Fargo Bank, which acquired the
former Page Mill Properties in foreclosure, stated that 40 percent of the 1,800
units were vacant, representing between five percent and 10 percent of the
City of East Palo Alto’s population in 2000. This factor may be primarily
responsible for the population decline shown in the 2000 census for East Palo
Alto, which was incongruous with the Department of Finance’s forecasted 11
percent population increase from 2000 to 2010. Nonetheless, since the 2010
Census is the best available data for East Palo Alto, it is the basis of much of
the demographic information in this chapter. Population estimates in Chapter
7 are from a different data source and do not reflect this anomaly.


During the last decade, the total population and total households in East Palo
Alto both declined according to the U.S. Census. Since 2000, total population
in East Palo Alto declined by almost five percent, down from 29,506 in 2000 to
28,155, as shown in Figure 2-1. Similarly, Figure 2-2 shows that the total
number of households in East Palo Alto fell by one-half percent since 2000,
while the number of households in San Mateo County grew by 1.6 percent
during this same timeframe. However, as noted above, temporary vacancies in
the Westside during 2010 may be primarily responsible for the decline in the
population shown in the 2010 census.
As shown in Figure 2-3, East Palo Alto has also seen a decrease in overall
household size, from 4.2 in 2000 to 4.03 in 2010. However, average household
size is still substantially larger than in San Mateo County (2.75 persons per
household), which likely indicates some level of housing overcrowding in East
Palo Alto.
The population in East Palo Alto is noticeably younger than the County’s
population (Figures 2-4 and 2-5). Over one-third of East Palo Alto residents
are age 19 or younger (35.1 percent), compared to only one-quarter (24.4
percent) in the County. Similarly, the City has a much lower percentage of
residents age 65 and over (5.9 percent) compared to the County (13.2
percent). Figure 2-8 shows the distribution of residents under age 18. This
young population has important implications for a variety of planning topics
including schools, City services, demand for housing types, and community
character.
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As shown in Figure 2-1, the Westside contains approximately 22 percent of
East Palo Alto’s population, even though it comprises just eight percent of
total land area. This is likely due to the Westside’s multi-family housing stock
and greater population density (see Figure 2-11). Household size on the
Westside is noticeably smaller than in the rest of the City (three members per
household instead of the City average of four, as shown in Figure 2-3).
Similarly, the Westside has a higher proportion of one-person households than
the rest of East Palo Alto, and a lower proportion of four-person households.
There are nearly twice as many female-headed households in East Palo Alto
(29 percent) than in the County (16 percent) however, on the Westside there
are nearly half as many (12 percent) female-headed households than the City
(see Figure 2-7). There are also more than twice as many male-headed
households on the Westside (32 percent) than the City as a whole (12
percent).
Data displayed in map is aggregated to the 2010 Census block level.
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Data displayed in map is aggregated to the 2010 Census block level.
Data displayed in map is aggregated to the 2010 Census block level.
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Data displayed in map is aggregated to the 2010 Census block level.
As is shown in Figures 2-12 to 2-15, East Palo Alto’s racial makeup is very
different from the rest of San Mateo County, with a significantly lower
proportion of residents that identify as White alone (six percent versus 42
percent in the County), and a significantly higher proportion who identify as
Hispanic/Latino (64 percent versus 25 percent in the County) or Black alone
(16 percent versus three percent in the County). Of those who identify as
Hispanic or Latino, the vast majority are Mexican in origin (85 percent).
Figures 2-16 to 2-20 show the distribution of different races and ethnicities
throughout the City. The Hispanic/Latino population is the majority in 129 out
of 194 census blocks (66 percent), though it is most heavily concentrated in
the northwestern part of the City. African-Americans are more likely to live in
the eastern portion of the City, while the Asian/Pacific Islanders are most
likely to live in the southern neighborhood between Clarke Avenue and Pulgas
Avenue. A significant proportion of Asian/Pacific Islander residents are of
Samoan or Tongan heritage.
As shown in Figure 2-15, the City lost over 30 percent of its Black/African
American residents between 2000 and 2010, and the Black/African American
population is less than half its level in 1990, while the proportion of the
population that is Hispanic/Latino has increased considerably over this time
period. This demographic shift could, in part, be due the Census concerns
stemming from vacant units noted earlier in the chapter.
Hispanic/Latino residents are the majority in most census blocks on the
Westside (as shown in Figure 2-16), and make up a slightly higher percentage
of the population than in the rest of East Palo Alto (as shown in Figure 2-12).
At the same time, White or Black residents are the majority in several block
groups, underscoring the Westside’s ethnic diversity.
Source: U.S. Census
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Data displayed in map is aggregated to the 2010 Census block level.
Data displayed in map is aggregated to the 2010 Census block level.
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Data displayed in map is aggregated to the 2010 Census block level.
Data displayed in map is aggregated to the 2010 Census block level.
|
Data displayed in map is aggregated to the 2010 Census block level.
East Palo Alto has a higher percentage of immigrants than the San Mateo
County average, though the percentage of the population that are immigrants
decreased slightly between 2000 and 2010, from 44 percent to 41 percent (see
Figure 2-21). The overwhelming majority of foreign-born residents in East Palo
Alto are from Latin America (80 percent), as opposed to San Mateo County
where 50 percent of foreign-born citizens are from Asia. In fact, almost 55
percent of all City residents are of Mexican ancestry specifically, by far the
single largest ethnic group (and an increase over 49 percent in 2000). In
comparison, Mexicans represent less than 16 percent of the total County
population. There is also a small but well-established Samoan population in
East Palo Alto.
There is a large population of non-citizens in East Palo Alto, with markedly
different demographic characteristics from the native-born population (see
Figure 2-22). Nearly 80 percent of foreign-born residents in East Palo Alto are
not citizens, compared to the County where 45 percent of foreign-born
residents have gained citizenship. Non-citizens who live in East Palo Alto
experience very different socio-economic conditions from native-born
residents. Specifically, non-citizens in East Palo Alto are:

Predominantly Hispanic/Latino (86 percent versus 50 percent
countywide)

Less likely to have graduated from high school (53 percent versus 25
percent countywide)

Less fluent in English (78 percent speak English less than "very well"
versus 10 percent countywide)

More likely to be employed in service occupations (55 percent versus
27 percent countywide)

More likely to have lower incomes (45 percent earn $15,000 to
$25,000 versus 15 percent countywide)
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As discussed in previous sections, East Palo Alto has a large Hispanic/Latino
population, many of whom are first- and second-generation Mexican
immigrants. There is a significant percentage of East Palo residents (about
one-third) who speak Spanish but are not fluent in English. Another four
percent of residents do not speak English but are fluent in a language other
than Spanish – a small but significant group of residents that will be important
to engage during General Plan outreach efforts, particularly during smaller
meetings in specific neighborhoods.
As shown in Figure 2-23, the proportion of linguistically-isolated households2
in East Palo Alto has increased by around 25 percent since 2000, and is more
than double the County rate of 10 percent. As discussed above, most residents
who do not speak English are non-citizen recent immigrants. English fluency
among East Palo Alto inhabitants increased slightly between 2000 and 2010,
from 59 percent to 62 percent (see Figure 2-24).
Around half of Westside residents are Spanish speakers not fluent in English, a
rate that is noticeably higher than the City rate of 34 percent. Just two percent
of the Westside residents speak neither Spanish nor English, compared to four
percent in the rest of the City. This reinforces the particular importance on the
Westside for bilingual and Spanish-only community outreach and General Plan
engagement.
Source: 2011 American Community Survey
Source: American Community Survey
2
A linguistically isolated household is one in which no member 14 years old and over
(1) speaks only English or (2) speaks a non-English language and speaks English "very
well."
Overall, educational levels in East Palo Alto lag behind San Mateo County, but
have increased in recent years. As shown in Figure 2-25, the percentage of the
population with a high school degree or some college increased from 33
percent in 2000 to 45 percent in 2010, while the percent of residents who did
not graduate from high school fell. As shown in Figure 2-25, almost seven
percent of East Palo Alto residents held a graduate degree in 2010, less than
San Mateo County’s more highly educated populace (17 percent of whom
have a graduate degree), but nearly double the City’s 2000 rate (four percent).
Figure 2-26 shows that East Palo Alto has also seen an increase in 18-19-yearold young adults enrolled in school (up from 45 percent in 2000 to 71 percent
in 2011).
The Westside has a higher share of college graduates than the rest of East Palo
Alto, but a similar proportion of residents without a high school degree (Figure
2-25). It has fewer 18-19-year-olds in school, suggesting that it may not have a
significant undergraduate student population.
Source: U.S. Census
Source: U.S. Census
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Generally, employment in East Palo Alto has been more difficult to secure and
is lower-paying than in the rest of San Mateo County. Unemployment in East
Palo Alto currently stands at 13.7 percent, more than double the rate at the
County level (5.7 percent) as shown in Figure 2-29. Since 2001, unemployment
trends in East Palo Alto have largely tracked the trends at the County level.
However, East Palo Alto’s rates of unemployment are consistently higher, and
the peak of unemployment during the 2009-2011 recession was dramatically
higher than in the rest of San Mateo County. This suggests that East Palo Alto
residents have felt the effect of the economic recession more profoundly than
other County residents.
The recession has affected East Palo Alto in other more subtle ways – parttime employment has increased at the expense of full-time employment, for
both male and female employees. While underemployment is notoriously
difficult to measure, a trend towards greater part-time employment is a clear
signal that underemployment is also on the rise.
As illustrated by Figure 2-32, jobs in East Palo Alto are clustered around major
shopping and commercial centers (IKEA, Gateway 101 Shopping Center, and
University Circle), the Four Seasons Hotel, schools (Brentwood Elementary,
Costaño Elementary, Cesar Chavez Elementary, Green Oaks Academy, etc.),
and government offices (City Hall, City Library, etc.).
Source: American Community Survey
Source: American Community Survey
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$60,015
$53,250
$50,137
$87,633
$45,006 $49,267 $50,137 $46,401
2000
2007
Median Income
2011
2011
2010
Westside County
Inflation-Adjusted
The median household income in East Palo Alto has grown slightly over the
past decade, showing a modest 10 percent increase upon first glance, as
shown in Figure 2-33. However, after adjusting for inflation, real income in the
City has fallen by roughly $10,000. Relative to the County, the City’s median
household income is just more than half the County total. Moreover, the City’s
income distribution is noticeably different from the County’s; while the
proportion of City residents who earn more than $35,000 annually has grown
from 58 percent to 69 percent since 2000, it is still markedly less than the 83
percent figure at the County level (see Figure 2-34). Poverty is a significant
concern for East Palo Alto, as the percentage of the population under 200
percent of the poverty level has risen steadily since 2000, increasing by more
than 10 percent (see Figure 2-35). However, the population under the 100
percent poverty line has held roughly constant. Westside incomes appear
slightly lower than the rest of East Palo Alto.
Source: American
Community Survey
Average life expectancy in East Palo Alto (62 years) is 13 years less than the
San Mateo County Average (75 years) and 25 years less than the neighboring
cities of Palo Alto, Mountain View and Los Altos (87 years on average).3 There
is no single cause for this disparity. Rather, it suggests that the average East
Palo Alto resident faces a variety of physical, social, and economic conditions
that, in combination, reduce health status and life expectancy. This disparity in
life expectancy underscores why improving community health is a critical longterm goal.


East Palo Alto’s leading causes of death are roughly similar to San Mateo
County’s (Table 2-1). The top three causes – heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and
stroke – have some of the same risk factors, including poor diet and lack of
physical activity. Better access to nutritious food and more opportunities for
physical activity could reduce East Palo Alto residents’ vulnerability to these
diseases. Poverty, low levels of education, and lack of access to health care
may also contribute to these causes of death.
East Palo Alto
San Mateo County
Heart Disease
Heart Disease
Alzheimer’s
Stroke
Stroke
Alzheimer’s
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease
Lung Cancer
Lung Cancer and Pneumonia
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease
Source: Get Healthy San Mateo County; California Statistical Master Files Death Data,
Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
Rates of common health conditions such as asthma and myocardial infarction
(otherwise known as heart attacks or cardiac arrest) are indicators of
population health. Data for these conditions is available only at the zip code
level (zip code 94303). This zip code includes all of East Palo Alto and also parts
of Palo Alto. As such, the results for East Palo Alto are expected to be higher
than those shown here since overall health conditions (such as life expectancy)
are lower than in neighboring Palo Alto. In zip code 94303, which covers all of
East Palo Alto and includes some Palo Alto households, heart attacks occur 30
percent more frequently than in the rest of San Mateo County, but essentially
at the same rate as the State as a whole (see Figure 2-36).4
50
42.2
29.4
30
20
10
0
East Palo Alto
3
Get Healthy San Mateo County; California Statistical Master Files Death Data, Office
of Statewide Health Planning and Development.
4
Hospitalization rates are based on the total number of incidents per 100,000
residents.
40.6
40
SM County
Source: OSHPD 2010 Emergency Department
and Patient Discharge Databases
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California
Rates for asthma hospitalizations5 and emergency visits are significantly higher
in East Palo Alto compared to the County, with rates for children ages 0-17
nearly triple the County rates (15.0 versus 6.6). Rates for all ages are 40
percent higher in the City compared to the County, and are also higher than
the Statewide average (see Figures 2-37 and 2-38).
Similarly, asthma-related emergency visit rates for children are almost double
in the City of East Palo Alto compared to the County. Rates for all ages are
roughly one-third higher than the County and State as shown in 2-38.
16
15.0
14
11.3
12
11.0
9.0
10
8
6.6
6.9
Children
All Ages
6
4
2
0
Children
All Ages
East Palo Alto
Children
San Mateo County
All Ages
California
Source: OSHPD 2010 Emergency Dept and Patient Discharge Databases
Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Since the
1970s, the risk of developing diabetes has increased by over 50 percent for
American adults. In East Palo Alto, the number of patients hospitalized for
diabetes-related conditions has fluctuated slightly and ranged from 50 to 58
per year from 2007 to 2010 as shown in Table 2-2. Addressing the causes
through a variety of physical and social interventions to improve nutrition and
fitness will be necessary to reverse this health trend.
East Palo Alto
2007
2008
2009
2010
52
50
58
56
Source: Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD)
5
Hospitalization rates are based on the total number of incidents per 10,000
residents.
A Health Professional Shortage Area is a federal designation given to areas
that demonstrate a shortage of healthcare professionals, including primary
care professionals, dentists, and mental health professionals.6 In all of San
Mateo County and Santa Clara counties, only East Palo Alto and a small
portion of Menlo Park and Redwood City are designated as Health Professional
Shortage Areas, lacking access to primary and specialty health care services.
This means most East Palo Alto residents must travel outside of the City to
receive medical care, and some may not receive it at all. A map of the Health
Professional Shortage Areas is shown in Figure 2-39.
A lack of health care professionals is a common occurrence in lower income
areas throughout the United States, and can have particularly negative
impacts on the elderly, the poor, and non-White or non-English-speaking
populations.7 8 The distance to health care providers can also have a significant
effect on whether children and the elderly receive preventive care,9
particularly in areas such as East Palo Alto that lack access to frequent, highquality public transportation. The General Plan can propose strategies to
increase access to medical services to promote the health of all City residents.
6
For primary care services, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) defines an
HPSA as having a population to physician ratio of 3,500 people to 1 physician, or 3,000 to 1, plus
the population demonstrates an unusually high need for primary medical care services.
7 Nemet, G. F., and Bailey, A. J. (2000). Distance and health care utilization among the rural
elderly. Social Science and Medicine, 50(9), pp. 1197-1208.
8 Mattson, J. (2010, December). Transportation, Distance, and Health Care Utilization for Older
Adults in Rural and Small Urban Areas. Retrieved from www.ugpti.org/pubs/pdf/DP236.pdf
9 Currie, J. (1999, July). Distance to Hospital and Children’s Access to Care: Is Being Closer Better,
and for Whom? National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Number 6836. Retrieved
from http://www.nber.org/papers/w6836
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Comparing disease incidence rates (how frequently it is diagnosed) to
mortality rates (how often it results in death) can illustrate the impacts of
income or demographics on the quality of care received. Cancer incidence
versus cancer mortality is a good example of this, as shown in Figures 2-40
(incidence) and 2-41 (mortality). While this data is only available for San
Mateo County and not for East Palo Alto, it shows that certain demographics
are more vulnerable to the disease than other ethnic groups.
In general, males have the highest incidence and mortality rates for all cancers
in San Mateo County. Both incidence and mortality seem to be slightly lower
for the Hispanic population than the County average. However, mortality rates
for black males and females are significantly higher than the County rate. High
mortality rates are often an indicator of limited access to preventive care or
post-diagnosis care. This underscores the continued importance of preventive
care and access to affordable medical care in the East Palo Alto community.
Rates per 100,00
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
All county
Non-Hispanic
White
Non-Hispanic
Black
Male
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
Asian/Pacific
Islander
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
Asian/Pacific
Islander
Female
Source: California Cancer Registry (CCR), 2013.
Rates per 100,00
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
All county
Non-Hispanic
White
Non-Hispanic
Black
Male
Female
Source: California Cancer Registry (CCR), 2013.
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
Demographic Transition: The City’s demographic makeup continues to
shift and become a more heavily Hispanic/Latino population. More than
half of all residents now hail from Mexico, while the Black/African
American population is around 15 percent, less than half what it was 20
years ago.

Language Education: The Hispanic/Latino population in East Palo Alto
continues to grow steadily, and consequently, linguistic isolation has
increased. Households that lack English fluency are at risk of becoming
disconnected from social services and government programs.

Immigration: There is a sizeable contingent of non-citizens living in the
City, which presents unique challenges. Assisting with assimilation for
immigrants will be crucial to improving their economic fortunes.

Young Population with Increasing Education Levels: The population of
East Palo Alto is relatively young, which is an opportunity to have a
strong workforce in the future. There is also a positive trend of increased
college and graduate school education, as well as greater enrollment in
schools based on percentage of total residents. The high truancy rate in
the public schools is a concern.

Unique Westside Demographics: The Westside’s demographic profile
differs in some ways from the rest of East Palo Alto, with a higher
proportion of Latino/Hispanic residents, children, non-resident
immigrants, low-income residents, and Spanish-speakers not fluent in
English. These characteristics underscore the particular need for
bilingual and family-friendly outreach on the Westside.

Risks of Displacement: Given the steady increase in development
pressures, particularly on the Westside, housing affordability and
displacement of existing residents is a major concern, especially
considering that incomes (after adjusting for inflation) have actually
decreased since 2000.

Unemployment: Unemployment remains chronically high, and poverty
is on the rise. Part-time employment has also risen at the expense of
full-time employment. There is a clear link between crime and
unemployment, and attracting new jobs should be a priority for the City.

Single Parent Households: Nearly one out of four households in East
Palo Alto is a female householder only, a number that has been on the
rise in recent years. Overall, greater than 40 percent of all households
are single parent households.

Overcrowding: Reducing overcrowding should be a major goal for the
General Plan Update, particularly in the Westside neighborhood. Over
half of all households in East Palo Alto have four or more persons, far
above the County average of 2.75 persons per household. While there
are fewer persons per household on the Westside, overcrowding is still a
problem because of smaller unit size.

Lack of Medical Services: In all of San Mateo County, only East Palo Alto
and a small portion of Menlo Park and Redwood City are defined as a
Medically Underserved Area (MUA), which means that residents lack
access to health care services. This can increase vulnerability to a variety
of diseases, both through a lack of preventive care and a lack of postdiagnosis care.

Health Disparities: The average life expectancy of an East Palo Alto
resident is 62 years, 13 years shorter than the San Mateo County
average of 75. This underscores the importance of improving community
health through a variety of physical, economic, and programmatic
strategies.

Preventable Disease: Risks for East Palo Alto’s top three causes of death
– heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s – can be reduced through better
nutrition, increased opportunities for physical activity, reduced poverty,
and better education.
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