Palo Alto, CA · Updated Oct 2026

What a Palo Alto house pays

Property tax, water, trash and energy from public rates. Look up your address to make it yours, and see how to pay less.

Sent only to free public map services to find who serves it. Not stored unless you save your house.

Example · a Palo Alto house

$32,411a year · $2,701 a month

Starts at the typical market value, $2,000,001; your assessed value is often lower. Typical use.

Property tax$23,943
1.201% of $2,000,001, less $7,000 homeowners' exemption
Flat charges on the tax bill$1,048
Palo Alto Unified School District parcel tax (Measure O; about $923 for 2026-27, our estimate from $836 in 2021-22 with a 2% yearly adjustment) $923 · Valley Water Safe, Clean Water special tax (maximum rate, as recommended for adoption) $82 · Mosquito & vector control assessments (1996, 2005, 2026) $31 · SF Bay Restoration Authority Measure AA $12
Electricity and gas$2,537
501.1 kWh a month $1,372 · 31.72 therms $1,044 · city utility tax $121
Water and sewer$2,772
9 units (CCF) a month on City of Palo Alto Utilities: water $135, sewer $78, stormwater management fee (1.0 eru, lots of 6,000 to 11,000 sq ft) $18 a month
Trash$619
32-gallon cart, $52 a month
Home insurance$1,492
Typical premium $1,492

A Palo Alto house at the typical market value ($2,000,001) pays about $32,400 a year: $24,990 property tax and charges, $2,770 water and sewer, $620 trash, $2,540 electricity and gas, $1,490 home insurance. Estimated from public rates, not anyone's actual bill.

Rates checked Oct 22, 2026. Insurance: what you enter, or a typical premium until you do. Sources are listed at the bottom.

Ways to pay less

One change saves this house about $181 a year:

Bring water use down to 6 units
$181 a year
Above 6 units a month, City of Palo Alto Utilities charges $15.04 a unit instead of $10.00.
How: Most of the top tier is outdoor watering: fix leaks and water less often in summer.

Worth checking

Switch to the mini-can (20-gallon) cartUp to $275 a year
Your cart costs $52 a month; the smallest costs $29. Worth it if you rarely fill it.
How: Call your garbage hauler.
Homeowners: file the $7,000 homeowners' exemptionAbout $70 to $80 a year
If you own and occupy your home as your principal place of residence, you may be eligible for an exemption of up to $7,000 off the dwelling's assessed value, resulting in a property tax savings of approximately $70 to $80 annually.
How: File a claim with the Santa Clara County Assessor.
Low-income seniors (born before June 30, 1962): Valley Water tax exemptionAbout $80 a year
Owners born before June 30, 1962 who own and live in the home, with 2025 total household income below $75,112, can be exempt from Valley Water's Safe, Clean Water special tax, a saving of approximately $80. Homes in an irrevocable trust and mobile homes in parks are not eligible. The 2026 application period was April 15 to June 30, 2026.
How: See valleywater.org/senior-parcel-tax-exemption; the 2026 application period was April 15 to June 30, 2026.
Valley Water lawn conversion rebate$2 per sq ft, up to $3,000
Valley Water's base rate for converting approved high-water-use lawns and pools to low-water-use landscapes is $2 per square foot, up to $3,000 for residential sites.
How: Apply through Valley Water's landscape rebates page.

Adjust to match your bills

What you knowTrash cartPrices include weekly garbage, recycling (blue cart) and compost (green cart) collection.

Value before exemptionsEnter the assessed value from your tax bill: under Prop 13 it is often far below what the house would sell for. Parts of Palo Alto are in Los Altos or Mountain View school districts (for example tax rate areas 006-013 and 006-016) instead of Palo Alto Unified.

I live here and have the Homeowners' exemptionSomeone on the title is 65 or older

Home insurance, a yearFrom your policy. We start at $1,492, California statewide average, NAIC data for 2022 as published by the Insurance Information Institute (California figures from the California Department of Insurance).

Earthquake insurance, a yearSeparate from home insurance. Most owners don't have it.

Your use

Water, units a month

On your water bill. 1 unit (CCF) is 748 gallons. A typical house uses 7–12.

Electricity, kWh a month

On your City of Palo Alto Utilities bill. An electric car adds about 300 kWh.

Gas, therms a month (yearly average)

Money dates

Dec 10in 48 daysLast day to pay the first installment of secured property taxes without penalties.
Feb 15in 115 daysDeadline to file the homeowners' exemption for the full exemption (filed by Dec 10 after that, 80% of it).
Apr 10Last day to pay the second installment of secured property taxes without penalties.
Jul 2 – Sep 15Window to file an assessment appeal with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors.

Who serves this house

Water: City of Palo Alto Utilities; Rate Schedule W-1 (effective July 1, 2026): monthly service charge $29.92 for 5/8-inch to 1-inch meters, SFPUC water delivery charge $6.23 per hundred cubic feet plus a distribution rate of $3.77 for Tier 1 and $8.81 for Tier 2.
Property tax: 1.20% of value; 2025-26 tax year, Santa Clara County (tax rate area 006-001); flat charges 2026-27
Sewer: City of Palo Alto Utilities; Rate Schedule S-1 charges each occupied dwelling unit a flat monthly wastewater rate.
Electricity: City of Palo Alto Utilities; Rate Schedule E-1 covers single-family homes receiving electric service from the City of Palo Alto Utilities.
Gas: City of Palo Alto Utilities; Rate Schedule G-1 covers single-family homes receiving gas service from the City of Palo Alto Utilities.
Garbage: City of Palo Alto Utilities; Rate Schedule R-1 sets the monthly refuse rate for each occupied domestic dwelling.

Pay or manage your bills

Your water

Source: The water delivery charge is passed through from the SFPUC wholesale rate (Water Rate Schedule W-25).

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How these numbers are made

Property tax: Santa Clara County's 2025-26 rates for tax rate area 006-001, the area with the most Palo Alto parcels in the County's parcel file (about 16,700 of 20,500): the 1% levy, county retirement 0.0388%, VMC and housing bonds 0.0108%, Palo Alto Unified bonds 0.1079%, city bond 0.00745%, Foothill-De Anza college bonds 0.0311%, Midpeninsula open space 0.0014% and Valley Water's State Water Project 0.0039%, 1.20135% in all, less the $7,000 homeowners' exemption. The 2026-27 book was not out. Flat charges for 2026-27: Palo Alto Unified Measure O parcel tax ($836 in 2021-22 rising 2% a year, so about $923 in 2026-27 by our arithmetic), Valley Water $82.41, vector control $30.65, Bay restoration $12. Palo Alto is in the Midpeninsula open space district, so the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority taxes were left out. The district's June 2026 replacement parcel tax did not pass, so Measure O is assumed to run through 2026-27.
The starting value is the Census ACS 2020-2024 median market value ($2,000,001, a top-coded figure); under Prop 13 an owner who bought years ago has a much lower assessed value, so enter the assessed value from your tax bill.
Water: Schedule W-1 (July 1, 2026), $29.92 service charge; Tier 1 is $6.23 + $3.77 = $10.00 per ccf up to 6 ccf a month, Tier 2 $6.23 + $8.81 = $15.04. The city's June 2026 rate insert says the Utility Users Tax is 5% applied to the increase on the electric, gas and water bills; it does not state a rate on the whole water bill, so the page adds the 5% to energy only and leaves it off water and sewer. Sewer is the flat $77.84 and stormwater $18.14 per ERU (1.0 ERU assumed for a 6,000 to 11,000 sq ft lot); all three were raised July 1, 2026.
Garbage: Schedule R-1 (July 1, 2026), monthly price per garbage cart size, including recycling and compost carts.
Electricity: Schedule E-1 (July 1, 2026) all-in per-kWh totals, $5.38 customer charge, 450 kWh Tier 1 for a 30-day bill; typical use is the 2024 EIA residential average for the City of Palo Alto (about 501 kWh a month). The 5% Utility Users Tax is added.
Gas: Schedule G-1 with the October 1, 2026 monthly rates ($2.0362 and $3.7247 per therm) and $22.41 service charge; the commodity part changes every month. The Tier 1 limit is the year-weighted average of 23 therms (summer) and 60 therms (winter). Typical use is California's 2024 residential average (EIA). Insurance is the 2022 California average premium.
Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.

Sources

Common questions about Palo Alto house costs

What is the property tax rate in Palo Alto?

About 1.20% of the value before exemptions a year (2025-26 tax year, Santa Clara County (tax rate area 006-001); flat charges 2026-27), plus flat charges on the same bill (Palo Alto Unified School District parcel tax (Measure O; about $923 for 2026-27, our estimate from $836 in 2021-22 with a 2% yearly adjustment) $923, Valley Water Safe, Clean Water special tax (maximum rate, as recommended for adoption) $82, Mosquito & vector control assessments (1996, 2005, 2026) $31, SF Bay Restoration Authority Measure AA $12).

How much is property tax on a $500,000 house in Palo Alto?

About $6,971 a year on $500,000 of the value before exemptions with the homeowners' exemption, including $1,048 of flat charges.

How much is the water bill in Palo Alto?

About $231 a month for water and sewer at typical use (9 units, or 6,732 gallons a month) on City of Palo Alto Utilities.

How much does trash pickup cost in Palo Alto?

$29 to $155 a month, depending on the trash cart size (Mini-can (20-gallon), 32-gallon cart, 64-gallon cart, 96-gallon cart).

When is property tax due in Palo Alto?

Dec 10: Last day to pay the first installment of secured property taxes without penalties. Apr 10: Last day to pay the second installment of secured property taxes without penalties.

Can seniors lower their property tax or bills in Palo Alto?

Yes. Low-income seniors (born before June 30, 1962): Valley Water tax exemption: Owners born before June 30, 1962 who own and live in the home, with 2025 total household income below $75,112, can be exempt from Valley Water's Safe, Clean Water special tax, a saving of approximately $80. Homes in an irrevocable trust and mobile homes in parks are not eligible. The 2026 application period was April 15 to June 30, 2026.

Where can I get help paying utility bills in Palo Alto?

Low-income seniors (born before June 30, 1962): Valley Water tax exemption: Owners born before June 30, 1962 who own and live in the home, with 2025 total household income below $75,112, can be exempt from Valley Water's Safe, Clean Water special tax, a saving of approximately $80. Homes in an irrevocable trust and mobile homes in parks are not eligible. The 2026 application period was April 15 to June 30, 2026. See valleywater.org/senior-parcel-tax-exemption; the 2026 application period was April 15 to June 30, 2026.

How much does a house in Palo Alto cost to run each year?

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