Housing prices, wealth and cost of living

Silicon Valley remains one of the most productive and wealthy regions in the world. But the latest Silicon Valley Index — an annual report produced by Joint Venture Silicon Valley, a nonprofit think tank that tracks economic, demographic and social trends in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties — shows a widening gap between those benefiting from investment-driven gains and those struggling with soaring housing costs and demographic shifts.

Read the full story: (here)

Here’s a snapshot of the numbers shaping the region in 2026.

$95 billion
Investment income in 2023 — more than double roughly a decade ago and growing faster than wages.

70%
Households earning over $200,000 who collect investment income.

Less than 1%
Households earning under $200,000 who collect investment income.

75%
Share of the region’s liquid wealth held by the top 10% of households (excluding billionaires).

1%
Share of liquid wealth held by the bottom half of households.

$1.98 million
Median price of a single-family home at the end of 2025 — nearly five times the national median.

25%
Share of potential first-time buyers who could afford a median-priced home in Silicon Valley (vs. more than half nationally).

$3,000 / $4,200
Average monthly rent:
• Apartments: ~$3,000
• Single-family homes: ~$4,200

40%
Renters who are cost-burdened (spend more than one-third of their income on housing).

-15%
Decline in children under 18 over the past decade.

+29%
Increase in seniors over the past decade.

Nearly 30 years
Length of time the region has experienced net domestic outmigration.

3 in 10
Young adults (18–34) living with parents.

410,000
Jobs aligned with AI-capable tasks in the region.

9%
Share of the total workforce employed by the Valley’s 20 largest firms.