The city is nestled between Menlo Park, Los Altos, and Mountain View on the shores of the San Francisco Bay. Palo Alto, meaning “tall tree” in Spanish, was named for an iconic 110-foot redwood that has stood on the banks of San Francisquito for over 1000 years.
Stanford University was established in Palo Alto in 1891 and grew into a world-leading tech research center in the 1970s, providing fertile ground for today’s thriving tech and venture capital scenes. VMWare, SAP, Hewlett Packard, Tesla, Skype, TIBCO, and SSL are just a few of the renowned firms with a major presence here.
Palo Alto is comprised of over 30 distinct neighborhoods. The vibe and architecture varies throughout, though most consist of peaceful residential streets lined with magnolia, oak, and sycamore trees. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s Crescent Park neighborhood ranks among the most prestigious, with stately East Coast-style homes and classically-inspired mansions. Leland Manor is an exclusive enclave of ranch homes, Colonials, and sprawling estates, and Midtown is known for its Joseph Eichler-designed mid-century homes.
Palo Alto’s diverse neighborhoods include:
- Adobe Meadow/Meadow Park
- Barron Park
- Charleston Gardens
- Charleston Meadows
- College Terrace
- Community Center
- Downtown North
- Duveneck/St. Francis
- Esther Clark Park
- Evergreen Park
- Fairmeadow, Greater Miranda
- Green Acres
- Greendell
- Greenmeadow
- Leland Manor/Embarcadero Oaks/Garland
- Mayfield
- Midtown
- Monroe Park
- Old Palo Alto
- Palo Alto Hills
- Palo Alto Orchards
- Palo Verde
- Professorville
- San Alma
- South of Midtown
- Southgate
- St. Claire Gardens
- The Greenhouse
- Triple El
- University South
- Ventura
- Walnut Grove
In 2018, Palo Alto real estate ranged from $1,565,000 to $19,500,000. The median sale price was $3,200,000.
The city’s diverse population includes Nobel prize winners, venture capitalists, Silicon Valley CEOs, and families who have been there for generations. Stanford University injects youthful enthusiasm into the city, while start-up incubators attract top talent from around the world. The city’s close-knit neighborhoods foster a friendly atmosphere, with neighbors keen to greet new arrivals and welcome them into the community. Palo Alto is also known for its progressive views and green policies.
University Avenue and California Avenue feature an incredible array of restaurants, with authentic cuisine from every corner of the world. California Avenue’s
Protégé was awarded a Michelin star for its sublime reinventions of classic dishes. Just across the street, intimate French restaurant
Baumé’s masterful dishes have earned it Michelin’s two-star distinction. Around University Avenue, the Michelin Guide recommends California-infused French bistro
Zola, the creative multicultural fusion food and cocktails at
Bird Dog, wood-fire grilled delights at
Evvia, and exceptional Vietnamese fare at
Tamarine. For groceries, Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s are located a few blocks from University Avenue, and Mollie Stone’s family-run organic market is on California Avenue.
The Palo Alto Unified School District is one of the best in California, and there are numerous outstanding schools that serve the city’s residents.
Despite being a vibrant city with top-of-the-line amenities, Palo Alto neighborhoods are quiet, giving residents the best of both worlds.
