Los Altos

Prior to its 1952 incorporation, Los Altos was dominated by prunes and avocado farms and ranches.

Welcome to Los Altos

Already known as one of the country’s wealthiest towns, Los Altos got a boost from one of its most prominent citizens in 2009, when Google co-founder Sergey Brin and his then-wife Anne Wojcicki, residents of Los Altos Hills and new parents, facilitated the establishment of a real estate investment firm whose aim was to buy and renovate commercial properties in downtown Los Altos. The company, now known as Los Altos Community Investments, has since been instrumental in the rebirth of Los Altos’ once sleepy downtown, both adding new businesses and preserving existing ones. That many of the new concerns are family-focused is a bonus to Los Altos’ large and growing population of young parents.
 
Though it may seem otherwise, Los Altos wasn’t always a center of affluence. Prior to its 1952 incorporation, Los Altos was dominated by prune and avocado farms and ranches, the living embodiment of the “valley of the heart’s delight,” as the Santa Clara Valley was known, prior to the Silicon Valley explosion.
 
Most of the growth in Los Altos – those large, sprawling houses Silicon Valley types snap up the minute they hit the market – came in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, as farmers sold off parcels for residential development; which is fitting, since the town came into being as the result of a single landowner’s subdivision.
 
Los Altos was established in 1906 by a Southern Pacific Railroad man named Paul Shoup, who created the Altos Land Company after buying 140 acres of a ranch owned by Sarah Winchester – the same Sarah Winchester who later went insane and built the Winchester House of Mystery. Promoting the newly-platted town as “The Jewel of the Peninsula,” the Altos Land Company began selling lots in 1908.
 
Despite early enthusiasm, Los Altos grew slowly until World War II. Today it’s difficult to find evidence of the young town. Even “Old Los Altos,” the oldest of the city’s eight residential districts, includes a mix of new and old – with the “old” mostly going only back to the 1930s and 40s.
 
Most of Los Altos’ other neighborhoods have buried their agricultural roots under waves of large homes in beautiful settings. Original plans for Loyola Corners called for the construction of a new campus for Santa Clara University, the idea being that fledgling Los Altos would become a university town rivaling its next-door neighbor, Palo Alto. The 1906 earthquake derailed those plans, however. Today, what would have been a college campus is instead the Los Altos Country Club.
 
Rather than universities and avocados, present-day Los Altos is known for its luxurious, spacious homes and high-end suburban lifestyle. Los Altos has something for every high-end homebuyer, with classic post-war suburban neighborhoods, semi-rural neighborhoods like Country Club, which backs up to a 4,000-acre nature preserve, mini-mansions with views in Woodland and even neighborhoods promising pedestrian-friendly lifestyles, with easy access to downtown’s upgraded shopping and dining.
 
Downtown is a mixture of world-class restaurants and comfortable local favorites, high-end boutiques and decades-old mom-and-pop businesses. The Los Altos Village Association stays busy, filling each year with events and festivals including the annual Los Altos Arts and Wine Festival, a summer Farmer’s Market and the monthly First Friday events, during which locals convene on downtown streets to enjoy live music and extended shopping hours and maybe follow up with a meal at a downtown restaurant.
 
Even without the efforts of a particular local tech tycoon, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more family-friendly place than Los Altos, with its big yards, numerous parks and highly regarded public schools. The Los Altos School District, which is made up of seven K-5 elementary schools and two middle schools, is consistently lauded for scoring among the state’s highest districts for Academic Performance Index and integrating cutting-edge teaching methods and technology into its curriculum.
 

The orchards may be gone, but the fruits of success continue in Los Altos. This is where Silicon Valley goes after it leaves work, to a large, comfortable home with a yard, friendly neighbors, good schools and a revitalized downtown whose upward trend only makes this A-list town more attractive.
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Overview for Los Altos, CA

31,562 people live in Los Altos, where the median age is 45.8 and the average individual income is $124,369. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.

31,562

Total Population

45.8 years

Median Age

High

Population Density Population Density This is the number of people per square mile in a neighborhood.

$124,369

Average individual Income

Around Los Altos, CA

There's plenty to do around Los Altos, including shopping, dining, nightlife, parks, and more. Data provided by Walk Score and Yelp.

49
Car-Dependent
Walking Score
85
Very Bikeable
Bike Score
24
Minimal Transit
Transit Score

Points of Interest

Explore popular things to do in the area, including Circle K, Baby Love Boutique Studio, and Altos Mobile Massage.

Name Category Distance Reviews
Ratings by Yelp
Dining 1.81 miles 13 reviews 5/5 stars
Shopping 4.04 miles 6 reviews 5/5 stars
Active 1.04 miles 8 reviews 5/5 stars
Active 1.46 miles 11 reviews 5/5 stars
Active 3.19 miles 5 reviews 5/5 stars
Active 3.71 miles 9 reviews 5/5 stars

Demographics and Employment Data for Los Altos, CA

Los Altos has 10,805 households, with an average household size of 2.9. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Here’s what the people living in Los Altos do for work — and how long it takes them to get there. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. 31,562 people call Los Altos home. The population density is 4,826.14 and the largest age group is Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.

31,562

Total Population

High

Population Density Population Density This is the number of people per square mile in a neighborhood.

45.8

Median Age

50.33 / 49.67%

Men vs Women

Population by Age Group

0-9:

0-9 Years

10-17:

10-17 Years

18-24:

18-24 Years

25-64:

25-64 Years

65-74:

65-74 Years

75+:

75+ Years

Education Level

  • Less Than 9th Grade
  • High School Degree
  • Associate Degree
  • Bachelor Degree
  • Graduate Degree
10,805

Total Households

2.9

Average Household Size

$124,369

Average individual Income

Households with Children

With Children:

Without Children:

Marital Status

Married
Single
Divorced
Separated

Blue vs White Collar Workers

Blue Collar:

White Collar:

Commute Time

0 to 14 Minutes
15 to 29 Minutes
30 to 59 Minutes
60+ Minutes

Schools in Los Altos, CA

All ()
Primary Schools ()
Middle Schools ()
High Schools ()
Mixed Schools ()
The following schools are within or nearby Los Altos. The rating and statistics can serve as a starting point to make baseline comparisons on the right schools for your family. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Type
Name
Category
Grades
School rating
Los Altos Los Altos Los Altos Los Altos Los Altos Los Altos Los Altos

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