Los Altos Hills is one of the most expensive towns in America. Named for its hilly terrain and its proximity to the Silicon Valley bedroom community of Los Altos, it offers a lifestyle as high-level as its elevation. Just under 8,500 people call Los Altos Hills home, most of them working in white-collar jobs like management, finance, computer science and engineering. And when they come home they return to some of the best schools in the state, as well as massive lot sizes, diverse housing aesthetics, hilltop views of the San Francisco Bay and highway access to both San Francisco and San Jose.
Nestled in the hills, Los Altos Hills estates enjoy panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay.
This vibrant mural in downtown Los Altos near Los Altos Hills adds color to the urban landscape.
This expansive estate in Los Altos Hills showcases the area’s massive lot sizes and luxury living.
Los Altos Hills is known for hilltop estates with breathtaking San Francisco Bay views.
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Vast properties with diverse aesthetics offer hillside views of the Bay
Los Altos Hills has a long history of being an upmarket exurb of San Francisco, from the founding of two Mexican agricultural estates in the area in the 1840s to the development of summer estates by the San Franciscan elite throughout the early 20th century. Today, 1920s-built retreats sit beside midcentury-built ranch-style homes and modern-style estates built as recently as the early 2020s. Los Altos Hills’ median home price of $6.6 million is nearly six times that of San Francisco’s lofty median. The town mandates that all lots have to be at least one acre and homes often exceed 4,000 square feet and some surpass 9,000 square feet. Modern and vintage housing styles blend along winding, hillside roads, many of which do not have sidewalks due to their low volume of traffic. Homes big and small sit behind lush gardens and are shaded by abundant foliage, imbuing Los Altos Hills with a strong naturalistic character.
This transitional European-style home in Los Altos Hills blends classic and modern elegance.
This Mediterranean-style home in Los Altos Hills features arched windows and a red tile roof.
This Los Altos Hills residence blends Mediterranean charm with Neoclassical grace.
This Los Altos Hills home showcases contemporary architecture with clean lines and open spaces.
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Large parks preserve old ranchlands and swathes of nature in the Santa Clara Valley
Los Altos Hills’ location within the Santa Clara Valley puts this spread-out community close to both large nature preserves and small hiking trails. The Wallace Stegner Pathway allows pedestrians and equestrians to journey past tall grass and along steep hillsides, offering panoramic views of the surrounding valley. Rancho San Antonio County Park, named for a 19th-century Mexican land grant, preserves 25 miles of hiking trails that lead through verdant dales and an old farm. Deer, turkeys and cows are among the wildlife hikers may encounter. The lakes at Foothills Nature Preserve and the biking trails at the Arastradero Preserve likewise beckon to outdoor explorers. For more laid-back recreation, the private Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club and Fremont Hills Country Club each offer renovated courses with views of the bay and membership perks like fitness center access and fine dining restaurants.
Rancho San Antonio County Park in Los Altos Hills offers 25 miles of scenic hiking trails.
The lakes at Foothills Nature Preserve in Los Altos Hills offer a peaceful escape for nature lovers.
Hikers at Rancho San Antonio County Park in Los Altos Hills may spot deer, turkeys, and cows.
Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club near Los Altos Hills offers a renovated course with bay views.
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Diverse food and shopping in neighboring downtown Los Altos
Los Altos Hills is almost entirely residential. The few commercial spaces in town include the shop at the Heritage House history museum, the book store at Foothill College, as well as its cafe and the gift shop at the Immaculate Heart Monastery of the Poor Clare Colettines. Beyond that residents head across the Foothill Expressway to downtown Los Altos and its diverse dining scene. There, Main Street’s restaurants serve up cuisines from regions as far afield as Japan, the Levant and France, while a vegan smoothie shop sits immediately across the street from a comfort-food cocktail bar. The blocks north and south of Main Street host several stores that vary from skateboard and clothing shops to the local Safeway supermarket.
Downtown Los Altos offers a rich dining scene just across Foothill Expressway from Los Altos Hills.
Safeway in downtown Los Altos offers fresh produce and essentials near Los Altos Hills.
Main Street in Los Altos Hills offers diverse cuisines, from Japanese sushi to French delicacies.
Main Street near Los Altos Hills offers a variety of stores, including a popular skateboard shop.
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Excellent education at Los Altos and Palo Alto schools
One of Los Altos’ main appeals is its strong public education system. The Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District and the Palo Alto Unified School District each receive A-plus ratings from Niche, the latter being recognized by Niche as the best school district in the state. Palo Alto’s Gunn High School has historically been known for its competitive atmosphere, encouraged by an offering of 50 AP and Honors classes and advanced STEM programs. Los Altos Hills is also home to Foothill College, a community college serving nearly 14,000 students.
Loyola Elementary School in Los Altos Hills offers a top-rated education with a strong community focus.
Los Altos High School offers over 35 Honors and Advanced Placement courses, challenging students academically.
Palo Alto High School offers top-tier academics to students from Los Altos Hills and beyond.
Foothill College in Los Altos Hills offers top-tier community education to 14,000 students.
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Keeping safe in Los Altos Hills
Los Altos Hills has a negligible crime rate, ranking among the 99th percentile for safety, according to the FBI. Its violent crime rate is a fifth that of the national average. The city’s location near the San Andreas Fault means that earthquakes are an ever-present risk, while the dry and steep terrain of Los Altos Hills puts the city at risk of wildfire.
Urban access by highway or Caltrain
Interstate 280 cuts through the middle of Los Altos Hills and takes commuters into San Francisco within a 40-mile drive and San Jose within 20 miles. For those looking to skip occasionally intense traffic, Palo Alto’s nearby Caltrain station offers an hour-long journey into “the City” and a 20-minute ride to San Jose's Diridon Station. Neighboring Mountain View is home to a campus of El Camino Health and Stanford University’s hospital is just over 5 miles north of Los Altos Hills.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
