Portola Highlands
Backyard trails and Pacific views
Portola Highlands is surrounded by opportunities for outdoor recreation; the Pacific coast is just 5 miles to the west, while San Bruno Mountain is a 10-mile trip to the north. "There are a lot of parks in that area," says Born. "There's an open preserve right behind it that's all park."Sneath Lane Trail wraps around this community and makes every backyard a gateway to outdoor exploration. This trail connects with the larger Sweeney Ridge Trail, which leads to the site where Spanish adventurer Gaspar de Portola famously first saw the San Francisco Bay .
"Sweeney Ridge Trail is beautiful and connects to the Mori trails - those go to the ocean," says Born. "The views from Mori Point? Amazing. You can practically see all the way down the coast.”
Pacifica Heights Park, just a block north of the neighborhood, includes a small play area for children. The Sharp Park Golf Course, 4 miles west of Portola Highlands, was designed by the same architect behind the Augusta National, home of the Masters Tournament, and is open to the public.
Hillside homes with views of San Bruno Mountain
Portola Highlands is named for Portola, whose travels in the 1770s took him through the Bay Area hills atop which this neighborhood was developed two centuries later. Homes built from the 1960s to 1970s line Portola Highlands’ hillsides, most of them raised ranches with small front yards and driveways. Portola Highlands’ streets tend to be grid-patterned, and Sneath Lane wraps around this compact neighborhood and forms its border. Houses in Portola Highlands vary in price from $1.4 million to $1.7 million and in size from three bedrooms to four bedrooms.Shopping around San Bruno
Though Portola Highlands may be distant from downtown San Bruno, shopping and dining options are just around the corner. Lunardi’s supermarket sits just across Skyline Boulevard from the neighborhood, while Sneath Lane connects Portola Highlands to the shopping centers along Interstate 280 and El Camino Real.The Bayhill Shopping Center, located along San Bruno Avenue, includes a Mollie Stone’s Markets grocery store in addition to several eateries. One of them, Ichika Izakaya, specializes in wagyu beef, sushi and other Japanese staples.
Avid learning at Capuchino High
Portola Elementary School receives a B rating from Niche, while Parkside Intermediate School scores a B-minus. Capuchino High School, given an A-minus rating, has a strong reputation of academic and athletic excellence. The Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) program prepares students for their post-secondary futures through challenging International Baccalaureate classes. This school’s varsity sports programs vary from basketball and soccer to golf and swimming. The school’s baseball and softball teams both won their section titles in 2024.Commuting into San Francisco
Portola Highlands is connected to the wider Bay Area by both highways and public transportation. San Francisco International Airport is 5 miles away. Residents can get to downtown San Francisco by hopping on Interstate 280 for 15 miles. The ride to the city on the SamTrans bus and from the San Bruno BART station both take about an hour.


Agents Specializing in this Area
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Jason Born
Born Real Estate, Inc.
(650) 539-6978
20 Total Sales
1 in Portola Highlands
$1,502,000 Price
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Thomas Feng
Responds QuicklyReal Brokerage Technologies
(669) 345-4895
66 Total Sales
1 in Portola Highlands
$1,650,000 Price
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Ken Kwok
Responds QuicklyMaxReal
(650) 514-5752
80 Total Sales
1 in Portola Highlands
$1,505,000 Price
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Karon T Knox-Franzella
Responds QuicklyIntero Real Estate Services
(650) 502-5038
50 Total Sales
1 in Portola Highlands
$1,225,000 Price
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Donna Byrne
Responds QuicklyIntero Real Estate Services
(650) 431-3077
39 Total Sales
1 in Portola Highlands
$1,850,000 Price
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Joe Polyak
Rise Homes
(510) 616-4293
147 Total Sales
1 in Portola Highlands
$1,800,000 Price
Schools
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to
, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Parks in this Area
Transit
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Portola Highlands | US |
---|---|---|
Homicide | 1 | 4 |
Sexual Assault | 1 | 4 |
Assault with Weapon | 2 | 4 |
Robbery | 2 | 4 |
Burglary | 2 | 4 |
Motor Vehicle Theft | 3 | 4 |
Larceny | 2 | 4 |
Crime Score | 2 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Portola Highlands Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Portola Highlands, San Bruno sell after 16 days on the market compared to the national average of 51 days. The median sale price for homes in Portola Highlands, San Bruno over the last 12 months is $1,650,000, down 1% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Neighborhood Facts
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Rent
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to
, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Finances
Education and Workforce
Weather
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
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