At the heart of Silicon Valley is Los Altos, a small city best known for its small village atmosphere and top schools. Los Altos sits on the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains in Santa Clara County and is located adjacent to its airy neighbor, Los Altos Hills. From Los Altos, Palo Alto is a short drive northwest, while Sunnyvale is in the east.
Los Altos (“The Heights”) traces its modern origins to the early 20th century. The Los Altos Land Company was founded by Paul Shoup and his friends, which then acquired a total of 140 acres of land. The town was originally planned to link Los Gatos and Palo Alto.
Since Los Altos’ foundation, the city quickly grew to become a destination for wealth San Francisco locals. As more weekend homes were built, Los Altos continued to develop into an agricultural town famous for its plums and apricot. Today, Los Altos is still primarily residential, but it has shed its farming roots and embraced the modern lifestyle. It 1952, Los Altos was incorporated.
Los Altos is highly accessible, just minutes away from different major highways. An intricate web of roads can easily take residents in and out of the city. I-280, Route 82, and Route 85 are three of the closest thoroughfares to Los Altos.
Aside from its laidback atmosphere, Los Altos is also known in Silicon Valley for its top-ranking schools. Public schools in this commuter town are supervised by the Los Altos School District, although some students also attend schools managed neighboring school districts such as Cupertino Union and Mountain View.
Los Altos is also home to several private academic institutions. The Pinewood School and the Waldorf School of the Peninsula have campuses in the city. The city has a population of under 30,000 residents.
Homes for sale in Los Altos, CA
Surrounded by groves of old-growth trees, homes for sale in Los Altos are widely considered as some of the most attractive real estate in Silicon Valley.
Much like its neighbor, Los Altos Hills, Los Altos’ neighborhoods retain a rural atmosphere through reinforced zoning laws. It should be noted, however, that Los Altos is much more lenient, as there are commercial establishments in the city whereas Los Altos Hills is strictly residential.
Los Altos is often divided into four neighborhoods: North Los Altos, Country Club, South of El Monte, and the Highlands/Woodland Acres. Each neighborhood has its own set of benefits, including access to an extensive network of hiking and biking trails.
Los Altos real estate offers single-family homes, usually set on lots that go from a quarter of an acre or more. In addition to single-family residences, homes for sale in Los Altos include townhomes and condos.
California ranch-style homes are quite common in the area, as are turn-of-the-century styles and more contemporary designs.
Attractions and activities in Los Altos, CA
- Los Altos History Museum
- Downtown Los Altos
- Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
- Los Altos Golf and Country Club
- Redwood Grove Nature Preserve
- Alta Mesa Memorial Park
Sorry we are experiencing system issues. Please try again.