Population 7,194   Pop. Density 1,468.00 per sq mi   Area 5.00 sq mi   County San Mateo   Zip codes 94027

The prestigious town of Atherton has preserved its character with expansive estates and gorgeous foliage set in the heart of Silicon Valley and just 40 minutes outside of San Francisco. With its scenic streets and minimum lot size of one acre, this serene atmosphere has made it one of the most sought after addresses in the country. Atherton residents cherish their town’s rural feel and quiet streets. The town begins in the flatlands then moves westward to the hills until it reaches Highway 280. Beautiful foliage, elegant gardens and heritage trees dominate this quiet small community.

Seemingly a world away, Atherton actually abuts the downtown Menlo Park shopping district and is a short drive from the bustling downtowns of Palo Alto and Redwood City. Several private schools call Atherton home and the private Menlo Circus Club provides a swim, tennis and equestrian venue for local residents. The Town of Atherton has preserved its character as a scenic, rural, thickly-wooded, residential area. Despite its small size, the town has abundant open space and has its own library and community facilities, including the beautiful Holbrook-Palmer Park.

Atherton real estate is strictly residential and very exclusive. Residential properties encompass large luxury estates and upscale homes. From the 1800’s, Atherton was home to a handful of large estates, the summer homes of wealthy San Francisco families. Early residents wanted a town that would not contain businesses. To this day, there is no commercial zoning in Atherton. The era of large estates ended in the 1940s and 1950s, when the extravagant country homes were divided into large parcels, with a minimum size of one acre.