Atherton

Welcome to Atherton

A premier address not just in Silicon Valley, but the U.S.
Atherton is located near the geographical midway point between San Francisco and San Jose. The town began its history as part of Rancho de las Pulgas, a large Spanish rancho. It later became a stop along the Southern Pacific Railroad. Formally incorporated in 1923, the town maintained a policy of not subdividing lots. This policy led to Atherton’s emergence as a summer home enclave for wealthy San Franciscans.  This practice of keeping the majority of lots to a minimum size of at least one acre continues to this day. The zoning regulations have given rise to luxurious and sweeping estate homes. As such, Atherton regularly ranks as the most expensive zip code in the country. There is no singular architectural style of home in Atherton. Many of these diverse estates reside behind expansive hedges of lush greenery providing immense privacy. This diversity provides striking contrasts up and down the community’s streets.

What to Love

• Silicon Valley’s glamourous address
• Wide array of large estate homes and architectural styles
• Home as a genuine oasis, a purely residential community

Prestigious and Purely Residential

Although not a traditional core city of Silicon Valley, Atherton is arguably its most prestigious suburb. Many executives, such as former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and investor and philanthropist Charles Schwab, currently reside in Atherton. Our most beloved recent resident is Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors. Former residents include Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, former Hewlett Packard Enterprise CEO Meg Whitman, and child movie star Shirley Temple. Atherton contains five distinct neighborhoods within its five square miles:

• The single-entry access of Lindenwood
• Atherton Oaks and its proximity to the Atherton Library and Holbrook-Palmer Park
• The winding streets and 1930s and 1940s architecture of Lloyden Park
• West Atherton, where homes regularly sell for north of $10 million
• West of Alameda, its large, lush, tree-lined streets part of the nation’s priciest zip code of 94027 (along with West Atherton)

Dining, Shopping & Entertainment

Atherton is a purely residential community. No restaurants, no shopping, no nightlife. Its location, however, puts it close to some of the best dining and entertainment in the midpeninsula region. Just across Valparaiso Avenue is the Menlo Park downtown district, where a number of restaurants and shopping opportunities are a short drive — or slightly longer walk— away. To the north, there is quick access to the central shopping district in Redwood City.

Things to Do

Atherton is home to the Menlo Circus Club, a private club centered around equestrian activities and tennis. On the northeast edge of town is Holbrook-Palmer Park, a 22-acre family-oriented recreation area with walking trails, gardens, tennis courts, a playground, and a ballfield. The center also has several indoor structures available for rent.

Schools

Atherton does not have its own school district but educates its young people at Redwood City School District, Menlo Park City School District, Las Lomitas Elementary School District, and the Sequoia Union High School District. The Sacred Heart Schools typically rank within the top private Catholic schools in the state. Menlo Schools is a highly regarded private school, K-12.  Menlo College, founded in 1927, was voted "Best in the West" college in 2014 by Princeton Review.