Atherton, CA

Atherton, California

Introduction to Atherton, California

Atherton, California, in San Mateo county, is 2 miles SE of Redwood City, California (center to center) and 18 miles NW of San Jose, California. The city is situated along a peninsula between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. It's regarded as one of the wealthiest cities in the nation and is included in the San Francisco metropolitan area. In 2005 Forbes Magazine stated that Atherton's zip code was the most affluent zip code in the nation.

The scenic, rural residential community is filled with attractive oak trees, pines, redwoods and cedars and includes a lot of open space. There are no industries or business establishments located within the city limits. Holbrook-Palmer Park is a picturesque location and hosts numerous events.

Atherton History

In the early days, the entire region was part of the Rancho de las Pulgas. Years later, it was part of Menlo Park. The community was originally known as Fair Oaks but was incorporated as Atherton in 1923. The city was named in tribute to Faxon Dean Atherton, one of the region's initial property owners. With the arrival of the railroad, a large number of San Francisco residents constructed summer homes in Atherton. The community originally consisted of large estates but during the 1940's and 1950's smaller lots consisting of one acre or more were created.

Nearby Attractions

The Filoli Center, Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo, Carolands Mansion, the Museum of American Heritage and the Hiller Aviation Museum are located in the area. The Sanchez Adobe, Crocker Mansion, Cantor Center and the Palo Alto Cultural Center of Visual Arts are noteworthy destinations.

Atherton Activities

The region features numerous scenic hiking trails. The San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge, San Bruno Mountain, the forest acreage on the Montara Mountain block, Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area are popular with wildlife enthusiasts. Residents have opportunities for a variety of activities and entertainment in San Francisco and San Jose.

Atherton Higher Education

Stanford University and Menlo College are close by.

Atherton Transportation

Air travel is offered at the San Francisco International Airport.

High Points

Atherton strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in California):

Category	Trophy
Median Family Income (vs. Peers)	Top 1%
Well-Paid Single Men (vs. Peers)	Top 1%
College Educated Adults (vs. Peers)	Top 1%
Well-Paid Single Women (vs. Peers)	Top 1%
People in Middle Class or Better (vs. Peers)	Top 1%
Low Rate of Poverty (vs. Peers)	Top 2%

Comparative Profile of Atherton, CA

Comparing Atherton to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in California (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Well-Paid Single Men
Well-Paid Single Women
Age of the Population
Senior Citizens
Racial Diversity
Male Share of the Population
Female Share of the Population
Children Under 5 Years Old

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Portion of People Married
Average Household Size

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
People in Middle Class or Better
College Educated Adults
Median Family Income
People Above Poverty

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Working at Home
Public Transportation Use
Short Commute Times
Walking and Biking to Work

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Seasonal and Vacation Housing
Housing Recently Built
People Living Alone
Affordability of Property Taxes
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Affordability of Rents

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Property Crime
Low Violent Crime

Atherton Almanac

Atherton Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Atherton Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Nearby Cities and Towns

Atherton High Schools (2004)

MENLO-ATHERTON HIGH
555 MIDDLEFIELD ROAD
650-322-5311
Title I eligible, not participating.
Serves 2,090 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 21.5

Atherton Colleges

Click school name for a detailed profile.

Menlo College

(List of All California Colleges)

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