Overview

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. 

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.

Demographics

People

Total Population7,185
Male Share of the Population50.1%
Female Share of the Population49.9%
Senior Citizens21.8%
Employed Population 16+2,789
Age of the Population48

Families

% of people married59.1%
Average household size3

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher53.6%
Median Earnings25+$140,924
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$0
Median Earnings With High School Degree$12,063

Wealth

Median Family Income$250
% Above Poverty Level96.6%
% Below Poverty Level3.4%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time23 minutes
% Working from Home13.6%
% Walking and Biking to Work6%
% Using Public Transportation2.7%

Housing

People Living Alone13.2%
Median Gross Rent$3
Median House Value$2

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)29.4%
German17.8%
English14.6%
Irish11.4%
Italian5.6%
Scottish3.3%
French Except Basque2.7%
Dutch2.7%
Greek2.3%
Norwegian2.1%
Swedish1.8%
Polish1.7%
Iranian1.7%
Arab1.4%
Russian1.3%
Swiss1.2%
Portuguese1.1%
Turkish0.7%
Danishn0.6%
Czech0.6%
Hungarian0.5%
Ukrainian0.5%
Austrian0.5%
Finnish0.4%
Welsh0.3%
Brazilian0.3%
Macedonian0.3%
Lithuanian0.3%
Palestinian0.3%
Canadian0.2%
Romanian0.2%
Lebanese0.2%
Egyptian0.1%
Croatian0.1%
US/American0.1%
Belgian0.1%
New Zealand0.1%
+ Show More

Atherton Almanac

CategoryValue
CountySan Mateo County
Standard Zip Codes94027
Phone Area Codes
Time ZoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Approximate Latitude37.45
Approximate Longitude-122.2

Atherton Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

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

StationREDWOOD CITY
Distance2.5 miles
Jan Temp39 to 58 F
Apr Temp45 to 70 F
Jul Temp55 to 81 F
Oct Temp49 to 73 F
Annual Precip20.1 inches
StationWOODSIDE FIRE STN 1
Distance3.5 miles
Jan Temp36 to 60 F
Apr Temp42 to 73 F
Jul Temp51 to 88 F
Oct Temp45 to 79 F
Annual Precip28.7 inches
StationPALO ALTO
Distance3.6 miles
Jan Temp40 to 58 F
Apr Temp47 to 69 F
Jul Temp57 to 79 F
Oct Temp50 to 73 F
Annual Precip15.7 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
East Palo Alto29,633$68,944
Menlo Park33,869$188,339
Palo Alto67,019$196,775
Redwood City85,217$125,747
San Carlos30,080$208,516
Woodside5,541$250

Atherton Public Schools

Menlo-atherton High
555 Middlefield Rd.
ZIP: 94025
High
Total Enrollment 2158
Encinal Elementary
195 Encinal Ave.
ZIP: 94027
Primary
Total Enrollment 792
Las Lomitas Elementary
299 Alameda De Las Pulgas
ZIP: 94027
Primary
Total Enrollment 610
Laurel Elementary
95 Edge Rd.
ZIP: 94027
Primary
Total Enrollment 465
Selby Lane Elementary
170 Selby Ln.
ZIP: 94027
Primary
Total Enrollment 729

Atherton Private Schools

Sacred Heart Schools Atherton
150 Valparaiso Ave
ZIP: 94027
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 1033
Sources :
Additional Details
Atherton Colleges
Atherton colleges and trade schools.
Our Partner Listings
Additional Resources
Info for Atherton Government Officials


Are you an official in the Atherton government or quasi-government agency such as the chamber of commerce, visitors bureau or economic development council? If so, visit our information page for government officials to see how CityTownInfo can support you.