$4,403,282Average Value$1,867Average Price per Sq Ft38Homes For Sale
Los Altos is a Silicon Valley city with a small-town feel
Despite its location near the heart of tech-centric Silicon Valley, the city of Los Altos is often regarded as an escape from the valley’s high-speed working environment. “People who work in Silicon Valley grind it out and work really hard, but when we go home to Los Altos, it’s very quiet and like a small town,” says Nicholas French, a resident and a broker associate at Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno who’s sold homes here for 23 years. “I always say my blood pressure drops when I come home because I can relax and take a deep breath.” Los Altos’ highly rated school system, proximity to nature and low crime rates are just some of the city’s major draws. “It’s like middle America,” says Lynn North, a Realtor with The Agency who’s lived in Los Altos since 1986. “You see families walking the kids to school morning and night and people walking dogs all the time.”
Because of its laid-back atmosphere and small-town feel, the city has become one of Silicon Valley’s most desirable places to live. “Once you’re in Los Altos,” French says, “you tend to stick around.” However, constant demand coupled with limited housing stock has led to increasingly high home prices, making Los Altos one of the country’s most expensive suburban cities.
Los Altos is a beautiful neighborhood in Silicon Valley.
Los Altos is location near the heart of tech-centric Silicon Valley.
Rosita Park offers wide trails for riding scooters, walking, or jogging in Los Altos.
Los Altos is one of Silicon Valley’s most desirable places to live.
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A competitive housing market
In late 2024, the median price for a single-family home in Los Altos was approximately $4.6 million, with the vast majority of single-family properties ranging from $3 million to $6 million. The median price for a townhouse is $2.8 million. According to Jane Shen, a local Realtor with Christie’s International Real Estate – Sereno, many homes listed for sale in Los Altos sell above asking price, and despite the high costs, cash offers are frequent. Midcentury ranch-style homes are most common; buyers can also find Craftsman, contemporary and Mediterranean-style homes. “The minimum lot size for most residential housing is one-quarter of an acre,” North says, adding that many homeowners build accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, to host visiting family members and guests.
Midcentury ranch-style homes are most common in Los Altos.
Craftsman-style homes are beautiful additions to the Los Altos neighborhood.
Mediterranean-style homes Los Altos are popping up all over Los Altos.
Townhomes are spread throughout Los Altos.
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Highly ranked Los Altos schools
Students in kindergarten through eighth grade are served by the Los Altos School District, which receives an overall A-plus rating from Niche and includes seven elementary schools and two intermediate schools. In 2025, the district was ranked No. 4 on Niche’s “Districts with the Best Teachers in California” list. Los Altos High School is an A-plus-rated secondary institution that serves grades nine through 12. It was ranked No. 14 on Niche’s 2025 list of the best public high schools in California. Los Altos High regularly hosts TEDx events with speakers including Stanford University faculty, local entrepreneurs and students.
In the neighboring town of Los Altos Hills, Foothill College is a public community college offering about 80 associate’s degree programs, over 120 certificate programs and two bachelor’s degree programs for dental hygiene and respiratory care studies. Niche ranks Foothill College as the best community college in California and the fourth-best community college in America. Foothill graduates can transfer to any of six University of California institutions.
Covington Elementary School is a highly appraised school in Los Altos.
Almond Elementary School is located in the Los Altos neighborhood of California.
Bowman School offers a 12-month program for busy, working families in Los Altos.
Close-up of Los Altos High School located in the Los Altos neighborhood.
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Exploring nature in year-round balmy weather
With a Mediterranean-like climate, residents of Los Altos can enjoy year-round outdoor recreation. “The climate is to die for, really,” Shen says. “It’s pretty temperate weather year-round. Cold to us is like 50 degrees.” The Los Altos Parks & Recreation Department oversees 18 parks and community facilities throughout the city, including the 6-acre Redwood Grove Nature Preserve. Local schools host local youth athletic programs, including Los Altos Little League and Mountain View Los Altos Soccer Club. The city also backs up to the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, where residents can explore miles of outdoor space at the Rancho San Antonio Preserve and the Foothills Nature Preserve. “There’s so much nature here,” North says. “Whatever you like, whatever you want to do, it’s here. We’re 30 minutes to the ocean. Wine country is within an hour, and the ski slopes are three hours away.”
Enjoy a tennis match with friends and family at Rosita Park in Los Altos.
Foothills Nature Preserve is a nature lover's paradise.
Redwood Grove Nature Preserve is home to the popular Redwood Grove Summer Camp.
Los Altos backs up to the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
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Downtown Los Altos is a community hub home to more than 150 businesses
The pedestrian-friendly Downtown Los Altos is home to over 150 local shops, restaurants and businesses. With rows of retail and dining options along Main and State streets, this commercial hub is the center of community activity. “When you go downtown, you typically run into someone you recognize,” French says. The Los Altos Village Association, or LAVA, organizes events and festivities hosted in the downtown area throughout the year, including numerous holiday celebrations, the annual Los Altos Arts & Wine Festival and the Downtown Los Altos Farmers’ Market, which is hosted weekly between May and October. “Our biggest festival is the Festival of Lights Parade,” French says. Since 1977, this nighttime parade has kicked off the holiday season with light-festooned floats, marching bands and Santa Claus. “If you want to feel small-town Los Altos, you come to the Festival of Lights. Our whole downtown is packed for it.” Near the edge of the city along the El Camino Real is Chef Chu’s, a widely popular Chinese restaurant that opened in 1970 and has since become a Silicon Valley icon. “From Ronald Reagan to Justin Bieber, everyone who comes to the Bay Area comes to Chef Chu’s,” North says. “You never know who you’re going to run into or see.”
Downtown Los Altos has over 150 local shops, restaurants, and businesses.
Downtown Los Altos rows of retail and dining options along Main and State streets.
P&K Farms is a popular vendor at the Los Altos Farmers Market.
Chef Chu’s is a popular Chinese restaurant that opened 19 years ago in Los Altos.
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Commuting in Silicon Valley and to major tech employers
Los Altos is sandwiched between Route 82 (or the El Camino Real) to the north and Interstate 280 to the south. Both highways are major Silicon Valley thoroughfares running between San Francisco, which is 37 miles away, and downtown San Jose 17 miles away. Residents can hop on the regional Caltrain or the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light rail at the Mountain View Station, 4 miles away. VTA buses stop regularly along Los Altos’ main roads, most of which have dedicated bike lanes. Air travelers can make the 14-mile trip to San Jose Mineta International Airport or drive 26 miles to San Francisco International Airport.
Many Los Altos residents work at world-renowned tech companies headquartered in surrounding Silicon Valley cities. Google and LinkedIn are situated in bordering Mountain View; directly south is Cupertino and its iconic Apple campus; nearby Santa Clara is home to NVIDIA, Intel and McAfee; and Zoom and Adobe are located in downtown San Jose.
Safety and environmental awareness in Los Altos
The Los Altos Police Department reported an approximately 9% decrease in total reported crimes from 2022 to 2023. Nearly 90% of the 762 crimes reported between those two years were property-related, primarily theft. Compared to state-level and national crime rates, Los Altos trends lower in both violent and property crime.
Because of Los Altos’ location near seismic faults, earthquakes are somewhat frequent throughout the year; however, these quakes usually occur at a low magnitude and don’t tend to cause injuries or damage to buildings. The Los Altos Police Department also oversees the city’s emergency preparedness resources and training programs, which aim to mitigate the effects of events like power outages and natural disasters. Los Altos is at low risk for wildfires, but residents may experience poor air quality from fires in nearby high-risk areas such as the Santa Cruz Mountains. Most of the city is at low risk of flooding, but properties along Adobe Creek have a slightly higher risk of water damage if the creek overflows.
Written By
Hayley Simms
Photography Contributed By
Christopher Lau
Video By
Bill Jennings
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
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GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
On average, homes in Los Altos, CA sell after 21 days on the market compared to the national average of 54 days. The median sale price for homes in Los Altos, CA over the last 12 months is $4,455,000, up 6% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Outstanding opportunity to purchase a 1.63-acre lot with a gracious turn-of-the-century home. Located in one of Los Altos's most coveted neighborhoods, this classic residence offers timeless appeal with modern upgrades. Rich pine coffered ceilings, a remodeled kitchen, and abundant natural light define the main living areas. Three spacious bedrooms feature soaring 11-foot ceilings, including a
The Dreyfus GroupGolden Gate Sotheby's International Realty
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The Troyer & Cabot GroupIntero Real Estate Services
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nicholas frenchChristie's International Real Estate Sereno
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nicholas frenchChristie's International Real Estate Sereno
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The advertised rate of $6,917/month is the lowest available price, based on a 1 month(s) stay with a move-in date of September 1, 2027.Rates vary depending on the duration of stay, season, and other parameters. For exact pricing and additional pricing components, please visit our website and enter your desired move-in and move-out dates. The rate is applicable when billed upfront; it can
The advertised rate of $9,289/month is the lowest available price, based on a 1 month(s) stay with a move-in date of September 1, 2027.Rates vary depending on the duration of stay, season, and other parameters. For exact pricing and additional pricing components, please visit our website and enter your desired move-in and move-out dates. The rate is applicable when billed upfront; it can
Situated in the heart of Silicon Valley is the suburb of South Los Altos, a mostly residential neighborhood with close proximity to some of the country’s biggest names in tech. “A large majority of people in Los Altos and surrounding communities are very tech-oriented; Google is headquartered in Mountain View, Apple has headquarters in Cupertino, and all these areas are within close proximity of each other,” says Ryan Gowdy, a real estate agent with The Agency Los Altos who is also a lifelong resident of Los Altos. He also notes that Apple was actually founded in a garage located in South Los Altos, further cementing this neighborhood in the technology history books. “This area is really at the epicenter of the technology boom; it’s a convenient geographic location for many major employers, and lots of families come here for the fantastic schools,” Gowdy says.
Single-family homes here are found on residential roads that wind and curve in snake-like patterns, often leading into cul-de-sacs. “It’s a pretty quiet community, homebuyers often come here for the large lots,” Gowdy says. Common home styles include ranch-style dwellings that feature Spanish and traditional-style architecture. There’s a sense of seclusion and privacy from the nearby hustle and bustle of Los Altos, with many properties having verdant front yards with well-maintained landscaping. Many of the homes here also include paved driveways and attached garages, so street parking isn’t as common. Residences in South Los Altos tend to range in price between $3.2 million and $5 million, with a median price just below $4 million.
In the southern half of the neighborhood, students are served by the Cupertino Union School District, which receives an A-minus from Niche. Within this district, young learners can attend the A-rated West Valley Elementary School, which feeds into Cupertino Middle School, rated A-minus. Students in the northern portion of South Los Altos are zoned for Los Altos school districts: “Los Altos School District, or LASD, is only elementary and middle school, which here is also called junior high. When students reach the high school level, they attend the Mountain View-Los Altos Union School District,” Gowdy says. Within LASD, Oak Avenue Elementary School is an A-plus-rated primary institution. Blach Intermediate School is also rated A-plus and was named No. 6 on Niche’s 2024 “Best Public Middle Schools in Santa Clara County” list. Los Altos High School, rated A-plus, was ranked No. 5 on Niche’s “Best Public High Schools in the San Francisco Bay Area” list in 2024.
Residents of South Los Altos don’t have to go far to find plenty of outdoor recreation. “There are multiple public parks throughout the neighborhood, such as Grant Park,” Gowdy says. At Grant Park, sports enthusiasts can enjoy a basketball court and softball field, while families can set up picnics and kids can play on the park’s fully equipped playground. “Adjacent to South Los Altos is the Rancho San Antonio Nature Preserve, which has lots of hiking trails and draws lots of outdoor enthusiasts,” Gowdy says. He also adds that the Los Altos Country Club and golf course is situated just over a mile away from the neighborhood: “The country was once the most expensive club in the country; the topography over there is very hilly, it varies quite a bit.”
“There are two shopping districts in the area – one is Loyola Corners, which has an excellent bike shop called Bicycle Outfitters and a nice Italian restaurant called Café Vitale. The other is Rancho Shopping Center, which has a new popular restaurant called the Redwood Grill. Then, of course, there’s a plethora of restaurants in the downtown area,” Gowdy says. For groceries, residents can shop at Lucky supermarket located along the Foothill Expressway. A little farther down the expressway is the Foothill Crossing Shopping Center, which features additional grocery stores such as Trader Joe’s and Foothill Produce.
South Los Altos is an approximately 4-mile drive from the nearby city of Sunnyvale, and a 12-mile drive from Downtown San Jose. “Highway 85 and Interstate 280 are the major thoroughfares in the neighborhood, but the easiest way to travel through the Los Altos area is using the Foothill Expressway,” Gowdy says. To catch a flight, residents can drive just under 14 miles to the San Jose Mineta International Airport. Fixed bus routes and bus stops located along Foothill Expressway are operated by the Valley Transportation Authority, also known as VTA.
Property Mix - Square Feet
Weather
Annual Precipitation
14''
Average Winter Low Temperature
39°F
Average Summer High Temperature
80°F
Annual Snowfall
0''
Area Factors
Very Bikeable
Bike Score®®
82/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®®
48/ 100
Minimal Transit
Transit Score®®
23/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address. CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
