Los Altos Hills
Located in the foothills above Los Altos, Los Altos Hills is one of Silicon Valley’s most exclusive and low-density residential communities. Known for its large estate properties, expansive lots, privacy, and scenic setting, the town offers a distinctly different lifestyle from the denser cities nearby.
Los Altos Hills has a population of roughly 8,000 residents and is characterized almost entirely by residential use. There is no traditional downtown or major commercial district, which helps preserve its quiet, rural atmosphere and strong sense of privacy.
Homes in Los Altos Hills are primarily custom-built single-family residences and luxury estates, often set on one-acre or larger parcels. Properties may feature extensive landscaping, pools, guest houses, vineyards, equestrian facilities, and views of the Bay or surrounding hills.
Despite its secluded feel, Los Altos Hills remains conveniently located near Palo Alto, Los Altos, Mountain View, Stanford University, and major Silicon Valley employers, with easy access to Interstate 280.
With its exceptional privacy, large parcels, prestigious schools, and extremely limited housing supply, Los Altos Hills remains one of the most distinctive and highly sought-after luxury residential markets in Silicon Valley.
Race & Ethnicity
Schools
Elementary Schools
Middle Schools
High Schools
Los Altos Hills Public School System
The public-school structure in Los Altos Hills differs from neighboring Los Altos because the town is not served by a single school district. Many homes in the southern portion are served by Los Altos School District for K–8 and Mountain View–Los Altos Union High School District for grades 9–12 , while portions of northern Los Altos Hills fall within Palo Alto Unified School District for K–12 . As a result, school-district boundaries are an especially important consideration when evaluating a property in Los Altos Hills.
Los Altos School District · K–8
LASD serves portions of southern Los Altos Hills. Gardner Bullis is the elementary school most directly associated with the town, while grades 7–8 are generally served through LASD schools such as Egan or Blach. LASD recommends using its School Locator to confirm the school of residence for a specific property.
Mountain View–Los Altos Union High School District · 9–12
Los Altos Hills properties within the MVLA boundary are served by the district at the high-school level. Los Altos High is one of the highly regarded public high schools most closely associated with Los Altos Hills. Attendance boundaries should still be verified by address before purchasing a home.
Palo Alto Unified School District · K–12
Portions of northern Los Altos Hills fall within PAUSD. PAUSD specifically advises families to use its School Finder to determine the assigned school for a particular address. It is therefore not accurate to assume that every PAUSD property in Los Altos Hills feeds into the same elementary, middle, or high school.
Bullis Charter School · TK–8
Bullis Charter is a tuition-free public charter school rather than a traditional attendance-boundary school. Families must apply, and a lottery is used when applications exceed available seats. Its enrollment policies include certain priorities for qualifying applicants residing within the LASD boundary.
Pinewood School
Pinewood is one of the most established independent private-school options serving Los Altos and Los Altos Hills. The school offers a K–12 program across three campuses.
The Upper Campus for grades 7–12 is located in Los Altos Hills at 26800 Fremont Road. Pinewood's Lower Campus for K–2 and Middle Campus for grades 3–6 are located in Los Altos.
Pinewood emphasizes college-preparatory academics, small classes, individual student development, and college counseling. The Upper Campus serves approximately 300 students, with a student-teacher ratio of about 7:1 and a maximum class size of around 18.
St. Nicholas School
St. Nicholas School is located in Los Altos Hills and is one of the town's most direct TK–8 private-school options.
Located along El Monte Road, the school offers a spacious campus and combines core academics with Catholic education, STEM, robotics, arts, athletics, and service.
For families seeking an elementary and middle-school experience in a relatively small and community-oriented environment, St. Nicholas is one of the most representative private schools in Los Altos Hills.
Los Altos Christian Schools
Los Altos Christian Schools is located in nearby Los Altos and provides another TK–8 Christian private-school option for families living in Los Altos Hills.
Its curriculum combines core academics with Christian education, technology, arts, and middle-school electives. The school's math and literacy programs provide support and enrichment across different learning levels.
Middle-school offerings also include world languages, service, physical education, and a range of electives, creating a relatively cohesive K–8 school community.
Miramonte Christian School
Miramonte Christian School is located in Los Altos, close to Los Altos Hills, and provides TK–8 Christian education.
The school emphasizes smaller classes, core academics, Bible study, music, athletics, service, and student leadership.
Upper-grade programs also incorporate field trips, project-based activities, and differentiated learning, providing another option for families who prefer a smaller school environment.
Waldorf School of the Peninsula
Waldorf School of the Peninsula is a distinctive independent school in the Bay Area. Its educational approach emphasizes arts, hands-on learning, developmental education, and a broad humanities-based curriculum.
The Los Altos Campus serves Parent-Child through Grade 5, while the Mountain View Campus serves Grades 6–12. Both campuses are conveniently located for many Los Altos Hills families.
For families looking for an educational philosophy that differs from a conventional college-preparatory model, Waldorf is one of the area's better-known alternative education options.
Saint Francis High School
Saint Francis High School is located in Mountain View and is one of the best-known private college-preparatory high schools near Los Altos Hills.
The school offers a broad range of academic, STEM, arts, athletic, and extracurricular programs while maintaining its Catholic educational tradition.
For Los Altos Hills families, Saint Francis is conveniently located and represents a widely considered private alternative to the area's public high schools.
Market Trend
Home Price Trends
Market Activity
Neighborhoods
The Redwoods
The Redwoods occupies the side of Los Altos Hills closest to Los Altos and Palo Alto, with generally gentler terrain. Town Hall, Fremont Road and established residential areas help give this neighborhood a balance of privacy, space and everyday convenience.
The Foothills
The Foothills is where Los Altos Hills' rural and hillside identity is most pronounced. Westwind Barn, Byrne Preserve, pathways, Bay views and an equestrian lifestyle all contribute to the area's distinctive character.
Lakeside
Lakeside lies in southern Los Altos Hills near Rancho San Antonio and I-280. Large parcels, rolling terrain, Ranch-style homes and substantial new construction create a strong mix of natural surroundings and commuting convenience.
The Redwoods
The Redwoods generally covers the side of Los Altos Hills closest to Los Altos and Palo Alto. Compared with areas farther into the hills, many locations here have gentler terrain and relatively convenient road access. Town Hall is also located within this general area.
The housing stock is highly varied, ranging from older single-story Ranch homes to extensively remodeled properties, custom-built residences and large luxury estates. On some elevated streets, homes may also enjoy expansive views toward the Bay.
One of the area's strongest advantages is its ability to preserve the large lots, low density and privacy associated with Los Altos Hills while remaining relatively convenient to Downtown Los Altos, Palo Alto and nearby services. Purissima Park, Shoup Park and Redwood Grove Nature Preserve also provide nearby outdoor recreation.
The Foothills
The Foothills is one of the most naturally dramatic parts of Los Altos Hills. Westwind Community Barn, Byrne Preserve and the town's pathway network help preserve the area's strong rural character.
Around Page Mill, Moody and Altamont, the terrain becomes more varied and hillside-oriented. Cycling, walking and horseback riding are all closely associated with the local lifestyle. Some higher-elevation properties also enjoy views toward the San Francisco Bay or surrounding valleys.
Architectural styles vary widely, including single-story Ranch homes, Colonial-inspired residences, Mediterranean estates, gated compounds and new custom construction. Privacy, views, usable acreage and site topography are often among the most important value drivers.
Lakeside
Lakeside is located in southern Los Altos Hills, near I-280, Rancho San Antonio and the Juan Prado Mesa Preserve area. It can be especially attractive to buyers who want natural surroundings and large parcels while maintaining relatively convenient commuter access.
Housing ranges from older single- and two-story Ranch-style homes to substantial custom new construction. Because the terrain is often rolling, individual properties can differ significantly in layout, usable land and building configuration.
Some properties include expansive lawns, children's play areas and auxiliary spaces suitable for horses or chickens, reflecting Los Altos Hills' residential-agricultural heritage and countryside lifestyle. St. Nicholas School is also located in this general area.
A Rare Rural Estate Community in Silicon Valley
The defining appeal of Los Altos Hills is not a traditional downtown or commercial district, but rather large parcels, low-density residential development, privacy, open space and a distinctive rural setting. The town has long worked to preserve its foothill character. Many streets lack the conventional sidewalks and prominent street lighting found in more urban communities, while the pathway network plays an important role in walking, cycling and equestrian life. Although Los Altos Hills itself has very limited commercial development, Downtown Los Altos provides nearby dining, shopping and everyday services.
A Longtime Residential Choice for Leaders in Technology, Business, Sports and Culture
With its large parcels, low-density setting, privacy and proximity to Stanford, Palo Alto and Silicon Valley's major technology companies, Los Altos Hills has long attracted prominent and high-net-worth residents. Public reporting has associated Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, former Cisco CEO John Chambers, baseball star Barry Bonds and singer and activist Joan Baez with Los Altos Hills. These references are included only to illustrate the area's historical and cultural residential profile and do not imply any individual's current residence or specific address.