It’s no secret that Los Altos Hills is an upscale town in Santa Clara County boasting some of the highest home values in the entire country. According to Bloomberg, Los Altos Hills’ residents also have some of the highest incomes in the country, clocking in at $373,800—an impressive fourth-place ranking.

So what’s it like to live in this expensive neighborhood? 

Aerial view of Los Altos, CA

Los Altos Hills refers to the area bordered by Page Mill Road, Foothill Expressway, Moody Road, and Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve. One of the biggest factors that draws interested homebuyers to Los Altos Hills is the privacy they are afforded there. The aptly named Los Altos Hills is tucked within a group of rolling hills, so the neighborhood feels like a bubble that is removed from the outside world. Streets are quiet and safe, and most homes come with acres of backyard land that lend themselves to sprawling estates and gorgeous views of the Silicon Valley. For some Los Altos Hills homeowners, walking to a neighbor’s house can feel like a small hike as the houses are situated further apart than homes in most Bay Area neighborhoods. 

The town is also situated close to tech hubs such as Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Menlo Park, where Facebook, Tesla, HP, and Google have set up their headquarters. Those who need to drive south to cities such as Cupertino and San Jose also find themselves with relatively easy commutes, as they are heading against rush hour traffic during their morning and evening drives. Los Altos Hills is approximately 40 miles south of San Francisco, so frequent travelers are located relatively close to the San Francisco International Airport. 

Those who like the peace and quiet of the great outdoors also enjoy access to some popular open space preserves in the area, including Rancho San Antonio, Monte Bello, and Westwind Barn. These destinations provide an escape from the hectic, tech-focused Silicon Valley. 

However, you’ll likely find that several of your neighbors are important members of the tech industry. Currently, Google founder Sergey Brin and tech investor Yuri Milner call Los Altos Hills home, as do Google CEO Sundar Pichai and former owner of the Oakland Athletics Stephen Schott. Hewlett-Packard co-founder David Packard and former San Francisco Giants player Barry Bonds are among the neighborhood’s past residents. 

Photo by LPS.1 / CC0

Many homes in Los Altos Hills were built during the redevelopment waves that California experienced during the 1950s and 1980s. California ranch homes from the 1950s are still around today while larger, boxier homes from the 1980s are a more common sight in this neighborhood. All the residences in Los Altos Hills are single-family homes, so it’s ordinary to see houses that have 2,500 square feet or more. The neighborhood experienced another building boom during the 1990s, during which many Mediterranean and Tuscan homes went up in Los Altos Hills.

Yet another wave is taking place now, this time fueled by affluent tech executives who are building modern, environmentally friendly houses. Despite all these building waves, it’s unlikely Los Altos Hills will feel crowded anytime soon. The town has strict building restrictions, so only one primary home is allowed per lot, and multi-family dwellings are off-limits.

All these amenities come at a hefty cost. Los Altos Hills came in third on the 2017 Forbes list of America’s Most Expensive Zip Codes—a significant increase from its eighth place spot the year before. In 2017, the median home price in Los Alto Hills was $7,755,000, but those lucky enough to afford a home there enjoy plenty of space, unparalleled luxury, and an amazing location.