So you’ve done your research and you’re decided to move into the beautiful city of Palo Alto. But with many beautiful neighborhoods in the city that you can choose to live in, which Palo Alto real estate neighborhood should you choose?
So today, we check out the Top 6 neighborhoods in Palo Alto and the different characteristics that each neighborhood has to offer.
MIDTOWN
By its name, Midtown is located right in the middle of Palo Alto. This neighborhood is renowned for its famous Eichler-style homes, which also makes it one of more unique and well-planned Palo Alto real estate communities. It is a neighborhood full of character and a great place to raise a family and also cyclist-friendly.
Boundaries – Alma Road on the west, Highway 101 on the north
Schools – Excellent schools can be found here such as the Palo Verde Elementary School, El Carmelo Elementary School, and Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School. Also located here are Henry M. Gunn Senior High School and Palo Alto High School, which are among the Top Five high schools in California.
Parks – Mitchell Park which is also a great place to take the kids to with the Magical Bridge Park located there. It is also close to the community center and library.
Other places of interest – Midtown Shopping Center is home to many eateries, including Sancho’s, which makes some of the best fish tacos, and Philz Coffee, one of the popular coffee shops in the Bay Area which makes handcrafted coffee and a favorite neighborhood spot as well.
DOWNTOWN PALO ALTO
Developed as early as the 1890s, Downtown Palo Alto is one of the oldest and the most prestigious community of the city. Its atmosphere is a blend of urban and small town environments, with residential and commercial areas blending together. As a result, a high concentration of Palo Alto real estate in this neighborhood are condos and townhouses. This neighborhood is great for those looking for a more walkable neighborhood or if you want that downtown vibe.
Boundaries – El Camino on the west and Middlefield on the east
Schools – There is Addison Elementary School and Jordan Middle School, as well as Palo Alto High School.
Parks – There are 2 great parks in the neighborhood: Cogswell Plaza and El Camino Park.
Other places of interest – Lots of restaurants and cafes where people usually hang out. A lot of startups began their life over conversations in one of the many cafes in the area.
COLLEGE TERRACES
This neighborhood’s name reflects its close proximity to Stanford University, In fact, it is located just south of the university campus and can be reached by foot or by bike. Many of the residents there have ties to Stanford being students, faculty, and staff among others. Also, many of the neighborhood’s streets are named after Ivy League schools such as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. Many of these streets are also closed-off to vehicular traffic in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint in this neighborhood.
Boundaries – Stanford Avenue and Stanford University campus at the north
Schools – Walter Hays Elementary School, Escondido Elementary School, and Jordan Middle School are located here. Palo Alto High School is also close by.
Parks – Being close to Stanford University, neighborhood residents have access to acres of open field in the campus. There is also Cameron Park as well.
Other places of interest – California Avenue is considered the “second downtown” of Palo Alto where there is a farmers’ market every Sunday morning. Also located in the area is a Caltrain station where one can take the train up and down the peninsula or to San Francisco.
CRESCENT PARK
This neighborhood has become famous for being where some of the most affluent and influential Silicon Valley people reside from former San Francisco 49er quarterback Steve Young to Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg. As such, the properties in this Palo Alto real estate neighborhood have typically bigger lots than other neighborhoods, so this is the right neighborhood for those looking for bigger homes to stay in. Also, many of the homes there bear distinct architectural styles and come in different sizes, offering a variety of beautifully-crafted homes.
Boundaries – Middlefield Road on the west, Highway 101 on the south
Schools – There’s Duveneck Elementary School and Jordan Middle School, with Palo Alto High School serving as the high school of the community.
Parks – The Eleanor Pardee Park is a 10-acre park, one of the largest in Palo Alto, with 2 children’s playgrounds, walking and jogging paths, and a community garden.
BARRON PARK
This neighborhood maintains a rural atmosphere while being situated in a suburban area, perhaps owing to the fact that it was a former orchard site. This rural character is reflected in the majority of this part of Palo Alto real estate are either bungalows or ranch-style in design. In addition, some of the homes still have some fruit-bearing trees such as lemons, apples, and oranges, reminders of its orchard past. This neighborhood is fit for those who seek a more secluded environment and lots of trees and open space while not far away from California Avenue where the shops and restaurants, giving the best of both worlds.
Boundaries –El Camino on the east, Georgia Avenue on the south
Schools – There’s Barron Park Elementary and Terman Middle School, with Gunn High School serving as the high school of the community.
Parks – It is home to the biggest park in Palo Alto: Cornelis Bol Park which is almost 14 acres and area and has lots of open space and hiking trails.
OLD PALO ALTO
This is where the most exclusive, prestigious, and luxurious Palo Alto real estate can be found, as this is the home of a number of tech CEOs, including the late Steve Jobs. Typical lot size of this neighborhood is at 10000 square feet, so many homes there have lots of open space and some built back in the 1920s and 1930s. As such, homes here are more expensive.
Boundaries – Embarcadero Road on the north, Middlefield Road on the east
Schools – There are great schools in the neighborhood such as Walter Hays Elementary School, Addison Elementary School, Jordan Middle School, as well as Palo Alto High School serving as the neighborhood’s high school.
Parks – Old Palo Alto has 2 parks: Jerry Bowden Park and Lawn Bowling Green Park.
I hope this guide has helped you in discovering more about Palo Alto and its six best neighborhoods that you can live in. If you need further advice or if you decide to buy Palo Alto real estate, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
