Los Altos Hills, California

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{{Infobox City |image_skyline = Losaltoshillsview.jpg |official_name = Town of Los Altos Hills, California |image_map = LosAltosHillsCALM.gif |map_caption = Location of Los Altos Hills within Santa Clara County, California. |subdivision_type = Country
  State
    County |subdivision_name = United States
  California
    Santa Clara |leader_title = Mayor |leader_name = Breene Kerr |area_magnitude = 1 E8 |area_total = 22.3 |area_land = 22.3 |area_water = 0.0 |population_as_of = 2000 |population_total = 7,902 |population_density = 353.9 |timezone = PST |utc_offset = -8 |timezone_DST = PDT |utc_offset_DST = -7 |latitude = 37°22'17" N |longitude = 122°8'15" W |website = http://www.losaltoshills.ca.gov/ |footnotes = }} Los Altos Hills (Template:IPA2) is a town located in Santa Clara County, California. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 7,902. It is one of the wealthiest places in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The town's zoning regulations are among the strictest in CaliforniaTemplate:Ref, requiring a minimum lot size of one acre (4,000 m²), setbacks from the property boundary, and easements for public pathways. The town is set in hilly terrain offering excellent views of the San Francisco Bay Area. These factors and the Bay Area's chronic housing shortage result in typical home prices in excess of $3 million.

In 2000, the largest house in Silicon Valley at that time was built in the town (larger ones have since been built elsewhere). The building was officially assessed by the county government as having 18,000 square feet of interior spaceTemplate:Ref.

The town's founder (and one of its most prominent early residents) was author and conservationist Wallace Stegner.

Other famous residents have included David Packard, Dean Morton, Ned Barnholt, John Brody, Steve Young, F. Alexander Ware IX, Steve Kirsch, Barry Bonds (2001 to 2003), Jerry Yang, and Carly Fiorina. The town is also home to many Stanford University faculty, Silicon Valley executives, and various lawyers, doctors, engineers, and other professionals.

The town has no commercial or industrial zones and is dependent on the adjacent city of Los Altos and the county government for many services. The town's only large-scale commercial operation is the student store on the campus of Foothill College. Foothill is the primary community college for the northwest corner of Silicon Valley, and is somewhat well-known among architects for its unusual Japanese-inspired architecture.

The town is also home to a convent of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. In 2002, seven profitable hospitals in the Catholic Healthcare West system formed their own system, the Daughters of Charity Health System, under the control of the Los Altos Hills convent.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Gallery
4 References
5 External links

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Geography

Los Altos Hills is located at 37°22'17" North, 122°8'15" West (37.371390, -122.137605)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.3 km² (8.6 mi²). 22.3 km² (8.6 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.

Both the Altamont and Monte Vista Faults pass through the town.

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Demographics

As of the census Template:GR of 2000, there were 7,902 people, 2,740 households, and 2,339 families residing in the town. The population density was 353.9/km² (917.2/mi²). There were 2,816 housing units at an average density of 126.1/km² (326.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 74.94% White, 0.59% African American, 0.09% Native American, 21.10% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 2.73% from two or more races. 2.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,740 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.0% were married couples living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.6% were non-families. 10.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 19.6% from 25 to 44, 35.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $173,570, and the median income for a family was $181,865. Males had a median income of $0 (?) versus $78,288 for females. The per capita income for the town was $92,840. 3.9% of the population and 2.2% of families were below the poverty line. 4.5% of those under the age of 18 and 3.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

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Gallery

View of Silicon Valley from Los Altos Hills, with Mission and Monument Peaks in the background.

A typical off-road pathway in Los Altos Hills.

Standard entrance sign.

The 60-acre Packard orchard (now owned by the David and Lucile Salter Packard Foundation).

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References

Template:Note Kaplan, Tracey. "Be It Ever So Humble: The Biggest Of Santa Clara County's Homes." San Jose Mercury News, 26 October 2000, sec. A, p. 1.

Template:Note Peraino, Kevin. "Gold in Them Thar Hills: Money isn't new to Los Altos. But this much new money is." Newsweek, 4 September 2000, p. 55.

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