The Town of Atherton

Atherton is a small rural residential community just south of Redwood City and just north of Menlo Park.  Nestled beneath a canopy of live oaks, white oaks and redwoods, the town’s six square miles emanate the country ambiance of a bygone era.   

Atherton’s population is just over 7,000, with 2,500 households and a minimum parcel size of one acre.  The characteristic privacy that results is one of the town’s most appealing attributes, and the diverse architecture of its grand dwellings is awe-inspiring.  A stunning combination of lush landscapes and gracious mansions set back from curbless streets, each estate is maintained with great pride and meticulous care.  

Once a summer retreat destination for well-to-do San Franciscans, Atherton has always remained an exclusively residential community.   The town’s current land use goal is to preserve its character as a scenic, thickly wooded area with abundant open space.  While Atherton hosts no commercial endeavors, the town offers plenty of resources for its residents.  Holbrook-Palmer Park is a 22-acre open space featuring a playground, a newly renovated baseball field, walking paths, recreational programs, a private preschool and facilities for social functions.  Atherton has a town hall, library and Caltrain station.  The Menlo Circus Club features tennis, swimming, stables and polo fields.  There are many active community organizations in town, including the Atherton Heritage Association, the Atherton Arts Committee, the Atherton Tree Committee, the Friends of the Atherton Community Library and a variety of homeowner’s associations created by individual neighborhoods.  

Atherton does not have its own public school system.   Students attend Encinal and Laurel Elementary Schools and Hillview Middle School of the Menlo Park City School District, Las Lomitas Elementary and La Entrada Middle School of the Las Lomitas School District or Selby Lane School of the Redwood City School District.  High School students attend Menlo-Atherton High School, part of the Sequoia Union High School District.  Sacred Heart Preparatory School (JK-12) and Menlo School (6-12) are prestigious private schools in town.   Menlo College is a private four-year college also within Atherton’s limits.

One of the most coveted communities on the Peninsula, the Town of Atherton represents the pinnacle of Silicon Valley luxury.