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hillsborough neighborhood guide · property nerds® at compass
Hillsborough Park & Hillsborough Knolls, Hillsborough Homes for sale, recent sales and a Property Nerd’s guide
East-side Hillsborough between West Santa Inez Avenue and Crystal Springs Road: Hayne, Chiltern, Vista and El Cerrito streets around Vista Park, Crossroads Park and South Hillsborough School.
Hillsborough Park & Hillsborough Knolls by the numbers
hillsborough park & hillsborough knolls by the numbers · live from the mls
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Calculated in your browser from MLS data for Hillsborough Park & Hillsborough Knolls (approximate outline traced from the boundary streets). Sales are single-family homes, townhomes and condos.
homes in hillsborough park & hillsborough knolls · live from the mls
Homes for sale, for rent and recently sold in Hillsborough Park & Hillsborough Knolls
Every active listing, rental and closed sale in Hillsborough Park & Hillsborough Knolls from the MLS, updated automatically, with a map of the neighborhood outline.
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Listings come from MLSListings and other MLSs through IDX and show their listing brokerage; confirm details with the listing agent. The map outline is the neighborhood boundary used by our listing search (Hillsborough Park & Hillsborough Knolls (approximate outline traced from the boundary streets)); it may not match every local definition.
the story
How Hillsborough Park & Hillsborough Knolls came to be
The Hillsborough Park name is old. A 1930 pictorial map titled 'A Map of Hillsborough Park and Vicinity' places the neighborhood north of Crystal Springs Road, according to the map dealer's catalog description. Local listing records now slice the same hills into Hillsborough Park, Hillsborough Knolls, Hillsborough Heights, Bowie Estates, Crystal Springs Park, Uplands and Highland Park, while the town's emergency-network map uses street-based names such as West Santa Inez, Ascot, Roblar, Roehampton, Longview, Vista Park and Mid Hayne.
Like the rest of town, this was estate country first. Hillsborough's history says the Uplands estate was among those subdivided into smaller lots between 1910 and 1938; the town's General Plan says preserving the community's character was one reason the founders incorporated in 1910, and the half-acre minimum lot came in 1953. Apart from homes, the public uses here are Vista Park, Crossroads Park, South Hillsborough School and the school district office on El Cerrito Avenue, Central County Fire's Station 32 on Ascot Road, and the town's Corporation Yard at the end of La Honda Road. A private school occupies about 10 acres off Uplands Drive on the east edge.
Water shaped the south side. San Mateo Creek runs along Crystal Springs Road on the county's stream map, and FEMA maps a Zone AE floodplain along it (FIRM panel 06081C0162F, effective July 16, 2015) that touches the lots on El Cerrito Avenue, Bridge Road, Laureldale Road and Sierra Drive.
streets and homes
The streets and the houses
Streets curve across the hills. West Santa Inez Avenue runs along the north edge on the San Mateo line, Hayne Road crosses the middle from Black Mountain Road to El Cerrito Avenue, and El Cerrito Avenue runs south to Crystal Springs Road. In between are Chiltern Road, Vista Road, La Senda Road, Culebra Road, Longview Road, Endfield Way and Ridgeway Road around Vista Park; Ascot, Arden, Ravenscourt, Woodstock, Roehampton and Roblar near the north edge; La Cumbre, La Canada, San Raymundo, Bates and Cornelia toward the west; and Bridge Road, Sierra Drive, Rockridge Road and Bowhill Road toward the creek.
Lot sizes vary widely here. County parcel shapes put the median at about 0.55 acre, but about 343 of the 894 single-family lots are under half an acre while about one in eight is an acre or more. A legal smaller lot can hold one house, and the rules scale with it: floor area at 25% of net lot area for the first acre, structures and paving on no more than half the lot, a 2,500 sq ft minimum house size and design review for every exterior change.
The north and east edges cross city lines. County records show West Santa Inez Avenue with about 73 Hillsborough and 42 San Mateo single-family parcels, El Cerrito Avenue with 51 and 18, and Crystal Springs Road with 25 Hillsborough and 20 San Mateo parcels. The San Mateo side has its own school district and permit rules, so check the parcel's city on every listing.
streets in hillsborough park & hillsborough knolls
- West Santa Inez Avenue
- Hayne Road
- El Cerrito Avenue
- Black Mountain Road
- Roblar Avenue
- Bridge Road
- Chiltern Road
- Vista Road
- Roehampton Road
- Woodridge Road
- Sierra Drive
- Longview Road
- San Raymundo Road
- Culebra Road
- Rockridge Road
- Ridgeway Road
- Ravenscourt Road
- Ascot Road
- Woodstock Road
- Crystal Springs Road
- La Cumbre Road
- Cornelia Drive
- Arden Road
- Endfield Way
parks and places
Parks, shops and landmarks near Hillsborough Park & Hillsborough Knolls
- park
Vista Park
At 1030 Vista Road between Culebra and Chiltern: an arbor with picnic tables, separate play equipment for two age groups, climbing rocks, a compass rose and a large play field that can be reserved through Hillsborough Recreation; no barbecues. Inside the area; no home here is more than about 1.3 miles away (straight-line).
- park
Crossroads Park
A small park at Hayne Road and 902 Black Mountain Road with benches and a water fountain, inside the area.
- school
South Hillsborough School
The district's elementary school at 303 El Cerrito Avenue, near the district office at 300 El Cerrito Avenue; about 0.1 to 1.5 miles away (straight-line).
- civic
Fire Station 32
Central County Fire's station at 330 Ascot Road, listed in the town General Plan among the stations that give Hillsborough primary coverage.
- library
San Mateo Main Library
Town residents get San Mateo and Burlingame library cards by agreement; the San Mateo library at 55 West 3rd Avenue is about 0.3 to 2.0 miles away (straight-line).
- shopping
Downtown San Mateo
With no commercial zoning in town, the nearest shops are in downtown San Mateo around the San Mateo Caltrain station, about 0.5 to 2.3 miles away (straight-line).
schools and commute
School districts and getting around
School districts
Homes here are in the Hillsborough City School District and the San Mateo Union High School District. South Hillsborough School is inside the area at 303 El Cerrito Avenue. The district's 2024 street list puts West Santa Inez, El Cerrito, Chiltern, Vista, La Senda, Longview, Endfield, Ascot, Arden, Roblar, Roehampton, Bridge, Ridgeway, Buckeye and Crystal Springs Road in South Hillsborough's area; La Cumbre, La Canada, San Raymundo, Sandra, Bates and Cornelia in North's; Woodridge Road in West's; and splits Hayne, Black Mountain and Whitwell roads by house number. Residency guarantees a district seat, not a particular school, and lines change, so check the exact address with the district.
Hillsborough City Schools guide · San Mateo Union High guide
Getting around
- San Mateo Caltrain is about 0.5 to 2.3 miles away (straight-line), Burlingame Caltrain about 1.0 to 2.4 miles and Hayward Park Caltrain about 1.4 to 2.8 miles (straight-line).
- West Santa Inez Avenue, Hayne Road and El Cerrito Avenue lead east to El Camino Real, about 0.6 to 2.0 miles away (straight-line), where the town lists bus stops.
- Crystal Springs Road follows San Mateo Creek southwest toward Polhemus Road and the I-280/SR-92 interchange, about 1.4 to 3.0 miles away (straight-line).
- Black Mountain Road and Hayne Road lead west to the I-280 ramps at Golf Course Drive, about 0.7 to 2.5 miles away (straight-line).
nerd notes
Buying or selling in Hillsborough Park & Hillsborough Knolls: what we check
Buying here
- Check the city first on West Santa Inez Avenue, El Cerrito Avenue, Crystal Springs Road and Hillsborough Boulevard, where county records show both Hillsborough and City of San Mateo parcels.
- Look up the flood map for creek-side lots. FEMA's Zone AE along San Mateo Creek touches about 56 parcels here (El Cerrito Avenue, Bridge Road, Laureldale Road, Stonehedge Road, De Sabla Road, Sierra Drive), and state maps show liquefaction zones touching about 182 parcels along the same corridor; ask for elevation certificates and soils reports.
- CAL FIRE's 2025 map puts about 100 single-family parcels here in a Moderate zone (by parcel center), led by Vista Road, Woodridge Road, Crystal Springs Road, La Senda Road, Ridgeway Road and Buckeye Court; check Central County Fire's WUI map for defensible-space and construction rules.
- On the many lots under half an acre, run the floor-area and coverage limits before planning a teardown, and remember the town's 2,500 sq ft minimum house size.
- Confirm the elementary school by address; Hayne, Black Mountain and Whitwell roads are split by house number on the district's list.
Selling here
- For creek-side homes, have the FEMA zone, any elevation certificate and flood insurance history ready before listing.
- Gather the sewer lateral inspection the town FAQ says is required at sale, plus any Central County Fire inspection letter.
- Show net lot area and the resulting floor-area and coverage numbers; lot sizes vary widely here, and buyers will compare.
- Keep to the town's sign rule: one temporary real estate sign, no larger than 12 by 15 inches, in black and white.
nerd noteCommissions are always negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what's included.
faq
Hillsborough Park & Hillsborough Knolls questions, answered
Is Hillsborough Park an official neighborhood?
No. The town has no official neighborhood map. The name appears on a 1930 map of the area north of Crystal Springs Road and in local listing records; this guide's edges are approximate.
Can anyone use Vista Park?
Vista Park is a town park. Picnic tables cannot be reserved, but the play field can be booked through Hillsborough Recreation, and barbecues are not allowed.
Are homes near San Mateo Creek in a flood zone?
Some are. FEMA maps a Zone AE floodplain along the creek that touches lots on El Cerrito Avenue, Bridge Road and nearby streets. Check the specific parcel on FEMA's map.
Is West Santa Inez Avenue in Hillsborough or San Mateo?
Both. The street runs along the line, and county records list Hillsborough parcels on one side and San Mateo parcels on the other in many blocks. Check the parcel's city.
Which elementary school serves this area?
Streets near Vista Park and El Cerrito Avenue are largely on South Hillsborough School's list, while the La Cumbre and San Raymundo blocks are on North's. Check the exact address with the district.
next door
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