los altos · santa clara county
Los Altos Real Estate & Neighborhood Guide
Los Altos is a city of about 6.5 square miles in northwest Santa Clara County, bordered by Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Cupertino and the separate Town of Los Altos Hills, where the valley floor begins to rise toward the foothills. It began with a 1907 land sale around a planned railroad depot on former ranch and orchard land; most of its growth came between 1950 and 1980, and more than 85 percent of its homes today are single-family. A small downtown centered on Main and State streets is the best known of the seven small shopping districts that serve the city.
population, 2020 census
land area
zip codes
incorporated
425 Covington Rd, Los Altos, CA 94024
Single Family Home 7 Beds 4.5 Baths 5,848 SqFt
Listed by Boyenga Team of Boyenga Team / Compass1567 Siesta DR, Los Altos, CA 94024
Single Family Home 4 Beds 3 Baths 2,495 SqFt
Listed by Boyenga Team of Compass
1621 El Sereno Ct, Los Altos, CA 94024-7267
Single Family Home 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,914 SqFt
Listed by Eric & Janelle Boyenga of Boyenga Team / Compass1385 Fremont Ave, Los Altos, CA 94024
Single Family Home 5 Beds 2 Baths 2,386 SqFt
Listed by Boyenga Team of Boyenga Team / Compass1385 Fremont Ave, Los Altos, CA 94024
Single Family Home 5 Beds 2.5 Baths 3,352 SqFt
Listed by Boyenga Team of Boyenga Team / CompassFremont Ave, Los Altos, CA 94024
Single Family Home 5 Beds 2.5 Baths 2,386 SqFt
Listed by Boyenga Team of Boyenga Team / Compass100 1st Street #217, Los Altos, CA 94022
Condo 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,672 SqFt
Listed by Boyenga Team of Boyenga Team / Compass1683 Parkhills Avenue, Los Altos, CA 94024
Single Family Home 4 Beds 3 Baths 2,115 SqFt
Listed by Boyenga Team of Boyenga Team / Compass1215 Eva AVE, Los Altos, CA 94024
Single Family Home 3 Beds 2.5 Baths 2,156 SqFt
Listed by David Welton of Compass321 Hillview AVE, Los Altos, CA 94022
Single Family Home 2 Beds 2 Baths 2,413 SqFt
Listed by Mary Liu of Vanguard Properties
38 3rd ST #204, Los Altos, CA 94022
Condo 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,749 SqFt
Listed by Meredith Martin of Compass1700 Esberg RD, Los Altos, CA 94024
Single Family Home 5 Beds 4.5 Baths 4,087 SqFt
Listed by DeLeon Team of Deleon Realty716 Linden AVE, Los Altos, CA 94022
Single Family Home 5 Beds 4.5 Baths 3,872 SqFt
Listed by Ryan Gowdy of The Agency685 Riviera DR, Los Altos, CA 94024
Single Family Home 6 Beds 6 Baths 4,140 SqFt
Listed by Alex Wang of Rainmaker Real Estate1127 Hillslope PL, Los Altos, CA 94024
Single Family Home 6 Beds 6 Baths 5,108 SqFt
Listed by DeLeon Team of Deleon Realty99 San Juan CT, Los Altos, CA 94022
Single Family Home 5 Beds 4.5 Baths 3,321 SqFt
Listed by Frances Ibay of Thomas James Real Estate Services, Inc,730 S El Monte AVE, Los Altos, CA 94022
Single Family Home 5 Beds 4.5 Baths 4,316 SqFt
Listed by Julie Tsai Law of Compass1466 Ben Roe DR, Los Altos, CA 94024
Single Family Home 5 Beds 4.5 Baths 3,310 SqFt
Listed by Frances Ibay of Thomas James Real Estate Services, Inc,740 Spencer CT, Los Altos, CA 94024
Single Family Home 4 Beds 2.5 Baths 3,390 SqFt
Listed by Eric Fischer-Colbrie of Intero Real Estate Services1052 Echo DR, Los Altos, CA 94024
Single Family Home 5 Beds 4 Baths 3,763 SqFt
Listed by Alex Wang of Rainmaker Real Estate
CA Los Altos
Los Altos
Los Altos Real Estate & Homes for Sale
Living in Los Altos
Los Altos is a largely residential Silicon Valley city of roughly 30,000 residents, known for its village-style downtown and large tree-lined lots. Incorporated in 1952, Los Altos sits minutes from Palo Alto, Mountain View, Stanford, and major tech employers.
Los Altos Neighborhoods
North Los Altos offers classic ranch homes and newer estates close to downtown and El Camino Real, while South Los Altos includes areas such as Loyola Corners, Rancho, and the Country Club neighborhood near Los Altos Golf & Country Club. Buyers also look to the neighboring Town of Los Altos Hills for larger acreage properties. Housing ranges from mid-century ranches and Eichlers to modern custom homes built on the city's generous lots.
Schools
Most of Los Altos is served by the Los Altos School District for elementary and junior high school and by the Mountain View–Los Altos Union High School District, which includes Los Altos High School. Some southern areas are served by the Cupertino Union School District and Fremont Union High School District. School assignments vary by address, so confirm boundaries with each district before you buy.
Downtown & Lifestyle
Downtown Los Altos centers on Main Street and State Street, with independent shops, cafés, restaurants and seasonal community events. Nearby are Shoup Park, Redwood Grove Nature Preserve, Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve and Foothill College in Los Altos Hills.
Commute
Los Altos sits between Highway 280 and Highway 85, with El Camino Real and Foothill Expressway running through town. Caltrain stations in Mountain View and Palo Alto are a short drive away.
Buying or Selling in Los Altos
Eric & Janelle Boyenga and the Boyenga Team / Compass have helped Los Altos buyers and sellers since 1996. From pricing strategy and preparation to negotiating in multiple-offer situations, we'll guide you through every step. Call (408) 373-1660 or (650) 383-8606, or send us a message to talk about your Los Altos plans.
Listings
neighborhoods
Los Altos neighborhoods
Los Altos began as an agricultural area of summer cottages and apricot orchards, and the largest share of today's homes was built between 1940 and 1959; more than 85 percent of the housing is single-family. Single-family zones set minimum lots of 10,000 to 40,000 square feet, so many streets have mid-century ranch homes on large lots alongside remodels and newer custom houses.
Downtown Los Altos (the Village)
Where Los Altos began: the first town lots sold in March 1907, trains arrived in 1908 and the depot opened in 1913. A 76-acre triangle of Foothill Expressway, Edith Avenue and San Antonio Road, with shops on Main and State streets and condos on First Street.
North Los Altos
An informal name for the city north of El Monte Avenue (ZIP 94022), between downtown and El Camino Real. Mostly R1-10 streets, where new lots need at least 10,000 square feet; many older lots are smaller.
Old Los Altos
A listing nickname for the streets across Foothill Expressway from downtown: University, Orange, Palm and Lincoln avenues, with Lincoln Park, Shoup Park and Redwood Grove along Adobe Creek.
El Camino Real corridor and Sherwood Gateway
The city's 1.3-mile edge on El Camino Real plus the Sherwood Gateway blocks by San Antonio Road. Since 2023 the corridor zoning has no density cap, so most new condos and apartments are going up here.
Central Los Altos (Covington area)
The 94024 side between El Monte Avenue and Grant Road, north of Foothill Expressway, along Covington Road: about 2,500 houses, mostly 1946-59 ranch homes on quarter-acre lots. Covington School was built there in 1950.
Rancho
A grid of 1947-52 ranch houses between Campbell Avenue and Springer Road, named for the Wilder Company's Los Altos Rancho tracts and the Rancho Shopping Center, built starting in 1951.
Costello Acres
A 1916 subdivision of large lots along Covington Road between El Monte and Campbell avenues, zoned R1-20 since 1973 so the lots can't be split.
Loyola Corners
A small neighborhood shopping district at the south end of Miramonte Avenue by Foothill Expressway, named for a railroad stop on land Santa Clara's Jesuits bought in 1904 for a college that was never built.
Country Club area (unincorporated Loyola)
The wooded streets around the private Los Altos Golf & Country Club, laid out after the Jesuits sold the land in 1923. Nearly all of it is unincorporated Santa Clara County with Los Altos addresses, so the county handles zoning and permits.
Fallen Leaf Park Eichlers
A group of 37 Claude Oakland atrium homes from 1968-69 on Clay Drive, Alexander Way and Fallen Leaf Lane, in the Cupertino Union and Fremont Union school districts.
South Los Altos
City of Los Altos streets east of Grant Road, from Homestead Road to the Mountain View line and out to Stevens Creek. Fremont Avenue splits it between two pairs of school districts.
Woodland Acres
A recorded 1950s subdivision of tree-named streets between Foothill Expressway and I-280, annexed from the county in 2006 and served by Cupertino Union and Fremont Union schools.
The Highlands
Sloping late-1950s to early-1970s streets between St. Joseph Avenue and I-280, inside city limits but in the Cupertino Union and Fremont Union school districts.
schools
Los Altos public schools
Elementary and middle
- Los Altos School District. TK-8, most of the city
- Cupertino Union School District. TK-8, portions of the city
High school
- Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District. Los Altos High or Mountain View High, assigned by address
- Fremont Union High School District. Portions of the city
property nerd note
Most Los Altos addresses are in the Los Altos School District and Mountain View-Los Altos Union High, but some are in Cupertino Union and Fremont Union, and Los Altos mailing addresses also cover parts of Los Altos Hills and unincorporated Loyola. School lines don't follow city lines or ZIP codes, so confirm any address with the district before you buy. Start with our Silicon Valley schools guide.
zip codes
Los Altos ZIP codes
Northern Los Altos, including downtown and the civic center. Shared with much of the Town of Los Altos Hills.
Southern Los Altos, including the Covington area, Rancho, Loyola Corners and the Woodland area along Grant Road. Also shared with parts of Los Altos Hills and unincorporated Loyola.
P.O. boxes only; no street addresses.
RECENTLY SOLD LISTINGS
$6,732,500
Single Family Home
562 Palm AVE, Los Altos, CA 94022
Stunning new construction in coveted Old Los Altos offering appx. 3,383 total sf with 6 bedrooms and 5 baths across a be...
Listed by Boyenga Team of Compass
$4,200,000
Single Family Home
11725 Winding WAY, Los Altos, CA 94024
Beautifully remodeled traditional home in a highly coveted Los Altos Hills border setting. Offering approximately 3,127 ...
Listed by Boyenga Team of Compass
$4,325,000
Single Family Home
1621 El Sereno CT, Los Altos, CA 94024
Architectural Masterpiece in S. Los Altos. Nestled on an expansive 1/3 acre, this luxurious contemporary home by renowne...
Listed by Boyenga Team of Compass
MARKET TRENDS
LISTING DETAIL
getting around
Getting around Los Altos
Caltrain
There is no train or light rail inside the city. The closest Caltrain stations are San Antonio and Mountain View, both in neighboring Mountain View.
VTA buses
VTA Route 22 runs along El Camino Real, and Route 40 connects Foothill College with the Mountain View Transit Center via San Antonio Road. Check VTA for current schedules.
Freeways and expressways
Interstate 280 runs along the southwest side of town, and Foothill Expressway, built on the old Southern Pacific right-of-way, links Los Altos with Palo Alto, Cupertino and Sunnyvale. State Route 85 is a short drive east.
Airports
Mineta San Jose International (SJC) is the closer of the two major airports; San Francisco International (SFO) is farther north via U.S. 101 or I-280.
living here
Living in Los Altos
Downtown Los Altos
The six-block downtown has more than 150 shops, restaurants and service businesses along Main and State streets, with free parking on the street and in the downtown plazas. The Los Altos Village Association runs seasonal events such as an arts and wine festival and holiday strolls.
Thursday farmers' market
The Downtown Los Altos Farmers' Market sets up on State Street on Thursday evenings from spring through fall.
Neighborhood shopping districts
Beyond downtown, smaller districts serve everyday errands: Loyola Corners, the Rancho Shopping Center, Woodland Plaza, Foothill Plaza and the El Camino Real corridor.
Redwood Grove and Shoup Park
Redwood Grove is a 5.9-acre nature preserve off University Avenue with short trails and picnic areas, linked by creekside land to neighboring Shoup Park.
Rancho San Antonio Preserve
Just south of town off I-280, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District's 2,180-acre Rancho San Antonio Preserve adjoins a county park and has more than 25 miles of trail, plus Deer Hollow Farm.
Library and civic center
The county library runs two branches in the city: the Los Altos Library by the civic center on San Antonio Road, and the Woodland Branch on Grant Road.
your los altos team
Buy or sell in Los Altos with the Boyenga Team
Eric and Janelle Boyenga and the Property Nerds® at Compass have sold more than 2,520 Silicon Valley homes, $2.6+ billion in all, since 1996. We know Los Altos block by block, from pricing and prep to the off-market homes most buyers never see.
Our Los Altos sales: 31 Los Altos & Los Altos Hills homes we’ve sold since 2012, on a map
From the blog: Los Altos Neighborhoods Ranked by Price per Square Foot · Where Los Altos Homes Sell Over Asking · Los Altos Home Prices by Neighborhood, 2016 vs. 2026 · Los Altos Condo & Townhome Prices · Los Altos Houses Under $4 Million · Los Altos Luxury Homes: $7.5 Million+ · Best Month to Sell a House in Los Altos · Palo Alto vs. Los Altos vs. Mountain View vs. Sunnyvale · The Most Expensive Streets in Los Altos & Los Altos Hills · Los Altos & Los Altos Hills Neighborhoods by Their Houses · Los Altos Hills Fire Hazard Zones by Neighborhood · The Most Expensive Streets from San Francisco to San Jose · Los Altos Neighborhoods · Best Los Altos Neighborhoods · Los Altos vs. Sunnyvale · Los Altos vs. Mountain View
By the numbers: City Scorecard · Price history since 2012 · Price per sq ft map · Neighborhood ranking · Neighborhoods compared · Lot value · Homes by decade · Days on market · Los Altos by the numbers
Search Los Altos homes Get my home value (408) 373-1660 (650) 383-8606
how we help
Property Nerds® in Los Altos
Pricing from the data
We compare recent sales street by street, adjusting for lot, condition, schools and style, so you buy or list at a price the market will support.
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Selling? We focus prep money where Los Altos buyers notice it. Compass Concierge can start eligible work with nothing due upfront.
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faq
Los Altos real estate FAQ
Is Los Altos the same as Los Altos Hills?
No. The City of Los Altos incorporated in 1952, and the Town of Los Altos Hills is a separate town, incorporated in 1956, with its own council, zoning and permits. The two share the 94022 and 94024 ZIP codes, and unincorporated areas such as Loyola also use Los Altos addresses, so check the jurisdiction for any address.
Which public school districts serve Los Altos?
Most of the city is in the Los Altos School District (TK-8) and the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District, which assigns students to Los Altos High or Mountain View High by address. Portions of Los Altos are in Cupertino Union and Fremont Union High. Boundaries don't follow city lines, so confirm a specific address with each district.
Does Los Altos have a Caltrain station?
No. The nearest stations are San Antonio and Mountain View, just over the line in Mountain View, and VTA buses on El Camino Real and San Antonio Road connect to them. For driving, I-280 and Foothill Expressway are the main routes.
What kinds of homes are in Los Altos?
More than 85 percent of the housing is single-family, and the largest share was built between 1940 and 1959, so mid-century ranch homes are common, along with remodels and newer custom homes. Minimum lot sizes run from 10,000 to 40,000 square feet depending on the zone. Condominiums and apartments are mostly downtown and along El Camino Real.
What is downtown Los Altos like?
A compact, six-block district of more than 150 shops, restaurants and service businesses centered on Main and State streets, with free parking on the street and in plazas, and a farmers' market on Thursday evenings from spring through fall.
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Eric & Janelle Boyenga
homes@boyenga.com