Editing Los Altos, California

{{Short description|City in California, United States}}
{{about|the incorporated city|the neighborhood of Long Beach|Los Altos, Long Beach, California}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info ---------------->
| name = Los Altos, California
| settlement_type = [[List of municipalities in California|City]]
| other_name = 
| official_name = 
| native_name = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
| nickname = 
| motto = <!-- images and maps ----------->
| image_skyline = Los Altos entrance sign 2a.jpg
| imagesize = 
| image_caption = A City of Los Altos entrance marker, located in Lincoln Park just off of Main Street
| image_flag = Flag of Los Altos, California.gif
| flag_size = 
| image_seal = Seal of Los Altos, California.png
| seal_size = 
| image_shield = 
| shield_size = 
| image_blank_emblem = 
| blank_emblem_type = 
| blank_emblem_size = 
| image_map = Santa_Clara_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Los_Altos_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize = 250x200px
| map_caption = Location in [[Santa Clara County, California|Santa Clara County]] and the state of California
| image_map1 = 
| mapsize1 = 
| map_caption1 = 
| image_dot_map = 
| dot_mapsize = 
| dot_map_caption = 
| dot_x = 
| dot_y = 
| pushpin_map = California#San Francisco Bay Area#USA
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in California##Location in the Bay Area##Location in the United States
| pushpin_label = Los Altos
<!-- Location ------------------>
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[California]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in California|County]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Santa Clara County, California|Santa Clara]]
| subdivision_type3 = 
| subdivision_name3 = 
| subdivision_type4 = 
| subdivision_name4 = <!-- Politics ----------------->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type = [[Council–manager government|Council/Manager]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome to the Office of the City Manager |url=http://www.losaltosca.gov/citymanager |access-date=February 2, 2015 |publisher=City of Los Altos}}</ref>
| leader_title = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name = Pete Dailey<ref name="mayor">{{Cite web |date=December 11, 2024 |title=Los Altos council appoints new mayor |url=https://www.losaltosonline.com/news/los-altos-council-appoints-new-mayor/article_00472abe-b81c-11ef-a2ab-d7b363033c16.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |publisher=Los Altos Town Crier}}</ref>
| leader_title1 = [[Vice mayor]]
| leader_name1 = Neysa Fligor<ref name="mayor" />
| established_title3 = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date3 = December 1, 1952<ref>{{Cite web |title=California Cities by Incorporation Date |url=http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103002921/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc |archive-date=November 3, 2014 |access-date=August 25, 2014 |publisher=California Association of [[Local Agency Formation Commission]]s |format=Word}}</ref>
<!-- Area------------------>
| area_magnitude = 
| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{Cite web |title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_06.txt |access-date=July 1, 2020 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi = 6.54
| area_land_sq_mi = 6.54
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.00
| area_total_km2 = 16.94
| area_land_km2 = 16.94
| area_water_km2 = 0.00
| area_water_percent = 
| area_note = 
| area_urban_km2 = 
| area_urban_sq_mi = 
| area_metro_km2 = 
| area_metro_sq_mi = 
| area_blank1_title = 
| area_blank1_km2 = 
| area_blank1_sq_mi = 
| elevation_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite GNIS|1659745|Los Altos|access-date=October 13, 2014}}</ref>
| elevation_ft = 157
| elevation_m = 48
<!-- Population ----------->
| population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name="quif">{{Cite web |title=Los Altos (city) QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/losaltoscitycalifornia |access-date=April 7, 2021 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
| population_total = 31625
| pop_est_as_of = 
| pop_est_footnotes = 
| population_est = 
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| population_metro = 
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = <!-- General information --------------->
| timezone = [[Pacific Time Zone]]
| utc_offset = −8
| timezone_DST = [[Pacific Daylight Time|PDT]]
| utc_offset_DST = −7
| coordinates = {{coord|37|22|5|N|122|5|51|W|region:US-CA|display=inline, title}}
| postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code = 94022–94024
| area_code_type = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
| area_code = [[Area code 650|650]]
| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
| blank_info = {{FIPS|06|43280}}
| blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs
| blank1_info = {{GNIS 4|1659745}}, {{GNIS 4|2410876}}
| website = {{URL|www.losaltosca.gov}}
| footnotes = 
| population_density_km2 = auto
}}

'''Los Altos''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=En-Los Altos.oga|l|ɔː|s|_|ˈ|æ|l|t|oʊ|s}}; [[Spanish language|Spanish]] for "The Heights") is a city in [[Santa Clara County, California]], in the [[San Francisco Bay Area]]. The population was 31,625 according to the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

Most of the city's growth occurred between 1950 and 1980. Originally an agricultural town with many summer cottages and apricot orchards, Los Altos is a [[Commuter town|bedroom community]] on the western edge of Silicon Valley, serving as a major source of commuters to other parts of Silicon Valley. Los Altos strictly limits commercial zones to the downtown area and small shopping and office parks lining [[Foothill Expressway]] and [[El Camino Real (California)|El Camino Real]].

==History==
The area was initially [[Fremont Judicial Township, Santa Clara County, California|Fremont Judicial Township, Santa Clara County]] which was formed in 1853.<ref>{{Cite book |last=J. P. Munro-Fraser |title=History of Santa Clara County, California |publisher=Alley, Bowen and Co. |year=1881 |location=San Francisco |pages=132–133}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/1876-historical-atlas-santaclaracounty/1876_historical_atlas_santaclaracounty_p020-21.jpg |title=Historical Atlas Map of Santa Clara County, California |publisher=Thompson & West |year=1876 |location=San Francisco, California |page=21 |access-date=July 25, 2024}}</ref> Fremont Judicial Township was later unofficially called "Banks and Braes".<ref name="Altos2005">{{Cite web |year=2005 |title=Los Altos Historic Walking Tour Brochure |url=http://www.losaltosca.gov/sites/default/files/fileattachments/Historical%20Commission/page/3310/historicwalkingtourbrochure.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131060524/http://www.losaltosca.gov/sites/default/files/fileattachments/Historical%20Commission/page/3310/historicwalkingtourbrochure.pdf |archive-date=January 31, 2016 |access-date=January 15, 2012 |publisher=City of Los Altos}}</ref> [[Paul Shoup]], an executive of the Southern Pacific Railroad, and his colleagues formed the Altos Land Company in 1906 and started the development of Los Altos. The company acquired {{convert|140|acre}} of land from [[Sarah Winchester]]. Shoup wanted to link [[Palo Alto]] and [[Los_Gatos,_California|Los Gatos]] by making Los Altos a commuter town. It continued a train-a-day operation to and from San Francisco.

On April 19, 1908, Southern Pacific Railroad began running steam train service through Los Altos on the new [[Mayfield Cutoff]] with five trains per day. Two freight cars served as a train depot. Also, the first commercial building, Eschenbruecher's Hardware, was built in downtown.<ref name="Altos2005" /> In 1913, the [[craftsman-style]] [[Los Altos station|Los Altos train station]] was built at 288 First Street.

By 1949, many residents were dissatisfied with the zoning policy of Santa Clara County, and there was a constant threat of annexation by neighboring Palo Alto and [[Mountain View, California|Mountain View]],<ref name="DonMcDonald" /> so they decided to incorporate. Los Altos became the eleventh city in Santa Clara County on December 1, 1952.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Los Altos |url=https://www.losaltosca.gov/community/page/history-los-altos |access-date=2024-08-09 |website=City of Los Altos}}</ref>

Train service ceased operation in January 1964, and the train track became Foothill Expressway.<ref name="DonMcDonald" /> Los Altos may have the first scientifically designed [[sound baffle]] in 1970. Santa Clara County undertook a seminal study to calculate the effects of alternate [[noise barrier|soundwall]] designs along Foothill Expressway.<ref>{{Cite report |title=Design of Noise Abatement Structures along Foothill Expressway, Los Altos, California |last=Hogan |first=C. Michael |last2=Seidman |first2=Harry |date=October 1970 |publisher=County of Santa Clara Public Works Department}}</ref> The resulting wall brought about the predicted reduction of seven to ten decibels in [[noise pollution]] levels experienced by adjacent homes.

In 1976, [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] co-founders [[Steve Jobs]] and [[Steve Wozniak]] built the first 50 [[Apple I]] computers in Jobs's garage in Los Altos.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 21, 2013 |title=Steve Jobs' los Altos childhood home eyed for historic preservation |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2013/09/20/steve-jobs-los-altos-childhood-home-eyed-for-historic-preservation/}}</ref>

In 2004, landlord Judy Fusco rented her Los Altos home, later known as "Casa Facebook", to [[Mark Zuckerberg]]; there, he and a few other associates scaled [[Facebook]] from 200,000 members to 2.5 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chung |first=L.A. |date=July 15, 2016 |title='Casa Facebook' Recalls Scrappy, Freewheeling Visionaries |url=https://www.aol.com/2012/05/22/casa-facebook-recalls-scrappy-freewheeling-visionaries/}}</ref>

On April 15, 2021, Los Altos became home to the world's first consumer [[flying car]] showroom.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 15, 2021 |title=Announcing ASKA the Electric Take off and Landing Flying Car for Consumers |url=https://www.suasnews.com/2021/04/announcing-aska-the-electric-take-off-and-landing-flying-car-for-consumers/}}</ref>

===Earthquakes===
[[Image:Losaltos earthquake.jpg|thumb|150px|A store in disarray following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake]]

Los Altos is near the [[San Andreas Fault]] and therefore subject to earthquakes.

*[[1906 San Francisco earthquake]] – Although Los Altos was hit extremely hard (VIII on the intensity level),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Los Altos Shake map for SF Earthquake (''Choose Los Altos and then San Andreas (1906 Quake) to see map'') |url=http://www.abag.ca.gov/cgi-bin/pickmapx.pl |access-date=November 14, 2012}}</ref> the main local effort was to help rebuild nearby [[Santa Cruz, California|Santa Cruz]], which was nearly destroyed.

*1989 – On October 17, Los Altos experienced the [[Loma Prieta earthquake]], but was spared major damage.

==Geography==
{{Unsourced|section|date=January 2025}}
Los Altos is bordered by [[Los Altos Hills, California|Los Altos Hills]] to the west, [[Palo Alto, California|Palo Alto]] to the west and northwest, [[Mountain View, California|Mountain View]] to the northwest and northeast, [[Sunnyvale, California|Sunnyvale]] to the east, and [[Cupertino, California|Cupertino]] to the southeast.

Los Altos is crossed by three creeks that flow north to San Francisco Bay, [[Adobe Creek (near Los Altos, California)|Adobe Creek]] on its western boundary, [[Stevens Creek (California)|Stevens Creek]] on its eastern boundary and [[Permanente Creek]] in the middle. [[Hale Creek]] is a tributary to Permanente Creek, and Permanente Creek is now largely diverted to Stevens Creek by a diversion channel. All three creeks originate on the flanks of [[Black Mountain (near Los Altos, California)|Black Mountain]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1960= 19696
|1970= 25062
|1980= 25769
|1990= 26303
|2000= 27693
|2010= 28976
|2020= 31625
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{Cite web |title=Census of Population and Housing |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=June 4, 2015 |publisher=Census.gov}}</ref>
}}

===2010s===
The 2010 United States census<ref>{{Cite web |title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA – Los Altos city |url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0643280 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715040004/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0643280 |archive-date=July 15, 2014 |access-date=July 12, 2014 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref> reported that Los Altos had a population of 28,976. The [[population density]] was {{#expr:(28976/6.487) round 1}} people per square mile ({{#expr: ((1/2.59)*(28976/6.487)) round 1 }}/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of Los Altos was 20,459 (70.6%) White, 148 (0.5%) African American, 48 (0.2%) Native American, 6,815 (23.5%) Asian, 59 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 195 (0.7%) from other races, and 1,252 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,132 persons (3.9%).

The Census reported that 28,749 people (99.2% of the population) lived in households, 34 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 193 (0.7%) were institutionalized.

There were 10,745 households, out of which 4,067 (37.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 7,476 (69.6%) were [[marriage|opposite-sex married couples]] living together, 599 (5.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 228 (2.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 199 (1.9%) [[POSSLQ|unmarried opposite-sex partnerships]], and 55 (0.5%) [[same-sex partnerships|same-sex married couples or partnerships]]. 2,086 households (19.4%) were made up of individuals, and 1,228 (11.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68. There were 8,303 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (77.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.08.

The age distribution of the population consisted of 7,560 people (26.1%) under the age of 18, 1,006 people (3.5%) aged 18 to 24, 5,273 people (18.2%) aged 25 to 44, 9,353 people (32.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,784 people (20.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.

There were 11,204 housing units at an average density of {{#expr: (11204/6.487) round 1 }} per square mile ({{#expr: ((1/2.59)*(11204/6.487)) round 1 }}/km<sup>2</sup>), of which 9,002 (83.8%) were owner-occupied, and 1,743 (16.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.0%. 24,669 people (85.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,080 people (14.1%) lived in rental housing units.

The median household income of Los Altos for 2013–2017 was $208,309.<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Los Altos city, California |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/chart/losaltoscitycalifornia/INC110217#INC110217 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331042649/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/chart/losaltoscitycalifornia/INC110217 |archive-date=March 31, 2019}}</ref> The average home listing price in 2014 was $1.96 million.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Picchi |first=Aimee |date=November 12, 2014 |title=Full List:Here's the average home price in America's priciest town. |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/heres-the-average-home-price-in-americas-priciest-town/ |access-date=November 12, 2014 |work=[[CBS News Moneywatch]]}}</ref> In 2017, ''[[Forbes]]'' ranked Los Altos (94022 and 94024) as the 3rd and 48th most expensive ZIP codes in the United States with median home prices of $7,755,000 and $3,431,615, respectively.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sharf |first=Samantha |title=Full List: America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes 2017 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasharf/2017/11/28/full-list-americas-most-expensive-zip-codes-2017/#5ff5abd85d19 |access-date=December 5, 2017 |work=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> In 2018, data from the [[American Community Survey]] revealed that Los Altos was the fifth wealthiest city in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 11, 2018 |title=The 10 wealthiest cities in the United States |url=http://fox2now.com/2018/01/10/the-10-wealthiest-cities-in-the-united-states/ |publisher=Tribune Media}}</ref>

===2000===
As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=January 31, 2008 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> of 2000, there were 27,693 people, 10,462 households, and 8,024 families residing in the city. The population density was {{#expr: (27693/6.487) round 1 }} people per square mile ({{#expr: ((1/2.59)*(27693/6.487)) round 1 }}/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 10,727 housing units at an average density of {{#expr: (10727/6.487) round 1 }} per square mile ({{#expr: ((1/2.59)*(10727/6.487)) round 1 }}/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the city was 80.35% White, 15.42% Asian, 0.47% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.16% [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]], 0.66% from other races, and 2.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race constituted 3.76% of the population.

Of 10,462 households, 33.6% had minor children living with them, 69.4% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female head with no husband present, and 23.3% were non-families. 18.7% were singles including 9.8% 65 or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 2.98.

The median age was 44 years, much higher than the 35.3 national figure. 23.7% were under 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.

===1930===
Approximately 2,900 people would have considered themselves a resident of Los Altos.<ref name="DonMcDonald">{{Cite book |last=McDonald |first=Don |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4dw-6-uYtCQC&pg=PA8 |title=Early Los Altos and Los Altos Hills |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-7385-8010-4 |page=8}}</ref>

===Housing costs===
Los Altos strives to maintain a semi-rural atmosphere. Los Altos has few sidewalks except in commercial zones and along arterial roads. The minimum lot size for most residential housing is one-quarter of an acre. Most streets have broad dirt [[Hard shoulder|shoulders]] and no street lighting. The civic center sits in the middle of an [[orchard]], a remnant of those that once covered the area. The downtown is a triangle with arterials and collector streets on all sides that enable most through traffic to bypass [[Main Street]].

As of today, many Los Altos homes fetch $4&nbsp;million and higher. The city is placed (along with neighboring Los Altos Hills, with which it shares ZIP codes) at numbers 24 and 28 on Forbes' "Most Expensive ZIP Codes in America" list in 2007.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 13, 2007 |title=Most Expensive ZIP Codes |url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/7/forbeslife-cx_07zip_Most-Expensive-ZIP-Codes_Rank.html |access-date=October 6, 2008 |work=[[Forbes]]}}</ref> In 2015, ''[[Forbes]]'' placed Los Altos ([[ZIP code]]s 94022 and 94024) as the 11th and 57th most expensive ZIP codes in the United States, behind such cities as  [[Atherton, California]] and [[Sagaponack, New York]]. For the 94022 ZIP code, which includes parts of [[Los Altos Hills, California]] the median home price is $4.9 million with an average of 120 days on the market. For the 94024 ZIP code, the median home price is $2.8 million with an average of 36 days on the market.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schiffman |first=Betsy |date=November 10, 2015 |title=Full List: America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes 2015 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/betsyschiffman/2015/11/10/full-list-most-expensive-zip-codes-in-2015/#2715e4857a0bec50e1f2b0bb |access-date=November 10, 2015 |work=[[Forbes]]}}</ref>

==Economy==

Since the mid-1990s, downtown Los Altos has experienced mild economic difficulties due to competition from nearby shopping centers and chain stores, as well as its lack of a hotel or [[movie theater]]. Revitalizing downtown is a major issue in city politics.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McPherson |first=Sarah |date=April 6, 2005 |title=Small Town, Hard Sell: Village leader trying to pump up downtown |work=[[San Jose Mercury News]] |at=sec. B, p. 1.}}</ref>

===Top employers===

According to the City's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,<ref>{{Cite web |title=City of Los Altos Annual Comprehensive Financial Report For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2022 |url=https://www.losaltosca.gov/sites/default/files/fileattachments/administrative_services/page/34881/los_altos_fy22_acfr-final.pdf |access-date=February 1, 2024}}</ref> the top employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
|+Top employers in Los Altos
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
|1
|[[Los Altos School District]]
|459
|-
|2
|Los Altos Sub-Acute & Rehabilitation Center
|241
|-
|3
|[[Whole Foods Market]]
|233
|-
|4
|[[Los Altos High School (Los Altos, California)|Los Altos High School]]
|212
|-
|5
|Toyota Research Institute
|187
|-
|6
|[[Compass, Inc.]] ([[Alain Pinel Realtors]])
|166
|-
|7
|[[David and Lucile Packard Foundation]]
|131
|-
|8
|City of Los Altos
|120
|-
|9
|Adobe Animal Hospital
|120
|-
|10
|[[Palo Alto Medical Foundation]]
|110
|}

==Government==
In the [[California State Legislature]], Los Altos is in {{Representative|casd|13|fmt=sdistrict}}, and in {{Representative|caad|23|fmt=adistrict}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Final Maps |url=https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/final_maps |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207002401/https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/final_maps |archive-date=December 7, 2022 |access-date=February 16, 2023 |publisher=We Draw the Lines, 2020 California Citizens Redistricting Commission}}</ref>

In the [[United States House of Representatives]], Los Altos is in {{Representative|cacd|16|fmt=district}}.<ref name="gt16">{{Cite GovTrack|CA|16}}</ref>

==Education==

===Public===
Most of Los Altos is in the [[Los Altos Elementary School District]]<!--ELM 22650--> and the [[Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District]]<!--SEC 26310-->. A portion of it is in the [[Cupertino Union Elementary School District]]<!--ELM 10290--> and the [[Fremont Union High School District]]<!--SEC 14430-->.<ref name=CensusSDMap2020>{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06085_santa_clara/DC20SD_C06085.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Santa Clara County, CA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|date=January 6, 2021|page=1 (PDF p. 2/5)|accessdate=July 20, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06085_santa_clara/DC20SD_C06085_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref> The Los Altos School District has one of the highest average [[Academic Performance Index|API]] scores in California and includes seven elementary schools in the Los Altos–Mountain View area.{{fact|date=May 2025}}

Los Altos has the [[Bullis Charter School]], a [[K-8 school|K-8]] [[charter school]].

{{Asof|1995}} all of the public schools are highly regarded,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Blitzer |first=Carol |date=March 6, 1995 |title=Building on Success |work=[[San Jose Business Journal]] |at=sec. S, p. 3}}</ref> and many graduates of Los Altos-area high schools continue their education at well-known universities.

===Private===
Los Altos is also served by highly regarded private and religious schools. St. Nicholas School, St. Simon School, Miramonte Elementary School, (JrK–8th)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Miramonte Elementary School |url=http://www.miramonteschool.org |access-date=November 14, 2012}}</ref> [[Canterbury Christian School]] (Pre-K–8th),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Canterbury Christian School |url=http://www.canterbury.school}}</ref> the Lower and Middle Campuses (K–6th) of [[Pinewood School, Los Altos|Pinewood School]], The School for Independent Learners,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The School for Independent Learners |url=http://www.sileducation.com |access-date=November 14, 2012}}</ref> and the lower school campus of the [[Waldorf School|Waldorf School of the Peninsula]]<ref>[http://waldorfpeninsula.org Waldorf School of the Peninsula <!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> are located within city limits. Others nearby include [[Saint Francis High School (Mountain View)|St. Francis High School]] (Mountain View), Mountain View Academy,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mountain View Academy |url=http://www.mtnviewacademy.org |access-date=November 14, 2012}}</ref> and The King's Academy (Sunnyvale).<ref>{{Cite web |title=The King's Academy |url=http://www.tka.org/ |access-date=November 14, 2012}}</ref> Other schools farther away with students from Los Altos include [[Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton]], [[Mitty High School]], [[Menlo School]], [[Woodside Priory School]], [[Castilleja School]], [[The Harker School]], and [[Bellarmine College Preparatory]].

===Public libraries===
[[Santa Clara County Library]] operates the Los Altos Library and the Woodland Branch Library in Los Altos.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome to the Los Altos Library |url=https://www.sccl.org/Locations/Los-Altos |access-date=March 27, 2010 |publisher=Santa Clara County Library}}</ref> Members of the library have access to all the other locations in the Santa Clara County Library District. 

==Parks and recreation ==
[[File:Redwood Grove logs to mill.jpg|thumb|Dead and diseased trees in the Redwood Grove were cut down in 2017, to be milled on-site in 2018.]]
[[File:Mallard Drake on Adobe Creek 2010.jpg|thumb | [[Mallard]] in May 2010, in [[Adobe Creek (Santa Clara County, California)|Adobe Creek]]; the creek typically runs dry by summer.]]

Adobe Creek flows through '''Redwood Grove''', a {{convert|5.9|acre|adj=on}} nature preserve off University Avenue in Los Altos purchased by the city in 1974. In October 2009 Los Altos contracted with [[Acterra]] to remove non-native plants and revitalize the redwood, oak woodland, riparian and grassland ecosystems by installing native plants, improving soil conditions, and creating habitat for wildlife such as bird houses and native bee boxes.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Seshadri |first=Jana |date=October 8, 2009 |title=City council signs agreement to restore Redwood Grove |url=http://www.losaltosonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19125&Itemid=46 |access-date=November 14, 2012 |work=Los Altos Town Crier}}</ref> The coast redwoods (''[[Sequoia sempervirens]]'') were transplanted by the Halsey family from a location on Summit Road in the [[Santa Cruz Mountains]] and replaced the native willows. The historic Halsey House, built in the late 1920s by Theodore and Emma Halsey, is a good example of Spanish Revival architecture. The city designated Halsey House a local landmark in 1981 and until recently it housed the Florence Fava collection of Coastanoan or [[Ohlone|Ohlone Indian]] artifacts from a nearby archeological excavation in Los Altos Hills (now moved to the Los Altos History Museum).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ridgway |first=Eliza |date=June 3, 2009 |title=Science learning, restoration in works for Redwood Grove |url=http://www.losaltosonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17743&Itemid=46 |access-date=January 13, 2010 |work=Los Altos Town Crier}}</ref> On June 16, 2010, the Los Altos City Council finalized the purchase of {{convert|10000|sqft|m2}} of creekside property from Delbert and Marlene Beumer, who wanted to provide a safe pathway connecting '''Shoup Park''' and '''Redwood Grove'''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Luther |first=Nicholas |date=June 22, 2010 |title=City purchases land to connect Shoup Park, Redwood Grove |url=http://www.losaltosonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21584&Itemid=46 |access-date=June 25, 2010 |work=Los Altos Town Crier}}</ref>

[[Rainbow trout|Steelhead trout]] (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') occurred historically in Adobe Creek. However, tidal gates at the mouth of Adobe Creek as well as culverts at the El Camino Real and Interstate 280 overpasses probably preclude the passage of migrating salmonids, even though the reaches upstream from [[Hidden Villa]] in [[Los Altos Hills, California|Los Altos Hills]] have been judged excellent trout habitat.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leidy |first=R.A. |last2=Becker |first2=G.S. |last3=Harvey |first3=B.N. |year=2005 |title=Historical distribution and current status of steelhead/rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') in streams of the San Francisco Estuary, California. |url=http://www.cemar.org/pdf/santaclara.pdf |access-date=October 18, 2009 |publisher=Center for Ecosystem Management and Restoration, Oakland, CA.}}</ref>

===Sports===
Los Altos has a variety of youth-oriented sports organizations, programs, and after-school activities. Some examples include:
*The Mountain View Los Altos Soccer Club (MVLASC) has provided competitive soccer for the [[MVLA]] community since 1972. It is a member of the California Youth Soccer Association – North (Cal North Soccer) and plays in the Foothill Youth Soccer League. The club has won 14 State Championships and two National Championships.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 22, 2008 |title=Organization: About our club |url=http://www.mvlasc.org/Organization.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624170851/http://www.mvlasc.org/Organization.html |archive-date=June 24, 2008 |access-date=June 20, 2008 |publisher=MVLASC}}</ref>
*Los Altos–Mountain View Pony Baseball is for boys and girls aged 5 to 19. It is the largest youth baseball program in the [[San Francisco Bay Area]], and a chartered league of PONY Baseball, Inc.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 17, 2008 |title=About LA-MV PONY |url=http://www.lamvpb.org/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618033705/http://www.lamvpb.org/index.html |archive-date=June 18, 2008 |access-date=June 20, 2008 |publisher=LA-MV Pony Baseball}}</ref>

*West Valley [[Pop Warner Little Scholars|Pop Warner]] offers cheerleading and football programs to local youth.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 19, 2008 |title=About WVPW |url=http://www.wvpw.com/2005about.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705110156/http://www.wvpw.com/2005about.htm |archive-date=July 5, 2008 |access-date=June 20, 2008 |publisher=West Valley Pop Warner}}</ref>
*The El Camino [[YMCA]] Youth Basketball League teaches basic basketball skills and the YMCA's core values.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 16, 1998 |title=Youth Basketball League is a slam dunk for area kids |work=Los Altos Town Crier}}</ref>

==Media==
The ''Los Altos Town Crier'', a weekly, is the primary newspaper for the town, "serving the Hometown of Silicon Valley since 1947."<ref>
{{Cite news |title=Los Altos Town Crier<!-- Bot generated title --> |url=http://www.losaltosonline.com/ |access-date=November 14, 2012 |work=Los Altos Town Crier}}</ref> The ''[[San Jose Mercury News]]'' is the primary daily newspaper serving the town, delivering a Peninsula Section to Los Altans and locations north in lieu of the Local section delivered to those in San Jose and other communities closer to San Jose.[[File:Los Altos Main Street 2.jpg|thumb|An intersection in downtown Los Altos, with features like tree-lined sidewalks, diagonal parking, small shops, and banners advertising community events]]

== Notable people==
{{See also|Category:People from Los Altos, California}}

*[[Allan Bakke]], student who challenged the practice of affirmative action in the 1978 landmark Supreme Court decision ''[[Regents of the University of California v. Bakke]]''
*[[Sergey Brin]], co-founder of [[Google]]
*[[The Chocolate Watchband]], garage-rock band formed in 1965
*[[Jon M. Chu]], director, producer and screenwriter. Director of 2018's ''[[Crazy Rich Asians (film)|Crazy Rich Asians]]''
*[[Alan Cranston]], former United States Senator from California, Senate Majority Whip, Senate Minority Whip, Controller of California, and member of the [[Keating Five]]
*[[Bjarne Dahl]] (1897–1989), mid-century architect active in Honolulu, Hawaii
*[[Jerry P. Eaton]], American geologist, died in Los Altos
*[[Lorrie Fair]], retired soccer player
*[[Dennis "Thresh" Fong]], businessman and professional gamer of the [[Quake (series)|''Quake'' series]]
*[[Fuslie|Leslie Fu]], [[YouTube]] streamer
*[[Charles Geschke]], co-founder of [[Adobe Systems]]
*[[Jesse Root Grant (politician)|Jesse Grant]], son of the 18th President of the United States, [[Ulysses S. Grant]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Los Altos Hills Historical Society |url=https://www.losaltoshillshistory.org/Resources/JesseGrant/part2.html |website=www.losaltoshillshistory.org}}</ref>
*[[Andrew Grove]], co-founder and former CEO of [[Intel]]
*[[John Lee Hooker]], world-renowned blues guitarist, died at his home in Los Altos on June 21, 2001.<ref>[http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/79345/bluesman-john-lee-hooker-dies Bluesman John Lee Hooker dies. ''Billboard.com'']</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Pareles |first=Jon |date=June 22, 2001 |title=John Lee Hooker, Bluesman, Is Dead at 83 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/22/nyregion/john-lee-hooker-bluesman-is-dead-at-83.html |access-date=February 10, 2019 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
*[[Juli Inkster]], LPGA golfer
*[[Steve Jobs]], co-founder of [[Apple Inc.]]
*[[Andrew L. Lewis (admiral)|Andrew L. Lewis]], US Navy Vice-Admiral and Commander, [[United States Second Fleet]]
*[[Janet Lewis]], author and poet, died at her home in Los Altos at the age of 99 on December 1, 1998.
* [[Jack Melchor]], venture capitalist
*[[William E. Moerner]], 2014 recipient of the [[Nobel Prize in Chemistry]]
*[[Robert Noyce]], co-founder of [[Fairchild Semiconductor]] and [[Intel|Intel Corporation]]
*[[Sundar Pichai]], Chief Executive Officer of [[Google]].
*[[Michele Raffin]], writer and founder of Pandemonium Aviaries
*[[Mary G. Ross]], the first [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] female engineer
*[[Oliver P. Smith|General Oliver P. Smith]], served as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and Commanding General of the 1st Marine Division during the Inchon Landings and Chosin Reservoir Campaign of the Korean War.
*[[Shirley Temple]], famous actress and child actress
*[[Alejandro Toledo]], 63rd President of Peru<ref>{{Cite web |last=Winslow |first=Megan V. |date=March 20, 2019 |title=Former Peru president – a Los Altos resident – arrested after 'drunk' spectacle |url=https://www.losaltosonline.com/news/sections/news/200-police-fire/59708-former-peru-president-a-los-altos-resident-arrested-after-drunk-spectacle |access-date=July 24, 2019 |website=Los Altos Town Crier |language=en-gb}}</ref>
*[[John Edward Walker]], California Impressionist painter, lived in Los Altos in the 1920s.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Cannon |first=Jennie Vennerström |url=http://www.tfaoi.com/cm/10cm/10cm125.pdf |title=Jennie V. Cannon: The Untold History of the Carmel and Berkeley Art Colonies |last2=Edwards |first2=Robert W. |publisher=East Bay Heritage Project |year=2012 |volume=1 |location=Oakland, CA |pages=654–655 |access-date=July 12, 2020}}</ref>
*[[John Warnock]], co-founder of [[Adobe Systems]]
*[[Yvor Winters]], California poet, 34-year resident from 1934.
*[[Ed Zschau]], former congressman for California's [[California's 12th congressional district|12th]] district

==Sister cities==
Los Altos had four [[sister cities]], as designated by [[Sister Cities International]]:
*[[Image:Flag of Australia.svg|20px]] [[Bendigo, Victoria|Bendigo]], Australia
*[[Image:Flag of Russia.svg|20px]] [[Syktyvkar]], Russia
*[[Image:Flag of the Republic of China.svg|20px]] [[Shilin District|Shilin]], Taiwan
*{{Flag icon|GBR}} [[Rustington]], England
The program was run by the non-profit Los Altos Sister Cities, Inc., founded in 1988. That organization later decided to cease its participation and is now dissolved.{{When|date=March 2018}} Los Altos no longer participates in the sister cities program.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Secretary of State |url=https://businessfilings.sos.ca.gov/ |access-date=March 21, 2017 |website=businessfilings.sos.ca.gov}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Los Altos}}
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}

{{Los Altos, California}}
{{Santa Clara County}}
{{Silicon Valley}}
{{San Jose and Silicon Valley attractions|nocat=1}}
{{SF Bay Area}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Los Altos, California| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Santa Clara County, California|Los Altos]]
[[Category:Silicon Valley|Los Altos]]
[[Category:1952 establishments in California|Los Altos]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1952]]
[[Category:Cities in the San Francisco Bay Area|Los Altos]]
[[Category:Incorporated cities and towns in California|Los Altos]]