A mix of old and new.
City Limits
A unique mixture of old and new, Palo Alto is known as the “Birthplace of Silicon Valley,” a worldwide leader in tech innovation. With highly educated, politically aware, and culturally sophisticated residents, Palo Alto is a cosmopolitan community with small town charm.
Palo Alto is home to 67,000 people and a whopping 36 city-owned parks. Its proximity to the San Francisco Bay and coastal foothills offer an opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of wildlife in a natural habitat. The city offers residents and businesses a diverse and exciting environment, which is probably why Palo Alto is one of the five most expensive cities in the United States!
Palo Alto By the Numbers
Population: 67,082
Median age: 41.8
Median household income: $147,537
Median 2-bedroom home value: $3.62M
The Stanford Connection
Palo Alto was established by American industrialist Leland Stanford Sr. when he founded Stanford University, dedicated to his late son Leland Stanford Jr. The new community was initially called University Park but was incorporated in 1894 with the name Palo Alto.
#TechLife
Many of Silicon Valley’s most prominent technology companies make their headquarters in Palo Alto, including Hewlett-Packard, VMWare, and Xerox. The city has also served as an incubator to future tech giants such as Apple, Google, Facebook, Logitech, Intuit, Pinterest, and PayPal.
Where to go: Geek’s Choice
The HP Garage – Tucked away behind an unassuming home on a quiet, tree-lined residential street near Stanford stands a humble 12x18-foot garage where college friends Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard built their first computer and sparked the dream of Silicon Valley. Now, it’s a historic landmark you can visit with the whole family! Learn more and pay a visit to 367 Addison Ave.
Cantor Arts Center @ Stanford – Founded when the university opened in 1891, the Cantor’s collections span 5,000 years and include more than 38,000 works of art from around the globe. With 24 galleries and more than 15 special exhibitions each year, the Cantor offers free admission, tours, lectures, and family activities.
On display now is the Last Spike, the ceremonial 17.6-karat gold final spike driven by Leland Stanford to join the rails of the First Transcontinental Railroad across the United States in 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah.
WHERE TO EAT, DRINK, & HANG: CHIC’S Choice
Bird Dog – A menu of simple food influenced by Northern California, Japan, and elsewhere, Bird Dog offers a “multi-cultural pile-up” with a contemporary approach.
Maum – Maum opened in June 2017 as a private dining club aimed at helping the community of Palo Alto to discover Korean culture through contemporary cuisine.
Blue Bottle Coffee – After a brief stint as a bookstore, the Varsity Theatre in Downtown Palo Alto was recently revitalized and is now home to a Bay Area craft coffee legend.
