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Atherton, California

Atherton (/ˈæθərtən/) is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States. Its population was 7,188 as of 2020.

Atherton, California
Town of Atherton
Holbrook-Palmer Park
Location of Atherton in San Mateo County, California
Atherton
Location in the United States
Atherton
Atherton (the United States)
Coordinates: 37°27′31″N 122°12′0″W / 37.45861°N 122.20000°W / 37.45861; -122.20000Coordinates: 37°27′31″N 122°12′0″W / 37.45861°N 122.20000°W / 37.45861; -122.20000[1]
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountySan Mateo
IncorporatedSeptember 12, 1923[2]
Named forFaxon Dean Atherton[2]
Government
 • City council[5]
  • Mayor Rick DeGolia
  • Vice Mayor Bill Widmer
  • Elizabeth Lewis
  • Robert Polito
  • Diana Hawkins Manuelian
 • AssemblymemberAlex Lee (D) (24th)[3]
 • State SenatorJosh Becker (D) (13th)[3]
 • U.S. Rep.Zoe Lofgren (D) (18th)[4]
Area
 • Total5.05 sq mi (13.07 km2)
 • Land5.02 sq mi (12.99 km2)
 • Water0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)  0.63%
Elevation59 ft (18 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total7,193
 • Density1,433.01/sq mi (553.28/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Code[7]
94027
Area code[8]650
FIPS code06-03092
GNIS feature IDs1657960, 2411651
Websitewww.ci.atherton.ca.us

Atherton is known for its wealth; in 1990 and 2019,[9] Atherton was ranked as having the highest per capita income among U.S. towns with a population between 2,500 and 9,999,[10] and it is regularly ranked as the most expensive ZIP Code in the United States.[11][12][13] [14]

The town has very restrictive zoning, only permitting one single-family home per acre and no sidewalks.[15] This policy that prohibits homes from being on less than an acre attempts to keep the town wealthy and exclusive, resulting in the average home price of over 7.5 million.[16] Additionally, the inhabitants have strongly opposed proposals to permit more housing construction.[15] Due to the passage of SB 9 in 2022, these aforementioned zoning restrictions that limit how many units can be built on a property are nullified.[17]

The locality engaged in multi-year lawsuits delaying the electrification of Caltrain, which serves cities in the San Francisco Peninsula and Silicon Valley.

The city is also 72.9% White (non Hispanic),[18] and is one of the least diverse cities in Silicon Valley.

History

The entire area was originally part of the Rancho de las Pulgas.

 
Californio politician José Darío Argüello; owner of Rancho de las Pulgas from 1795.

During the 1860s, Atherton was known as Fair Oaks. In 1923, it was decided to rename the town in honor of Faxon Dean Atherton, a former 19th century landowner on the south peninsula.[19]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.0 square miles (13 km2), of which, 5.0 square miles (13 km2) of it is land and 0.03 square miles (0.078 km2) of it (0.63%) is water.

Atherton lies two miles (3.2 km) southeast of Redwood City, and 18 miles (29 km) northwest of San Jose. The town is considered to be part of the San Francisco metropolitan area.

The town had a Caltrain station which permanently closed in December 2020.[20]

Local Politics

Atherton is the wealthiest city in the United States.[21][10] According to the San Francisco Chronicle, "the town’s ascendance stems largely from its single-family zoning, 1-acre-minimum lot sizes, flat land, streamlined permits and changing buyer demographics — which have translated into soaring house sizes and skyrocketing prices."[22] There is no commercial zoning in the town, thus there are no restaurants, shops or grocery stores.[23] There are no sidewalks in Atherton, only road lanes.[24]

In 2022, the town blocked a proposal to build 131 multifamily housing units in the town amid strong criticism by locals.[25] Housing advocates have criticized Atherton as being a NIMBY town.[23][25] In 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom singled out Atherton in a speech for its restrictive housing policies.[26]

The town has been involved in lawsuits to block and delay high-speed rail in California.[27][28] The train station in Atherton was closed down in 2020.[29]

Atherton's current land use goal is "To preserve the Town's character as a scenic, rural, thickly wooded residential area with abundant open space."[30]

In the California State Legislature, Atherton is in the 13th Senate District, represented by Democrat Josh Becker, and in the 24th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Alex Lee.[31] In the United States House of Representatives, Atherton is in California's 18th congressional district, represented by Democrat Zoe Lofgren.[32]

The city is served by the Atherton Public Library of the San Mateo County Libraries, a member of the Peninsula Library System.

Lawsuit against the electrification of Caltrain

Atherton was an early and vocal opponent of electrification of the U.S. commuter railroad Caltrain, which serves cities in the San Francisco Peninsula and Silicon Valley. Residents opposed electrification and the proposed high-speed rail route because the overhead electrical lines would require tree removal and the town could potentially be divided in two by permanently closing the two grade crossings at Fair Oaks Lane and Watkins Avenue.[33]

In February 2015, shortly after the project received environmental clearance from the state, Atherton sued Caltrain, alleging the agency's environmental impact review was inadequate and that its collaboration with the CHSRA should be further vetted.[34] In July 2015, the suit proceeded after Caltrain's request to the Surface Transportation Board to exempt it from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines was denied. Atherton reiterated its opposition to electrification on the basis that overhead wires would require removing a significant number of heritage trees, and city representatives asserted that "newer, cleaner, more efficient diesel trains" should supplant plans for "century-old catenary electrical line technology". Atherton mayor Rick De Golia was quoted as saying "Caltrain is locked into an old technology and 20th century thinking".[35] After Caltrain issued infrastructure and rolling stock contracts in July 2016, Atherton representatives did not file a temporary restraining order to halt those contracts, preferring to let the suit proceed to a hearing.[36] In September 2016, Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Barry Goode sided with Caltrain, ruling that the electrification project did not hinge on the high-speed rail project's success, and was thus independent from the latter.[37][38]

Atherton sued CHSRA again in December 2016, stating that using bond money intended for high-speed rail for CalMod was a material change in usage and therefore was unconstitutional because such a change would require voter approval first.[39] In response, the California Legislature allowed the funding to be redirected by passing Assembly Bill No. 1889, which had been championed by Assemblymember Kevin Mullin in 2015.[40] Mullin noted "this entire Caltrain corridor is the epicenter of the innovation economy and it's a job creation and economic engine. This electrification project, I would argue, is monumental with regard to dealing with [increased traffic and environmental impacts] effectively and efficiently."[39]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
19301,324
19401,90844.1%
19503,63090.3%
19607,717112.6%
19708,0854.8%
19807,797−3.6%
19907,163−8.1%
20007,1940.4%
20106,914−3.9%
20207,1884.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[41]

2000

At the 2000 census there were 7,194 people in 2,413 households, including 1,984 families, in the town. The population density was 1,467.6 inhabitants per square mile (566.6/km2). There were 2,505 housing units at an average density of 511.0 per square mile (197.3/km2).[42] Of the 2,413 households 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.6% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 12.8% of households were one person and 7.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.06.

The age distribution was 23.7% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 18.7% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% 65 or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 90.2 men.

The median income for a household in the town was in excess of $200,000, as is the median family income. Males had a median income of over $100,000 versus $68,393 for females. The per capita income for the town was $112,408. About 0.8% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.6% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.

2010

At the 2010 census Atherton had a population of 6,914. The population density was 1,369.5 inhabitants per square mile (528.8/km2). The racial makeup of Atherton was 5,565 (80.5%) White, 75 (1.1%) African American, 7 (0.1%) Native American, 911 (13.2%) Asian, 45 (0.7%) Pacific Islander, 95 (1.4%) from other races, and 216 (3.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 268 people (3.9%).[43]

The census reported that 6,529 people (94.4% of the population) lived in households, 385 (5.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 2,330 households, 787 (33.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,755 (75.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 109 (4.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 48 (2.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 34 (1.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 15 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 321 households (13.8%) were one person and 178 (7.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.80. There were 1,912 families (82.1% of households); the average family size was 3.03.

The age distribution was 1,543 people (22.3%) under the age of 18, 579 people (8.4%) aged 18 to 24, 966 people (14.0%) aged 25 to 44, 2,264 people (32.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,562 people (22.6%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 48.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.6 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 95.3 men.

The median household income was in excess of $250,000, the highest of any place in the United States.[44] The per capita income for the town was $128,816. About 2.9% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

There were 2,530 housing units at an average density of 501.1 per square mile, of the occupied units 2,116 (90.8%) were owner-occupied and 214 (9.2%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.9%. 5,921 people (85.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 608 people (8.8%) lived in rental housing units.

Forbes ranked Atherton as second on its list of America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes in 2010, listing median house price as over $2,000,000.[45]

2020

At the 2020 census Atherton had a population of 7,193 and 2,252 households, the homeowner vacancy rate was 0%. The population density was 1,424.3 inhabitants per square mile (549.9/km2).

There was an average 2.94 people per household, 89.2% of homes were owner occupied and 10.8% were renter occupied. The racial makeup of Atherton was 5,403 (75%) White, 1,655 (23%) Asian, 124 (1.7%) African American, 18 (0.3%) Native American, 107 (1.5%) Pacific Islander, 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 540 (7.5%) people.
The median age was 49. For every 100 females there were 100.1 men.

The age distribution was 1,472 people (20.5%) under the age of 18, 862 people (5.6%) aged aged 18 to 24, 932 people (12.9%) aged 25 to 44, 2,123 (29.5%) aged 45-64 and 1,813 people (25.2%) over the age of 65.

Median income for a household was over $250,000. Males had a median income $102,192 versus $53,882 for females. About 1.1% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.5% of those under the age of 18 and 1.1% of those 65 years or over. [46][47]

Property Shark ranked first Atherton for the fourth year in a row as the most expensive ZIP code in the United States in 2022 with the median home price at $7,900,000. [48][49]

Political Party Registration

According to the California Secretary of State, as of March 11, 2022, Atherton has 5,063 registered voters. Of those, 2,192 (43.2%) are registered Democrats, 1,247 (24.6%) are registered Republicans and 1,317 (26%) have declined to state a political party.[50]

Education

Among Atherton's public schools, Encinal, Las Lomitas, and Laurel are elementary schools, while Selby Lane is both an elementary and a middle school. Menlo-Atherton is a high school. Atherton does not have its own public school system. Selby Lane is part of the Redwood City School District, the high school is part of the Sequoia Union High School District, Las Lomitas Elementary School is part of the Las Lomitas Elementary School District, and both Encinal and Laurel are part of the Menlo Park City School District.

Among the town's private schools, Sacred Heart is an elementary, middle and high school, and Menlo School is a middle and high school.

Menlo College is a private four-year college.

Culture and points of interest

There are a number of active community organizations: the Atherton Heritage Association, the Atherton Arts Committee, the Atherton Tree Committee, the Friends of the Atherton Community Library, the Holbrook-Palmer Park Foundation, the Atherton Dames, the Police Task Force, and the Atherton Civic Interest League. There are also home owners' associations in various neighborhoods. The Menlo Circus Club is a private club with tennis, swimming, stables and a riding ring located within the town.

There are also several tracts of contemporary Eichler homes, most notably in the Lindenwood neighborhood in the northeast part of the town.[51]

The Holbrook-Palmer Estate, was once an active rural estate and gentleman's farm.[52] The Holbrook-Palmer Estate was donated to the city of Atherton in 1958 and now serves as a 22-acre public park and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for the architecture.[52]

Notable people

See also

References

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External links

  • Official website  

atherton, california, atherton, incorporated, town, mateo, county, california, united, states, population, 2020, towntown, athertonholbrook, palmer, parkseallocation, atherton, mateo, county, californiaathertonlocation, united, statesshow, californiaathertonat. Atherton ˈ ae 8 e r t e n is an incorporated town in San Mateo County California United States Its population was 7 188 as of 2020 Atherton CaliforniaTownTown of AthertonHolbrook Palmer ParkSealLocation of Atherton in San Mateo County CaliforniaAthertonLocation in the United StatesShow map of CaliforniaAthertonAtherton the United States Show map of the United StatesCoordinates 37 27 31 N 122 12 0 W 37 45861 N 122 20000 W 37 45861 122 20000 Coordinates 37 27 31 N 122 12 0 W 37 45861 N 122 20000 W 37 45861 122 20000 1 CountryUnited StatesStateCaliforniaCountySan MateoIncorporatedSeptember 12 1923 2 Named forFaxon Dean Atherton 2 Government City council 5 Mayor Rick DeGolia Vice Mayor Bill Widmer Elizabeth Lewis Robert Polito Diana Hawkins Manuelian AssemblymemberAlex Lee D 24th 3 State SenatorJosh Becker D 13th 3 U S Rep Zoe Lofgren D 18th 4 Area 6 Total5 05 sq mi 13 07 km2 Land5 02 sq mi 12 99 km2 Water0 03 sq mi 0 08 km2 0 63 Elevation 1 59 ft 18 m Population 2020 Total7 193 Density1 433 01 sq mi 553 28 km2 Time zoneUTC 8 Pacific Summer DST UTC 7 PDT ZIP Code 7 94027Area code 8 650FIPS code06 03092GNIS feature IDs1657960 2411651Websitewww wbr ci wbr atherton wbr ca wbr usAtherton is known for its wealth in 1990 and 2019 9 Atherton was ranked as having the highest per capita income among U S towns with a population between 2 500 and 9 999 10 and it is regularly ranked as the most expensive ZIP Code in the United States 11 12 13 14 The town has very restrictive zoning only permitting one single family home per acre and no sidewalks 15 This policy that prohibits homes from being on less than an acre attempts to keep the town wealthy and exclusive resulting in the average home price of over 7 5 million 16 Additionally the inhabitants have strongly opposed proposals to permit more housing construction 15 Due to the passage of SB 9 in 2022 these aforementioned zoning restrictions that limit how many units can be built on a property are nullified 17 The locality engaged in multi year lawsuits delaying the electrification of Caltrain which serves cities in the San Francisco Peninsula and Silicon Valley The city is also 72 9 White non Hispanic 18 and is one of the least diverse cities in Silicon Valley Contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Local Politics 3 1 Lawsuit against the electrification of Caltrain 4 Demographics 4 1 2000 4 2 2010 4 3 2020 5 Political Party Registration 6 Education 7 Culture and points of interest 8 Notable people 9 See also 10 References 11 External linksHistory EditThe entire area was originally part of the Rancho de las Pulgas Californio politician Jose Dario Arguello owner of Rancho de las Pulgas from 1795 During the 1860s Atherton was known as Fair Oaks In 1923 it was decided to rename the town in honor of Faxon Dean Atherton a former 19th century landowner on the south peninsula 19 Geography EditAccording to the United States Census Bureau the town has a total area of 5 0 square miles 13 km2 of which 5 0 square miles 13 km2 of it is land and 0 03 square miles 0 078 km2 of it 0 63 is water Atherton lies two miles 3 2 km southeast of Redwood City and 18 miles 29 km northwest of San Jose The town is considered to be part of the San Francisco metropolitan area The town had a Caltrain station which permanently closed in December 2020 20 Local Politics EditAtherton is the wealthiest city in the United States 21 10 According to the San Francisco Chronicle the town s ascendance stems largely from its single family zoning 1 acre minimum lot sizes flat land streamlined permits and changing buyer demographics which have translated into soaring house sizes and skyrocketing prices 22 There is no commercial zoning in the town thus there are no restaurants shops or grocery stores 23 There are no sidewalks in Atherton only road lanes 24 In 2022 the town blocked a proposal to build 131 multifamily housing units in the town amid strong criticism by locals 25 Housing advocates have criticized Atherton as being a NIMBY town 23 25 In 2022 California Governor Gavin Newsom singled out Atherton in a speech for its restrictive housing policies 26 The town has been involved in lawsuits to block and delay high speed rail in California 27 28 The train station in Atherton was closed down in 2020 29 Atherton s current land use goal is To preserve the Town s character as a scenic rural thickly wooded residential area with abundant open space 30 In the California State Legislature Atherton is in the 13th Senate District represented by Democrat Josh Becker and in the 24th Assembly District represented by Democrat Alex Lee 31 In the United States House of Representatives Atherton is in California s 18th congressional district represented by Democrat Zoe Lofgren 32 The city is served by the Atherton Public Library of the San Mateo County Libraries a member of the Peninsula Library System Lawsuit against the electrification of Caltrain Edit Atherton was an early and vocal opponent of electrification of the U S commuter railroad Caltrain which serves cities in the San Francisco Peninsula and Silicon Valley Residents opposed electrification and the proposed high speed rail route because the overhead electrical lines would require tree removal and the town could potentially be divided in two by permanently closing the two grade crossings at Fair Oaks Lane and Watkins Avenue 33 In February 2015 shortly after the project received environmental clearance from the state Atherton sued Caltrain alleging the agency s environmental impact review was inadequate and that its collaboration with the CHSRA should be further vetted 34 In July 2015 the suit proceeded after Caltrain s request to the Surface Transportation Board to exempt it from California Environmental Quality Act CEQA guidelines was denied Atherton reiterated its opposition to electrification on the basis that overhead wires would require removing a significant number of heritage trees and city representatives asserted that newer cleaner more efficient diesel trains should supplant plans for century old catenary electrical line technology Atherton mayor Rick De Golia was quoted as saying Caltrain is locked into an old technology and 20th century thinking 35 After Caltrain issued infrastructure and rolling stock contracts in July 2016 Atherton representatives did not file a temporary restraining order to halt those contracts preferring to let the suit proceed to a hearing 36 In September 2016 Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Barry Goode sided with Caltrain ruling that the electrification project did not hinge on the high speed rail project s success and was thus independent from the latter 37 38 Atherton sued CHSRA again in December 2016 stating that using bond money intended for high speed rail for CalMod was a material change in usage and therefore was unconstitutional because such a change would require voter approval first 39 In response the California Legislature allowed the funding to be redirected by passing Assembly Bill No 1889 which had been championed by Assemblymember Kevin Mullin in 2015 40 Mullin noted this entire Caltrain corridor is the epicenter of the innovation economy and it s a job creation and economic engine This electrification project I would argue is monumental with regard to dealing with increased traffic and environmental impacts effectively and efficiently 39 Demographics EditHistorical populationCensus Pop 19301 324 19401 90844 1 19503 63090 3 19607 717112 6 19708 0854 8 19807 797 3 6 19907 163 8 1 20007 1940 4 20106 914 3 9 20207 1884 0 U S Decennial Census 41 2000 Edit At the 2000 census there were 7 194 people in 2 413 households including 1 984 families in the town The population density was 1 467 6 inhabitants per square mile 566 6 km2 There were 2 505 housing units at an average density of 511 0 per square mile 197 3 km2 42 Of the 2 413 households 33 3 had children under the age of 18 living with them 75 6 were married couples living together 4 5 had a female householder with no husband present and 17 8 were non families 12 8 of households were one person and 7 5 were one person aged 65 or older The average household size was 2 85 and the average family size was 3 06 The age distribution was 23 7 under the age of 18 7 2 from 18 to 24 18 7 from 25 to 44 30 3 from 45 to 64 and 20 2 65 or older The median age was 45 years For every 100 females there were 93 6 males For every 100 women age 18 and over there were 90 2 men The median income for a household in the town was in excess of 200 000 as is the median family income Males had a median income of over 100 000 versus 68 393 for females The per capita income for the town was 112 408 About 0 8 of families and 1 7 of the population were below the poverty line including 0 6 of those under age 18 and 3 3 of those age 65 or over 2010 Edit At the 2010 census Atherton had a population of 6 914 The population density was 1 369 5 inhabitants per square mile 528 8 km2 The racial makeup of Atherton was 5 565 80 5 White 75 1 1 African American 7 0 1 Native American 911 13 2 Asian 45 0 7 Pacific Islander 95 1 4 from other races and 216 3 1 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 268 people 3 9 43 The census reported that 6 529 people 94 4 of the population lived in households 385 5 6 lived in non institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized There were 2 330 households 787 33 8 had children under the age of 18 living in them 1 755 75 3 were opposite sex married couples living together 109 4 7 had a female householder with no husband present 48 2 1 had a male householder with no wife present There were 34 1 5 unmarried opposite sex partnerships and 15 0 6 same sex married couples or partnerships 321 households 13 8 were one person and 178 7 6 had someone living alone who was 65 or older The average household size was 2 80 There were 1 912 families 82 1 of households the average family size was 3 03 The age distribution was 1 543 people 22 3 under the age of 18 579 people 8 4 aged 18 to 24 966 people 14 0 aged 25 to 44 2 264 people 32 7 aged 45 to 64 and 1 562 people 22 6 who were 65 or older The median age was 48 2 years For every 100 females there were 96 6 males For every 100 women age 18 and over there were 95 3 men The median household income was in excess of 250 000 the highest of any place in the United States 44 The per capita income for the town was 128 816 About 2 9 of families and 5 1 of the population were below the poverty line including 5 6 of those under age 18 and 5 4 of those age 65 or over There were 2 530 housing units at an average density of 501 1 per square mile of the occupied units 2 116 90 8 were owner occupied and 214 9 2 were rented The homeowner vacancy rate was 1 6 the rental vacancy rate was 3 9 5 921 people 85 6 of the population lived in owner occupied housing units and 608 people 8 8 lived in rental housing units Forbes ranked Atherton as second on its list of America s Most Expensive ZIP Codes in 2010 listing median house price as over 2 000 000 45 2020 Edit At the 2020 census Atherton had a population of 7 193 and 2 252 households the homeowner vacancy rate was 0 The population density was 1 424 3 inhabitants per square mile 549 9 km2 There was an average 2 94 people per household 89 2 of homes were owner occupied and 10 8 were renter occupied The racial makeup of Atherton was 5 403 75 White 1 655 23 Asian 124 1 7 African American 18 0 3 Native American 107 1 5 Pacific Islander 3 2 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 540 7 5 people The median age was 49 For every 100 females there were 100 1 men The age distribution was 1 472 people 20 5 under the age of 18 862 people 5 6 aged aged 18 to 24 932 people 12 9 aged 25 to 44 2 123 29 5 aged 45 64 and 1 813 people 25 2 over the age of 65 Median income for a household was over 250 000 Males had a median income 102 192 versus 53 882 for females About 1 1 of families and 2 6 of the population were below the poverty line including 0 5 of those under the age of 18 and 1 1 of those 65 years or over 46 47 Property Shark ranked first Atherton for the fourth year in a row as the most expensive ZIP code in the United States in 2022 with the median home price at 7 900 000 48 49 Political Party Registration EditAccording to the California Secretary of State as of March 11 2022 Atherton has 5 063 registered voters Of those 2 192 43 2 are registered Democrats 1 247 24 6 are registered Republicans and 1 317 26 have declined to state a political party 50 Education EditAmong Atherton s public schools Encinal Las Lomitas and Laurel are elementary schools while Selby Lane is both an elementary and a middle school Menlo Atherton is a high school Atherton does not have its own public school system Selby Lane is part of the Redwood City School District the high school is part of the Sequoia Union High School District Las Lomitas Elementary School is part of the Las Lomitas Elementary School District and both Encinal and Laurel are part of the Menlo Park City School District Among the town s private schools Sacred Heart is an elementary middle and high school and Menlo School is a middle and high school Menlo College is a private four year college Culture and points of interest EditThere are a number of active community organizations the Atherton Heritage Association the Atherton Arts Committee the Atherton Tree Committee the Friends of the Atherton Community Library the Holbrook Palmer Park Foundation the Atherton Dames the Police Task Force and the Atherton Civic Interest League There are also home owners associations in various neighborhoods The Menlo Circus Club is a private club with tennis swimming stables and a riding ring located within the town There are also several tracts of contemporary Eichler homes most notably in the Lindenwood neighborhood in the northeast part of the town 51 The Holbrook Palmer Estate was once an active rural estate and gentleman s farm 52 The Holbrook Palmer Estate was donated to the city of Atherton in 1958 and now serves as a 22 acre public park and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for the architecture 52 Notable people EditPaul Allen late Microsoft co founder 53 Marc Andreessen co founder of Netscape and general partner at Andreessen Horowitz 54 Mohamed Atalla Egyptian American engineer inventor of MOSFET transistor founder of Atalla Corporation Gertrude Atherton American author Faxon Atherton namesake of Atherton California CiCi Bellis tennis player Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac 55 Nick Clegg Meta Platforms executive and former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and his wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez a lawyer 56 Ty Cobb Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player Stephen Curry and Ayesha Curry NBA star and his family moved to Atherton when the Golden State Warriors moved to San Francisco in 2019 Timothy C Draper venture capitalist and founder of Draper Fisher Jurvetson 57 Clay Dreslough game designer raised in Atherton Douglas Engelbart computer engineer Drew Fuller actor known for role on Charmed and Army Wives Bill Gurley venture capitalist general partner at Benchmark 58 Elizabeth Holmes former biotechnology entrepreneur convicted of fraud 59 Ben Horowitz co founder of Andreessen Horowitz 60 Ron Johnson former senior executive at Apple Guy Kawasaki venture capitalist Bobbie Kelsey Stanford University women s basketball assistant coach Andy Kessler author of books on business technology and the health field Jan Koum co founder of WhatsApp Charlie Kubal music producer created 2010 s Mashup Album of the Year the notorious xx grew up in Atherton Douglas Leone born 1957 billionaire venture capitalist 61 Andy W Mattes CEO of Diebold 62 Willie Mays Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player 63 Rajeev Motwani professor computer science Stanford University 64 Farzad Nazem former chief technology officer of Yahoo and one of its longest serving executives now an angel investor Chamath Palihapitiya CEO of Social Capital and board member of the Golden State Warriors J B Pritzker Governor of Illinois and co founder of the Pritzker Group Tom Proulx co founder of Intuit 65 Vivek Ranadive chairman CEO and founder of TIBCO Software 66 Jerry Rice Hall of Fame football player 67 George R Roberts co founder of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts Ted Robinson San Francisco 49ers play by play announcer Maureen Kennedy Salaman author and proponent of alternative medicine Sheryl Sandberg former chief operating officer of Meta Platforms James R Scapa co founder chairman and CEO of Altair Engineering Eric Schmidt former executive chairman and CEO of Google 68 Charles R Schwab founder and CEO of the Charles Schwab Corporation 69 Shirley Temple child movie star and diplomat Y A Tittle 49ers amp Giants QB NFL HOFer resident until his death in 2017 Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead and Ratdog raised in Atherton 70 Steve Westly former State Controller of California major Democratic Party fundraiser and venture capitalist 71 Meg Whitman former president and CEO of Hewlett Packard former CEO of eBay 72 Dennis Woodside president of Impossible Foods former COO of Dropbox Quadeca YouTuber Rapper grew up in AthertonSee also EditPortals Geography United States California San Francisco Bay AreaReferences Edit a b Atherton Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Retrieved August 21 2009 a b Atherton History Town of Atherton April 27 2007 Archived from the original on September 12 2009 Retrieved August 21 2009 a b Statewide Database UC Regents Archived from the original on February 1 2015 Retrieved December 29 2014 California s 18th Congressional District Representatives amp District Map Civic Impulse LLC Retrieved March 13 2013 City Council Town of Atherton Retrieved December 29 2014 2020 U S Gazetteer Files United States Census Bureau Retrieved October 30 2021 USPS ZIP Code Lookup Search By City United States Postal Service Archived from the original on August 30 2009 Retrieved August 21 2009 NANP Administration System North American Numbering Plan Administration Archived from the original on September 22 2010 Retrieved August 21 2009 These Are the Wealthiest Towns in the U S Bloomberg Retrieved August 18 2018 a b Archive of 1990 CPH L 126 Median Family Income for Places with a Population of 2 500 to 9 999 Ranked Within the United States 1989 United States Census Bureau 1990 CPH L 126F html Original page Levy Francesca September 27 2010 America s Most Expensive ZIP Codes Forbes Brennan Morgan October 16 2013 America s Most Expensive Zip Codes In 2013 The Complete List Forbes Archived from the original on October 19 2013 Sharf Samantha December 8 2016 Full List America s Most Expensive ZIP Codes 2016 Forbes Retrieved August 24 2017 SFGATE Sam Moore November 22 2022 Bay Area town named most expensive ZIP code for 6th year SFGATE a b Griffith Erin August 12 2022 The Summer of NIMBY in Silicon Valley s Poshest Town The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved August 13 2022 Atherton CA Home Prices amp Home Values Zillow Retrieved October 16 2022 Swartz Angela Atherton SB 9 applications start to trickle in www almanacnews com U S Census Bureau QuickFacts Atherton town California www census gov Retrieved October 16 2022 History of Atherton California Proposed Closure of Atherton Caltrain Station www caltrain com Archived from the original on December 6 2020 Retrieved December 21 2020 Locke Taylor These are the top 10 richest places in America CNBC Retrieved November 23 2022 Pender Kathleen July 27 2019 Here s how Atherton became the Bay Area s most expensive city for housing by far San Francisco Chronicle Retrieved May 6 2022 a b Flexing their power how America s richest zip code stays exclusive the Guardian December 6 2020 Retrieved August 5 2022 Why are there no sidewalks in Atherton Menlo Park KALW February 12 2019 Retrieved August 5 2022 a b Demsas Jerusalem August 5 2022 The Billionaire s Dilemma The Atlantic Retrieved August 5 2022 Bay Area cities running out of time to convince the state they can build 441 000 new homes The Mercury News October 9 2022 Retrieved October 12 2022 Atherton Wealthy Will Still Maybe Try To Block High Speed Rail SFist SFist San Francisco News Restaurants Events amp Sports July 11 2016 Archived from the original on August 5 2022 Retrieved August 5 2022 Cabanatuan Michael February 10 2015 Atherton high speed rail foes sue to block electrifying Caltrain SFGATE Retrieved August 5 2022 Swartz Angela Atherton signs off on Caltrain proposal to permanently close its train station www almanacnews com Retrieved August 5 2022 Town of Atherton General Plan PDF Neal Martin amp Associates November 20 2002 pp LU 1 Archived from the original PDF on November 4 2009 Retrieved August 22 2009 Statewide Database UC Regents Archived from the original on February 1 2015 Retrieved November 23 2014 California s 18th Congressional District Representatives amp District Map Civic Impulse LLC Whiting Sam July 25 2004 End of an Era Caltrain s electrification plans threaten Atherton s railroad charm San Francisco Chronicle Retrieved March 25 2017 Cabanatuan Michael February 10 2015 Atherton high speed rail foes sue to block electrifying Caltrain San Francisco Chronicle Retrieved March 25 2017 Orr John July 8 2015 Atherton lawsuit against Caltrain over electrification project clears one hurdle San Jose Mercury News Retrieved March 31 2017 Orr John July 11 2016 Atherton won t seek temporary injunction in fight with Caltrain San Jose Mercury News Retrieved March 31 2017 Weigel Samantha September 27 2016 Judge gives Caltrain electrification green light Atherton loses lawsuit claims local project was too closely tied to high speed rail San Mateo Daily Journal Retrieved March 29 2017 Wood Barbara September 28 2016 Atherton loses lawsuit over Caltrain electrification project The Almanac Retrieved March 31 2017 a b Weigel Samantha December 15 2016 Caltrain supporters unfazed by high speed rail suit Officials believe bond sale electrification will stay on track despite new case San Mateo Daily Journal Retrieved March 31 2017 An act to add Section 2704 78 to the Streets and Highways Code relating to transportation California Office of Legislative Counsel September 28 2016 Census of Population and Housing Census gov Retrieved June 4 2015 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved 2008 01 31 2010 Census Interactive Population Search CA Atherton town U S Census Bureau Archived from the original on July 15 2014 Retrieved July 12 2014 Highest Income Per Household In The United States By City Archived from the original on June 27 2014 Retrieved November 2 2013 Levy Francesca September 27 2010 America s Most Expensive ZIP Codes Forbes QuickFacts Atherton town California United States Census Archived from the original on August 18 2022 Explore Census Data data census gov United States Census Retrieved November 23 2022 Richardson Brenda The 10 Most Expensive Zip Codes For Buying A Home Forbes Retrieved November 23 2022 Top 100 Most Expensive U S Zip Codes 2022 Shatters Last Year s Records with 14 Zip Codes Surpassing 4 Million Median PropertyShark Real Estate Blog November 15 2022 Retrieved November 23 2022 Report of Registration PDF California Secretary of State March 11 2022 Retrieved November 23 2022 Lindenwood Eichler Retrieved August 24 2017 a b National Register of Historic Places Registration Form PDF National Park Service United States Department of the Interior September 26 2016 Retrieved October 2 2020 Meisenzahl Mary A Microsoft cofounder s 35 million mansion in the most expensive town in the US just sold see inside Business Insider Retrieved February 21 2022 Robinson Melia We scouted the homes of the top tech executives and they all live in this San Francisco suburb for the 1 Business Insider Retrieved February 21 2022 Lindsay Buckingham with Special Guest Stevie Nicks Soundstage HD Ready LLC and WTTW 2005 Archived from the original on March 3 2009 Retrieved January 18 2009 Lumley Sarah January 26 2019 Nick Clegg swaps Putney townhouse for 7million California mansion ahead of new Facebook role Telegraph Retrieved February 9 2019 Palmeri Christopher Linda Himelstein November 6 2000 Tim Draper s Voucher Crusade BusinessWeek The McGraw Hill Companies Inc Archived from the original on September 22 2010 Retrieved June 25 2009 Swartz Angela November 6 2019 Atherton Uber drivers other contract workers protest outside of Uber investor s home Mountain View Voice Retrieved November 13 2019 Holmes and Balwani Created LLC to Buy 9 Million Silicon Valley House WSJ Retrieved February 21 2022 Helft Miguel February 27 2014 Silicon Valley s stealth power Fortune Retrieved August 20 2018 Forbes profile Douglas Leone Forbes Retrieved February 1 2018 Cho Janet H June 7 2013 New Diebold CEO Andy W Mattes plans to be direct and ask lots of questions as he steers the company back on track The Plain Dealer Cleveland Ohio Retrieved October 30 2016 He has also worked in China and Brazil and now lives in Atherton Calif Taylor Phil July 14 2008 Willie Mays Sports Illustrated Retrieved August 24 2017 AP Associated Press June 8 2009 Stanford computer prof Rajeev Motwani found dead SFGate Hearst Communications Inc Archived from the original on June 11 2009 Retrieved June 25 2009 Cortese Amy August 7 1997 My Jet Is Bigger Than Your Jet BusinessWeek The McGraw Hill Companies Inc Archived from the original on November 8 2009 Retrieved June 25 2009 The Buzz the week that was SFGate Hearst Communications Inc June 21 2009 pp K 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle Retrieved June 25 2009 The Associated Press June 6 2001 Jerry Rice becomes newest Oakland Raider The Berkeley Daily Planet Archived from the original on September 22 2010 Retrieved June 25 2009 Dolan Kerry A n d World s Billionaires List The Richest in 2021 Forbes Retrieved February 20 2022 58 Charles R Schwab The 400 Richest Americans Forbes 2009 Retrieved January 18 2009 McNally Dennis 2002 A Long Strange Trip The Inside History of the Grateful Dead New York Broadway Books ISBN 978 0 7679 1185 6 Google staffers quiz candidate Obama USA Today USA TODAY a division of Gannett Co Inc November 15 2007 Retrieved January 18 2009 The Ripon Profile Meg Whitman of California Former CEO of eBay Inc The Ripon Forum November December 2008 Retrieved April 23 2009 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Atherton California Official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Atherton California amp oldid 1130541149, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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