Palo Alto is a charming mixture of old and new. The city’s tree-lined streets and historic buildings reflect its California heritage. Long associated with Stanford University, Palo Alto is recognized worldwide as a leader in cutting-edge technological development. This exciting mix of tradition and innovation makes Palo Alto an extraordinary place in which to live and work.
Palo Alto was founded more than 100 years ago and is named after a majestic 1,000-year-old coastal redwood tree along San Francisquito Creek where early Spanish explorers settled. Its blend of business and residential areas anchored by a vibrant downtown defines Palo Alto’s unique character.
Located 35 miles south of San Francisco and 14 miles north of San Jose, Palo Alto is accessible to both cities by car or commuter train as well as the major airports in each city. The Palo Alto stop is one of the most used in the CalTrain system linking San Francisco to San Jose.
Unique among California cities, Palo Alto is a full-service municipality that owns and operates its gas, electric, water, sewer, refuse and storm drainage services at very competitive rates for its customers. As befits the city known as “Birthplace of the Silicon Valley,” the City has developed a 31-mile dark fiber ring for ultra-fast Internet access.
Characteristic of Palo Alto is the care taken to protect open space and parkland. Palo Alto has a remarkable number of city-owned parks for its size (34 at last count) and nearly one-third of its 26 square miles is open space. Palo Alto’s proximity to the San Francisco Bay and natural environment offer the opportunity to enjoy bird and aquatic life in a natural habitat.