Los Altos Hills, California

Los Altos Hills is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 7,922 at the 2010 census. It is one of the wealthiest towns in the San Francisco Bay Area and in the country.

Two Los Altos Hills ZIP codes appeared on the 2014 Forbes list of America's most expensive ZIP codes, with 94022 ranked the 45th most expensive (with a median home price of $2,896,103) and 94024 ranked the 64th most expensive (with a median home price of $2,527,908).

Strictly residential
Los Altos Hills has a ban on commercial zones, which was upheld by the California Court of Appeal (First District) in 1973. The town's only retail commercial operation is the book store on the campus of Foothill College. The town does not have a post office or library, with mail delivery provided from nearby Los Altos.

The town's zoning regulations require a minimum lot size of one acre (4,000 m²), setbacks from the property boundary, and easements for public pathways. Landowners are limited to one primary dwelling per lot, which effectively bans multifamily housing; this ban and the minimum lot size were upheld as constitutional by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 1974.

The town government contracts with Santa Clara County for police and fire services, making it a so-called "contract city" under California law.

The town is home to a convent of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.

Geography
Los Altos Hills is located at 37.37139°N, -122.1375°W (37.371390, -122.137605).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 8.8 sqmi, all of it land.

The town is located in a group of small hills. Both the Altamont and Monte Vista Faults pass through the town.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Los Altos Hills had a population of 7,922. The population density was 900.0 people per square mile (347.5/km²). The racial makeup of Los Altos Hills was 5,417 (68.4%) White, 37 (0.5%) African American, 4 (0.1%) Native American, 2,109 (26.6%) Asian, 8 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 50 (0.6%) from other races, and 297 (3.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 213 persons (2.7%).

The Census reported that 99.3% of the population lived in households and 0.7% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters.

There were 2,829 households, out of which 949 (33.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,204 (77.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 114 (4.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 53 (1.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 53 (1.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 19 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 359 households (12.7%) were made up of individuals and 210 (7.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78. There were 2,371 families (83.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.02.

The population was spread out with 1,811 people (22.9%) under the age of 18, 342 people (4.3%) aged 18 to 24, 1,083 people (13.7%) aged 25 to 44, 2,848 people (36.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,838 people (23.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.2 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.

There were 3,001 housing units at an average density of 341.0 per square mile (131.6/km²), of which 2,582 (91.3%) were owner-occupied, and 247 (8.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.2%. 7,162 people (90.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 707 people (8.9%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,902 people, 2,740 households, and 2,339 families residing in the town. The population density was 917.2 people per square mile (353.9/km²). There were 2,816 housing units at an average density of 326.9 per square mile (126.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 74.94% White, 21.10% Asian, 0.59% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 2.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.15% of the population.

There were 2,740 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.0% were married couples living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.6% were non-families. 10.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 19.6% from 25 to 44, 35.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $173,570, and the median income for a family was $181,865. Males had a median income of $200,000+ versus $178,288 for females. The per capita income for the town was $92,840. About 1.2% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

In 2007, Los Altos Hills was ranked by CNN Money as having the 3rd highest median household income in the country.

In 2012, zip code 94022 in Los Altos Hills was ranked 7th in most expensive zip codes by Forbes.

Politics and government
The town of Los Altos Hills has a five-member elected city council. Several volunteer committees report to the city council, covering issues such as Open Space, Pathways, Environmental Initiatives, Education, Historical, Parks and Recreation, Community Relations Committee, Emergency Communications Committee, Environmental Design and Protection, Finance and Investment, Westwind Community Barn.

In the California State Legislature, Los Altos Hills is in and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Los Altos Hills is in.

Los Altos Hills has the second largest proportion of registered Republicans (after Monte Sereno) in heavily Democratic Santa Clara County, at 33% (vs. 35% Democrats) according to the California Secretary of State.

Education
Los Altos Hills is served by both the Palo Alto Unified School District (serving the northern part of the town) and the Los Altos School District (serving the southern part of the town). In 2008 the Los Altos School District reopened Gardner Bullis School, a public elementary (K-6) grade school in Los Altos Hills. Bullis Charter School, a K-8 public school located in nearby Los Altos, is a choice for Los Altos Hills students.

Ventana School is a private pre-school and elementary school modeled around the Reggio Emilia approach. Pinewood is a private coeducational K-12 school. The Pinewood School Upper Campus is also located in Los Altos Hills, serving students in grades 7-12.

Foothill College operated by the Foothill–De Anza Community College District is in the city. The college has the district's headquarters.