Menlo Park｜From Meta to Stanford — Why Silicon Valley Executives Choose to Live Here
- Marketing Alpha
- Jul 11
- 8 min read
Updated: Sep 5
Menlo Park Menlo Park is located in the heart of Silicon Valley and is an important center for global technology and venture capital. It is not only the headquarters of Facebook (now Meta), but also the gathering place of the famous Sand Hill Road. Many top venture capital companies are located here, and Silicon Valley giants such as Google and Amazon were born here.
Menlo Park is long and narrow, running from the 280 to 101 freeways in the east and west, and connected to the San Francisco Bay in the northeast. It has the Dumbarton Bridge and the Bedwell Bayfront Park, and is rich in ecological resources. The Santa Cruz Ave commercial street in the city center is lively and convenient, while the Allied Arts District and Sharon Heights community are quiet and livable, and are favored by families and executives.
Geographically, Menlo Park is located on the eastern edge of San Mateo County. The city is adjacent to the wealthy areas of Palo Alto and Atherton. Housing prices are among the highest in the Bay Area, and the overall atmosphere is low-key and high-end.
1. Education & School District Menlo Park City has four school districts:
1. Las Lomitas SD (A+)
Elementary School District, mainly covers the southwest corner of the city, near Atherton. Covers communities such as Sharon Heights/ Stanford Hills/ West Menlo Park in Menlo Park.
Schools available to Menlo Park residents:
1. Las Lomitas Elementary (A+)
It provides K-3 education, with excellent academic performance and strong faculty, especially in mathematics and language arts teaching, and has won the Niche A+ rating.
2. La Entrada middle (A+)
It provides education for 4-8 years and has won the California Gold Ribbon Award. The school offers a variety of extracurricular activities, including basketball, volleyball, track and field, and robotics. In addition, the school encourages students to participate in community service and cultivate their sense of social responsibility.
2. Menlo Park City SD (A)
Elementary School District is the main school district in Menlo Park. It is located in the city center, where major communities such as Menlo Park Downtown and Menlo Oaks are located.
Schools available to Menlo Park residents:
1. Oak Knoll Elementary (A)
Providing K-5 education. The school has excellent academic performance, using writing workshops and Math Expressions courses, focusing on the development of reading and math skills.
2. Laurel Elementary (A)
It provides K-5 education and has been awarded the title of National Blue Ribbon School. It provides balanced mathematics and language arts, and is equipped with a library, music, art, PE, Spanish immersion teaching and technology classrooms, focusing on project-based learning (PBL). Parents are highly involved, and there are rich parent-child activities and festival education.
3. Encinal Elementary (A)
It provides K-8 education with excellent academic performance and a low student-teacher ratio (16:1). Students can participate in the Spanish bilingual immersion program. The campus has a friendly atmosphere and organizes activities such as bicycle transportation to school and safety education, emphasizing students' independent learning ability.
4. Hillview Middle (A)
Providing education for grades 6-8. The school adopts the "college system" small group teaching, with diverse classrooms and courses, a school culture that emphasizes community belonging, rich social and emotional support, and a wide variety of after-school clubs and sports, providing students with an independent and exploratory middle school experience. 3. Sequoia Union HSD (A+)
The High School District, in addition to Menlo Park, also covers Atherton, Redwood city, Belmont and other cities.
Schools available to Menlo Park residents:
1. Menlo-Atherton High (A+)
Students living in Menlo Park mainly attend this high school. This is a national blue ribbon school that provides students with 24 rich college advanced courses (AP courses), covering a variety of fields from art history to American history. The AP exam pass rate is 77%, and most of its graduates are admitted to top universities such as Stanford, Harvard, and Caltech.
2. Tide Academy (A-)
TIDE Academy is a comprehensive public high school that focuses on project-based and technology-oriented learning. Some places are open to the entire school district. If the number of applicants exceeds the quota, admission will be determined by lottery. 4. Ravenswood City SD (D+)
Elementary School District mainly covers the eastern part of Menlo Park, Belle Haven and other communities. Due to its low score, I will not go into details here.
Note: The school district division must be based on the specific property address. The above information is for reference only. It is recommended to confirm the exact corresponding school with the school district official website or local government before purchasing a house.
2. Community Introduction Zipcode Map
94025 is the most common and widely used zip code in Menlo Park, and most real estate and school addresses are also located in this area.
Now that we have a general understanding of Menlo Park's school district divisions and location distribution, let's take a look at several major communities in the city.
Each community has a different living atmosphere, housing prices, and corresponding schools. By understanding the school resources and living characteristics by community, we can more clearly determine which area is most suitable for our own or our family's needs!
1. Sharon Heights
Sharon Heights is one of the most representative high-end communities in Menlo Park . It is located in the scenic hills in the west of Menlo Park and has a large plot of land, excellent educational resources and a strong sense of privacy.
The community is adjacent to Stanford University and Sand Hill Road. It not only has a pleasant environment, but is also famous for being home to many venture capital firms and high-tech executive families.
Community Highlights:
Large plots of single-family homes are the main type, with an average plot size of approximately 0.25 acres
Excellent school district: Las Lomitas SD (A+)
There are a large number of highly educated residents , and the median annual household income is as high as $172,483
Beautiful and livable environment: close to Sharon Park and Stanford Hills Park
The housing supply is scarce , with good value preservation potential and investment attractiveness 2. Stanford Hills
Stanford Hills is a small community of just 78 homes sandwiched between Sand Hill Road and Alpine Road, west of Sharon Heights.
Community Highlights:
Stanford Hills is a community built on leasehold land owned by Stanford University . Although the houses can be traded normally , the land ownership belongs to Stanford, and residents need to sign a long-term land lease with the school.
Excellent school district: Las Lomitas SD (A+)
Beautiful and livable environment: There are many natural parks around, such as Stanford Hills Park/Sharon Park, etc.
The housing supply is scarce , with only about 78 homes, making it an extremely private mini community in the Menlo Park area.
3. West Menlo Park
West Menlo Park, also known as University Heights, is geographically adjacent to Menlo Park and is often considered its extension, but it is actually directly managed by San Mateo County and does not belong to the municipal area of Menlo Park. However, we will discuss it here for easy comparison~
Community Highlights:
The community is denser , with smaller homes, typically around 6,000 square feet, and residents living close together.
Excellent school district:Las Lomitas SD (A+), possibly partly Menlo Park City SD (A)
Close to Caltrain station for easy commuting
West Menlo Park has very loose building regulations , allowing homeowners to build a double garage and a 2,700 sq ft house on a 6,000 sq ft plot of land . This is not possible in other communities under Menlo Park, so there are many new houses here.
4. Central Menlo Park
The most expensive community in Menlo Park ! The average house area is about 10,000 sq.ft., and some can even reach 0.5 acres. Some residential styles are similar to the high-end community of nearby Atherton.
Community Highlights:
Excellent school district: corresponding to Menlo Park City SD (A)
Beautiful and livable environment: The community is close to many parks and green spaces, such as Flood Park and Burgess Park
With a larger plot and a more spacious space layout, close to Atherton, the residential design and community style are more luxurious and private. Most of the residents are venture capitalists, lawyers, executives and other upper-middle-class professionals. 5. Downtown Menlo Park/ Allied Arts
Downtown and Allied Arts are located in the heart of downtown, offering convenient and vibrant living. Sometimes referred to as "Stanford Park," it is adjacent to the famous Stanford Shopping Mall, offering a wealth of shopping and entertainment options.
Community Highlights:
Excellent school district: corresponding to Menlo Park City SD (A)
Beautiful and livable environment: Compared with the busy city center, the Allied Arts community is more peaceful and suitable for people who like a quiet living environment
As it is located in the city center, there are abundant public transportation options and the Menlo Park Caltrain station is within easy walking distance, making it convenient for residents and office workers who do not often drive.
6. Menlo Oaks
Menlo Oaks is adjacent to the Menlo Park Downtown community. There are not many sidewalks, few street lights, and narrow streets, but they are lined with oak trees, eucalyptus trees, and evergreen trees, making it feel like walking on a boulevard at any time.
It should be noted that part of Menlo Oaks is unincorporated and directly under San Mateo County.
Community Highlights:
Excellent school district: It is adjacent to Menlo Park City SD (A) and there is also a famous private school, Peninsula School.
The community environment is quiet and suitable for residents who like natural atmosphere and historical culture
St. Patrick's Seminary & University, a historic Catholic seminary 7. The Willows
The Willows is also a triangle, between Willow Road and Highway 101. The Willow is close to Palo Alto and is also close to Facebook (Meta).
Community Highlights:
Excellent school district: corresponding to Menlo Park City SD (A)
House prices are relatively low, residential areas and plots are generally smaller, most of which are around 5,000 sq ft, and prices are more affordable
Close to Facebook (Meta), suitable for technology professionals and families, strong property value preservation potential, stable market demand
3. Housing data
Housing price data
Housing price trends:
In May 2025, the median sales price for a single-family home is approximately $3.6 million, up approximately 30% from December 2024.
House prices have shown significant fluctuations over the past year, but are still at a high level overall.
Due to its excellent location, proximity to technology companies and excellent school districts, Menlo Park's housing prices have remained high for a long time. In addition, due to its proximity to Stanford University, Menlo Park's rent is not cheap either, with studios generally costing around $3,000.
4. Population structure
In 2023, the population of Menlo Park is 32,800, with an average age of 38.5 years and a median household income of $206,588. Between 2022 and 2023, the population decreases from 33,324 to 32,775, a decrease of -1.65%, and the median household income increases from $198,273 to $206,588, an increase of 4.19%.
Compared to Palo Alto, Menlo Park's education level is still very high, but the academic pressure is relatively low, making it more suitable for families who seek a balance between life and study.
Compared to Atherton, Menlo Park is more down-to-earth, with a mature and safe community atmosphere. It is close to high-end wealthy areas while maintaining a diverse, inclusive, yet quiet and clean living environment.
5. Noise & Air Quality
Overall, Menlo Park is a relatively quiet city, with most residential areas being quiet and tree-lined. The air quality here is good all year round, and it is one of the cities with relatively clean air in the Bay Area.
Menlo Park combines excellent educational resources, a solid economic foundation and a pleasant community environment, making it an ideal choice for families pursuing a high quality of life. It has both a vibrant technology industry and a quiet and inclusive living atmosphere, allowing residents to find a perfect balance between work and life.
If you also desire to own a place in Menlo Park, want to know about the current scarce luxury housing resources in Menlo Park, or have any questions about buying a house in Menlo Park, please feel free to contact us to obtain exclusive Off-Market listings and customized home purchase plans!
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