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. In 2013, Forbes ranked Los Altos Hills as the 2nd most expensive zip code in America with a median home price of $5.4 million. 

Strictly residential
The town has no commercial or industrial zones. 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's only retail commercial operation is the book store on the campus of Foothill College. The town also does not have a post office, telephone exchange, or library. Mail delivery and telephone service are provided from nearby Los Altos, so the town shares ZIP codes and telephone exchange numbers with Los Altos. Town residents desiring library services must visit county-operated libraries in nearby Los Altos or Cupertino.

The town's zoning regulations are among the strictest in California, requiring 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 ban on commercial zones was upheld by the California Court of Appeal (First District) in 1973.

In 2000, the largest house in Silicon Valley at that time was built in the town. Larger ones have since been built elsewhere. The building was officially assessed by the county government as having 18000 sqft of interior space. The home is actually considerably larger due to below ground area that is not part of the official assessment. In reality, it remains one of largest homes in the area. In 2011, Yuri Milner bought a house in Los Altos Hills for $100 million.

The town is also home to a convent of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. In 2002, seven profitable hospitals in the Catholic Healthcare West system formed their own system, the Daughters of Charity Health System, under the control of the Los Altos Hills convent.

Geography and environment
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.

Both the Altamont and Monte Vista Faults pass through the town.

As its name states, the town is located in a group of small hills.

Per capita water consumption in the town is higher than in the rest of the county due to the minimum lot size of 1 acre; however, water consumption per unit land area is lower than surrounding, more densely populated cities.

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
Los Altos Hills is the second most Republican city in heavily Democratic Santa Clara County. According to the California Secretary of State, as of October 22, 2012, Los Altos Hills has 5,766 registered voters. Of those, 2,024 (35.1%) are registered Democrats, 1,946 (33.8%) are registered Republicans, and 1,639 (28.4%) have declined to state a political party.

In the state legislature, Los Altos Hills is in, and in.

Federally, Los Altos Hills is in.

The Town of Los Altos Hills has a politically active citizenry and a five-member elected City Council. The Town has several volunteer committees reporting 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. Political issues that have been prominent in recent years include the return of public education to the Town, expansion of parks and recreation services, adding cell phone towers, the management and financing of a historic horse barn, and several environmental issues, including greater recycling of trash.

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

The Pinewood School Upper Campus is also located in Los Altos Hills. Pinewood is a private coeducational K-12 school. The Upper Campus includes grades 7-12.

K-12 grade students attend public schools in both the Palo Alto School District (serving the Northern part of Los Altos Hills) and Los Altos School District (serving the Southern part of Los Altos Hills). In 2008 the Los Altos School District reopened a public elementary (K-6) grade school in Los Altos Hills, called Gardner Bullis. Bullis Charter School, a K-8 public school located nearby in Los Altos, is also a popular choice for Los Altos Hills students. Ventana School is a more progressive but academic focused pre-school and elementary school modeled around the Reggio Emillia Philosophy is an alternate private choice for residents of Los Altos Hills too and is a feeder school for Stanford and Google pre-school kids.