Portola Valley is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States. The population was 4,462 at the 2000 census. It was named for Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portola, who led the first party of Europeans to explore the San Francisco Peninsula, in 1769.

Portola Valley is one of the top 20 wealthiest towns in the United States of America. Portola Valley has a Median household income of over $200,000+ a year.

Notable Citizens

Bill Lane, the first mayor and one of the founders of Portola Valley, also served as Ambassador to Japan and Australia for the US, and the publisher of Sunset Magazine. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20061218/ai_n16895396], [http://news-service.stanford.edu/pr/2005/pr-center-030205.html].

Operatic tenor Richard Crooks (1900-1972), longtime host of The Voice of Firestone on network radio, lived in Portola Valley for many years until his death. In later years, he sang with the choir at the local Presbyterian church.

Geography

Portola Valley is located at (37.375023, -122.218635) , on the eastern slope of the Peninsula Coastal Range of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Windy Hill Open Space Preserve is on the town's southwest side and the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve is on the north side of town. It is off Interstate 280, near Woodside, just west of Palo Alto and Los Altos and south of Menlo Park, and is in a mostly wooded area, with some open plains.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 9.2 square miles (23.7 km²), all land.

<gallery> Image:Sand hill road woodside portola valley in between storms.jpg|Top of Sand Hill Road, looking back towards Portola Valley and Woodside. April, 2006. Photo by Scott Caplener </gallery>

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,462 people, 1,700 households, and 1,268 families residing in the town. The population density was 487.5 people per square mile (188.3/km²). There were 1,772 housing units at an average density of 193.6/sq mi (74.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.92% White, 0.40% African American, 0.25% Native American, 3.99% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.96% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.34% of the population.

There were 1,700 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.2% were married couples living together, 4.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 3.2% from 18 to 24, 19.4% from 25 to 44, 33.4% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $158,217, and the median income for a family was $180,893. Males had a median income of over $100,000 versus $92,585 for females. The per capita income for the town was $99,621. About 1.4% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Schools

The Portola Valley School District has two public primary schools: Ormandale School (with grades K-3) and Corte Madera School (grades 4-8). Portola Valley is one of the few (perhaps only) school districts that has a school named after a race horse (Ormond).

Portola Valley is also home to a Roman Catholic Benedictine Order monastery and a private college-preparatory Roman Catholic boarding school, Woodside Priory School, with grades 6-12.

The nearest public secondary school is Woodside High School, located in neighboring Woodside. Many children attend other public and private institutions of higher learning across the area. These schools include and may not be limited to; Woodside Priory School, Menlo-Atherton High School, Saint Francis High School (Mountain View), Menlo School, Sacred Heart Preparatory (Atherton, California), and Crystal Springs Uplands School.

Politics

In the state legislature Portola Valley is located in the 8th Senate District, represented by Democrat Leland Yee, and in the 21st Assembly District, represented by Democrat Ira Ruskin. Federally, Portola Valley is located in California's 14th congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of D +18 and is represented by Democrat Anna Eshoo.