Referred to as the Birthplace of Silicon Valley and home to a leading research university, it’s no surprise that Palo Alto is considered one of the most educated zip codes in the country.

The allure of Stanford University and job opportunities at companies like Tesla, Hewlett-Packard and nearby Facebook have built a diverse, affluent population that attracts commuters on weekdays and curious visitors on weekends. Home to more than 7,000 businesses, this is the economic center of Silicon Valley.

This 26 square-mile city stretches from the San Francisco Bay to Skyline Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Its varied terrain offers a unique opportunity to be in the bustle of a busy downtown one minute and on a hiking trail the next.

The city’s historical and cultural identity is much entwined with its most famous landmark, Stanford University. The university opened its doors in 1891 and was in need of a college town to support it—so began the development of Palo Alto. As both university and city grew, it wasn’t long before the area was swarming with students, professors, entrepreneurs and commuters, much as it is today. One of the city ...’s most notable modern day residents is Mark Zuckerberg, founder of facebook, affluent population that attracts commuters on weekdays and curious visitors on weekends. Home to more than 7,000 businesses, this is the economic center of Silicon Valley. The allure of Stanford University and job opportunities at companies like Tesla, Hewlett Packard and nearby Facebook have built a diverse, affluent population that attracts commuters on weekdays and curious visitors on weekends. Home to more than 7,000 businesses, this is the economic center of Silicon Valley.Read more