Though it's located in Cupertino today, Apple Inc was born in Los Altos in the garage of Steve Jobs’ parents. While it was an unassuming middle class town back then, today it's considerably more affluent -- though it still retains a quiet and laid back atmosphere. It's a family-oriented residential community that covers a large swath of land bordering Mountain View, Sunnyvale, and Cupertino.

While Downtown Los Altos has some interesting sights such as a typewriting store and some great eats to be had, there’s not a whole lot in the way of activities. There are plenty of parks to spend time with family and friends, but young people will struggle to find much to do (though you're not far from more exciting cities in the Valley).

Los Altos is often described as peaceful and sleepy. Commercial zones have been restricted to limited areas such as downtown, so apart from the commercial corridors it's thoroughly suburban and is a popular place for families and retirees.

Though there are a number of neighborhoods within Los Altos, it can really be broken down into two section: North and South. The feeling in North Los Altos can be best compared to Palo Alto, with upscale homes that cost well north of a million dollars with a medium home price of $2.7 million. South Los Altos borders Cupertino and retains its quiet suburban feel. The houses are less extravagant -- mostly smaller, older ranch-style homes -- and housing prices are significantly lower than in the North. There are plenty of apartments to choose from throughout town if you're not looking for a house.

Los Altos schools consistently place in California State’s highest test scores for K-12 many schools are recognized as California Distinguished Schools. 

A car is necessary to get around, although families will enjoy walkable access to the great public schools in Los Altos for their children.

Los Altos is bordered on the north by Mountain View, on the east by Sunnyvale and Cupertino, on the south by Los Altos Hills, and on the west by Palo Alto.