Santa Cruz Mountains Town
Welcome to Los Gatos, a historic Silicon Valley town at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains, known for its walkable downtown, top-ranked schools, and miles of open space.
Los Gatos is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, set in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains on the southwestern edge of Silicon Valley. Its population was 33,529 in the 2020 census, and despite its location at the center of one of the world's most dynamic economies, the town retains the scale and character of a historic small town. The name, Spanish for "The Cats," dates to the Mexican-era land grants that once covered the area. The downtown is the heart of Los Gatos. Along North Santa Cruz Avenue and the surrounding blocks, Victorian-era commercial buildings and restored homes house independent shops, cafes, and restaurants, and the Forbes Mill annex, built in 1880, stands as a landmark of the town's flour-milling past. Los Gatos High School, dating to the 1920s, anchors the civic and architectural fabric. Two large fires in the town's early history shaped the rebuilding of the area east of Highway 17, and the town has since become known for careful historic preservation. Los Gatos sits directly beneath open space that defines its western boundary. El Sereno Open Space Preserve, Lexington Reservoir, and the Sierra Azul range rise above the town, while Los Gatos Creek runs through parks that follow the valley floor. The Los Gatos Creek Trail connects neighborhoods to Vasona Lake and beyond, and Castle Rock State Park and the Santa Cruz Mountains offer hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails within minutes. Education is a defining feature. The Los Gatos Union School District serves elementary and middle grades, the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District operates Los Gatos High School, and the mountain communities are served by the Loma Prieta district. With Highway 17 providing a direct route to Santa Cruz and Highway 85 and Interstate 280 linking the town to the rest of Silicon Valley, Los Gatos combines a small-town historic core, top-tier schools, and easy access to both coast and tech employment.
Los Gatos is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains on the southwestern edge of Silicon Valley. It borders Saratoga, Monte Sereno, Campbell, and San Jose.
Los Gatos is Spanish for 'The Cats.' The name dates to the area's Mexican-era land grants, and the town has embraced the name, which reflects its origins in what became the Santa Clara Valley.
Los Gatos is served by the Los Gatos Union School District for elementary and middle grades and the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District, which operates Los Gatos High School. Mountain-area students attend the Loma Prieta district.
Los Gatos sits adjacent to San Jose, with most Silicon Valley employers a short drive via Highway 85 and Interstate 280. Santa Cruz is roughly 20 miles away over Highway 17, and the Highway 17 Express bus links the town to San Jose's rail station.
Residents hike or ride in El Sereno Open Space Preserve, walk the Los Gatos Creek Trail to Vasona Lake, boat or fish at Lexington Reservoir, and explore Castle Rock State Park. The town's location at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains puts trails and open space minutes away.
City Guide
Los Gatos' housing stock is a mix of historic and custom-built homes set in mature, landscaped neighborhoods. Victorian-era and early-20th-century homes cluster near downtown and the Almond Grove district, while hillside neighborhoods feature larger custom estates with bay and mountain views. Mid-century ranchers and newer contemporary homes fill the valleys, and the surrounding unincorporated mountain communities offer wooded, larger-lot properties. The town's restricted geography — bounded by open space and hills — keeps supply limited, making Los Gatos one of the South Bay's most sought-after and established residential markets.
Los Gatos is organized around its historic downtown, with distinct neighborhoods fanning outward. The Almond Grove area near downtown holds some of the town's oldest Victorians, while the east side and the area toward Blossom Hill offer more family-oriented subdivisions. Hillside districts near El Sereno and along the mountains provide larger lots and views. Adjacent Monte Sereno, a separate small city, and the unincorporated mountain communities served by the Loma Prieta district extend the Los Gatos sphere. Saratoga, Campbell, and San Jose's Almaden Valley lie just across the town's borders.
Los Gatos offers a polished, small-town lifestyle with immediate access to the outdoors. Residents walk to the downtown's boutiques, restaurants, and coffee shops, gather at the weekly farmers' market, and attend concerts and events in the town's plazas. The Los Gatos Creek Trail brings cyclists and joggers through town, and weekend recreation means hiking El Sereno, boating at Vasona Lake, or driving over the hill to Santa Cruz. The culture is family- and community-centered, with highly involved schools and a strong arts and food scene — upscale yet relaxed compared with the larger Bay Area cities.
Los Gatos is known for its strong public schools. The Los Gatos Union School District serves elementary and middle grades, and the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District operates Los Gatos High School, a well-regarded campus dating to the 1920s. Mountain-area students attend the Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary district before feeding into the high school district. The town's schools consistently rank among the region's best and are a primary driver of its residential appeal, complemented by a number of respected private schools in the surrounding South Bay.
Los Gatos sits at the junction of Highway 17 and Highway 85, with Interstate 280 just to the north. Highway 17 climbs through the Santa Cruz Mountains to the coast, while Highway 85 and 280 provide fast routes across Silicon Valley to San Jose, Cupertino, and the Peninsula. The Highway 17 Express bus links Los Gatos to San Jose's Diridon Station, connecting to Caltrain and BART. Downtown is compact and walkable, and the Los Gatos Creek Trail offers an off-street cycling corridor, though most regional commuting is by car.
Open space is woven into Los Gatos. The Los Gatos Creek Trail runs through town to Vasona Lake County Park, while El Sereno Open Space Preserve offers 1,400 acres of hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding with views over Lexington Reservoir and the Sierra Azul range. Lexington Reservoir provides boating and fishing, and Castle Rock State Park's sandstone formations and redwood trails lie just up Highway 35. Los Gatos Creek County Park and the town's neighborhood parks round out everyday recreation, with the broader Santa Cruz Mountains and coast within a short drive.
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