Menlo Park
Menlo Park, California is a mid-Peninsula city between San Francisco and San Jose, with tree-lined neighborhoods, a pedestrian-oriented downtown, and close proximity to Stanford University and Menlo College (City of Menlo Park, City Profile). The name dates to 1854, when Dennis J. Oliver and D. C. McGlynn named their estate after Menlough, County Galway. The railroad station took its name from the estate gates in 1863. The Menlo Park station is California Historical Landmark No. 955 and the oldest California station in continuous operation. A 2019 reproduction of the historic gates stands near the library at Ravenswood Avenue and Alma Street (City of Menlo Park, Menlo Park History). The city was founded on November 23, 1927, as a general law city. City Hall is at 701 Laurel Street, Menlo Park, CA 94025, on a civic center campus a short walk from Caltrain and downtown (City of Menlo Park, City Profile; Menlo Park History).
The 2020 Census counted 33,780 residents in the incorporated city; the Census Bureau’s July 1, 2025 estimate is 32,713 (U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts). The City’s profile describes Menlo Park as the “Capital of Venture Capital” and lists major employers including Meta (formerly Facebook), Snowflake, SRI International, Pacific Biosciences, Exponent, Grail, and CSBio (City of Menlo Park, City Profile).
I am the broker-owner of Avil Soleiman Brokerage, and I work with buyers and sellers in Menlo Park and throughout San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Buyers here often balance downtown living against quieter residential neighborhoods, school assignment (which can differ from one part of the city to another), and the commute by Caltrain or nearby freeways. I help clients look closely at the setting of each property and how it may work day to day. Sellers benefit from a thoughtful presentation of the home’s real strengths, priced from recent nearby sales. If you are comparing Menlo Park with Redwood City, Palo Alto, or San Mateo, I can walk you through the tradeoffs. Call or text 408-807-5657. DRE #01968159.
Neighborhoods in and around Menlo Park
The City’s Community Character document lists official residential areas including Downtown, Central Menlo, West Menlo, Belle Haven, The Willows, Allied Arts/Stanford Park, Linfield Oaks, Felton Gables, Lorelei Manor, Suburban Park, Flood Triangle, Park Forest, Spruce, San Antonio, and Stanford Hills, along with industrial subareas (City of Menlo Park, Community Character). Those official names are a useful starting point. School assignment and city limits still have to be confirmed for the exact address, especially near Atherton, East Palo Alto, Redwood City, Palo Alto, or unincorporated San Mateo County.
Downtown and the Caltrain station. Downtown is a pedestrian-oriented district of shops and restaurants, and the civic center is a short walk from both downtown and the train (City of Menlo Park, City Profile). The Menlo Park Caltrain station is at 1120 Merrill Street, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (Caltrain, Menlo Park Station). Buyers looking at homes or condominiums near downtown should weigh walkability and rail access against traffic, parking, and commercial activity. Townhomes and condominiums come with homeowners associations, so review dues, rules, reserves, and whether more than one association applies, early in the process.
Central Menlo, West Menlo, Allied Arts/Stanford Park, and Stanford Hills. These official areas, listed in the City’s Community Character document, are often compared by buyers who want established residential streets west of downtown or closer to Stanford University and Menlo College (City of Menlo Park, Community Character; City Profile). I still confirm the city, the school district, and the setting of the individual house rather than treating the neighborhood name as the whole story.
The Willows, Linfield Oaks, Felton Gables, Lorelei Manor, Suburban Park, and Flood Triangle. These official neighborhood names also appear in the Community Character document (City of Menlo Park, Community Character). They are useful labels when comparing one part of the city with another, but the house, the lot, nearby traffic, and the school locator for that address matter more than the name alone.
Belle Haven, Park Forest, Spruce, and San Antonio. These official areas are likewise listed by the City (City of Menlo Park, Community Character). Belle Haven and nearby neighborhoods can be close to major employment sites listed in the City profile, including Meta, so buyers should consider traffic and the workday pattern around a given street. Confirm city limits and school assignment with care here, because district boundaries in this part of Menlo Park can differ from those in West Menlo or downtown.
School districts
Menlo Park school assignment depends on the address, and more than one district serves parts of the city.
Menlo Park City School District (MPCSD), at 181 Encinal Avenue, Atherton, CA 94027, serves parts of Menlo Park, Atherton, and unincorporated San Mateo County. It enrolls about 3,023 students from preschool through eighth grade in four schools plus an Early Learning Center (City of Menlo Park, Education Resources).
Ravenswood City School District, at 2120 Euclid Avenue, East Palo Alto, also serves students in this area (City of Menlo Park, Education Resources). The Redwood City School District serves students in Redwood City and portions of Atherton, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Woodside (City of Menlo Park, Education Resources).
For high school, Sequoia Union High School District serves Menlo Park. The City’s education page notes that the district’s comprehensive high schools include Menlo-Atherton High School, which serves Menlo Park (City of Menlo Park, Education Resources; Sequoia Union High School District, District Profile). SUHSD, established in 1895, enrolls nearly 9,000 students and operates Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton, Sequoia, and Woodside high schools, along with Redwood High School (a continuation high school), East Palo Alto Academy, an adult school, and a Middle College program with Cañada College.
Confirm the assignment for the exact address with each district’s locator before you write an offer.
Price ranges and the local market
These figures are from MLSListings, for sales with a close-of-escrow date from November 2025 through October 2026. The MLS city field is the mailing city.
In that period, 299 single-family homes sold in Menlo Park at a median sale price of $3,570,000, with a median of 9 days on market. On a price-weighted basis, those homes sold for about 103.5% of list price. The average sale price was higher, $4,088,051, lifted by a number of high-end sales, so the median is the better starting point. Another 81 condominiums and townhomes sold at a median of $1,715,000, with a median of 17 days on market. As of November 10, 2026, there were 40 single-family homes and 14 condominiums or townhomes listed as active.
Those medians are a starting point, not a price for any one street. Values can shift widely with school assignment, lot size, condition, and whether a home is near downtown, a busy corridor, or a quieter residential block. If you want a value based on recent nearby sales, request a home valuation or call me at 408-807-5657. For context, over the same period the median single-family sale was $2,310,000 in Redwood City, $2,222,500 in San Mateo, and $4,100,000 in Palo Alto (MLSListings, sales November 2025-October 2026).
Lifestyle
Menlo Park combines a walkable downtown, a historic Caltrain station, and residential neighborhoods listed in the City’s own Community Character document, with Stanford University and Menlo College close by and a large employment base in the city (City of Menlo Park, City Profile; Menlo Park History). The historic station gates, reproduced in 2019 near the library at Ravenswood Avenue and Alma Street, are a local landmark. Daily life still comes down to the specific block, including traffic around employment centers, parking downtown, and how a house or condominium actually lives. I spend time on those details with clients rather than treating the city as a single lifestyle.
Commute
The American Community Survey (2020-2024) reports a mean travel time to work of 23.9 minutes for Menlo Park workers age 16 and older (U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts). That is a citywide average, not a door-to-door time for any one trip.
The Menlo Park Caltrain station is at 1120 Merrill Street, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (Caltrain, Menlo Park Station). US 101 and El Camino Real / the Alma corridor are the main road references; I do not quote drive times in minutes to San Francisco, San Jose, Stanford, or a specific employer, because those times vary by hour and by starting point. If the commute is a deciding factor, we should run the actual trip from the properties you are considering.
Who Menlo Park is best for
Menlo Park often fits buyers who want a mid-Peninsula city with a walkable downtown, Caltrain, proximity to Stanford, and a range of official neighborhoods from West Menlo to Belle Haven. It can also fit sellers who want pricing grounded in recent nearby sales, which matters here because high-end sales can pull the average well above the median.
It may be less of a fit if you need a single school district for every address in the city, or if your budget is closer to the median in Redwood City or San Mateo. Those are comparisons I am glad to walk through with current sales in hand.
If you are buying or selling here, or weighing Menlo Park against nearby cities, I can help you look at the house, the neighborhood, the schools, and the commute together. Buyers and sellers will find more on how I work, and you can request a home valuation anytime.
Menlo Park real estate FAQ
What is the housing market like in Menlo Park?
In the November 2025-October 2026 period, 299 single-family homes sold in Menlo Park at a median sale price of $3,570,000, with a median of 9 days on market, and sold for about 103.5% of list price on a price-weighted basis (MLSListings). The average sale price was higher, $4,088,051, lifted by a number of high-end sales, so I use the median as the starting point. Another 81 condominiums and townhomes sold at a median of $1,715,000, with a median of 17 days on market. As of November 10, 2026, there were 40 single-family homes and 14 condominiums or townhomes listed as active. The right price for a specific home still depends on location, condition, school assignment, and recent nearby sales.
How does Menlo Park compare with Redwood City, Palo Alto, and San Mateo?
Menlo Park has a pedestrian-oriented downtown, a historic Caltrain station, and close proximity to Stanford University, with a mix of official neighborhoods listed by the City (City of Menlo Park, City Profile; Menlo Park History). Over the same November 2025-October 2026 period, the median single-family sale was $3,570,000 in Menlo Park, $2,310,000 in Redwood City, $4,100,000 in Palo Alto, and $2,222,500 in San Mateo (MLSListings). Those medians do not replace a street-by-street comparison of schools, commute, and housing type. I am glad to walk through those tradeoffs with current sales.
What school district is Menlo Park in?
It depends on the address. Menlo Park City School District serves parts of Menlo Park, Atherton, and unincorporated San Mateo County for preschool through eighth grade. Ravenswood City School District and the Redwood City School District also serve portions of Menlo Park (City of Menlo Park, Education Resources). For high school, Sequoia Union High School District serves Menlo Park, including Menlo-Atherton High School (City of Menlo Park, Education Resources; Sequoia Union High School District, District Profile). Confirm the assignment for the exact address with each district’s locator before you write an offer.
What neighborhoods are in Menlo Park?
The City’s Community Character document lists official areas including Downtown, Central Menlo, West Menlo, Belle Haven, The Willows, Allied Arts/Stanford Park, Linfield Oaks, Felton Gables, Lorelei Manor, Suburban Park, Flood Triangle, Park Forest, Spruce, San Antonio, and Stanford Hills (City of Menlo Park, Community Character). Downtown is a short walk from the Caltrain station at 1120 Merrill Street. I still confirm city limits and school assignment for the exact address, because more than one school district serves the city.
How can I find out what my Menlo Park home is worth?
You can request a home valuation or call or text me at 408-807-5657. I price homes from recent nearby sales, the property’s condition and setting, and the current inventory, not from a citywide median or average alone. I am the broker-owner of Avil Soleiman Brokerage, DRE #01968159.
Reach out to Avil
If you are thinking about buying or selling in Menlo Park, or comparing it with nearby cities, I would like to hear what you are trying to do.
Phone/text: 408-807-5657
Email: home@avilsoleiman.com
Contact Avil
Avil Soleiman, broker-owner of Avil Soleiman Brokerage, DRE #01968159. 1900 Camden Ave, Suite 101, San Jose, CA 95124.