Green Acres

Stretching from El Camino Real to the Foothill Expressway, Green Acres is a calmer, more low-key community than its neighbors and just so happens to be close to downtown Palo Alto. Its residential aesthetics consist of a newer trend of homes set against a traditional, mid-century California theme. As a result, there have been a recent influx of many younger families, which has pumped some liveliness into an otherwise drab neighborhood. Geographically speaking, the area is a skinny slice of land spanning about 0.7 square miles with a high capacity of residents (2,600 total). Its racial makeup is largely white (over 60%), with a rather sizable asian minority (20%)

Green Acres residential quarters are a clash between the old and the new. For starters, the neighborhood is mixed between two-story, high-end starter homes and traditional one-story ranch homes (with a few spanish-style manors tucked away within the community). Most homes were built between the 1950‘s and 1970’s. But like I stated earlier, there have been an stream of new renovations or complete demolitions of homes, which have torn away at Green Acres’ traditional, albeit out-dated character. These renovated homes seem like luxury homes in comparison and tend to be situated on and around Pena Court. For cheaper living, there are also a couple lively and attractive condominiums around Maybell Avenue and Thain Way. For the perspective homeowner, house listings tend to circle around $1.5 million while condominiums can sell for a much cheaper $500,000. And according to the 2010 US Census, median household incomes are a wealthy $130,000/year.

Green Acres has two big perks, its convenience to commercial real-estate and its family-friendly aesthetics. First, the district is within close proximity to Downtown Palo Alto and the commercial strip of El Camino Real that skirts the easterly border. The area provides a myriad of different restaurants, small businesses and other anonymous commercial buildings. Secondly, the neighborhood is relatively safe and encompasses part of the Henry Gunn High School. The prep school is notorious for feeding a large number of students into the prestigious Stanford University. The rest of the Palo Alto Unified School District is conveniently within walking distance of Green Acres. Its one drawback is the dense amount of school zone traffic that continues to discourage the local community and perspective residents.