One of Palo Alto’s oldest neighborhoods, College Terrace is home to a warm, eclectic collection of residents and an even wider variety of architectural styles–from aristocratic to humble. The atmosphere is that of a small community where residents feel closely identified with their environment and each other.

College Terrace has approximately 900 households, renters, and homeowners with homes ranging from historic (1880s) to brand-new. Our neighborhood has the oldest branch of the Palo Alto library as well as four small parks, two with playgrounds and one with tennis courts. At last count, there were more than 346 oak trees in College Terrace, some over 300 years old.

Bounded by California Avenue to the south and Stanford Avenue to the north, College Terrace stretches twelve blocks from El Camino Real to Amherst Street. Surrounded by Stanford land on three sides, College Terrace residents are within easy walking distance of Stanford’s campus, the California Avenue business district, the Stanford Research Park, and hiking trails at the Dish.

College Terrace has an active and involved community association (CTRA), which holds multiple annual social events. The CTRA has also played a key role in supporting the community, including working with the city to reduce cut-through traffic and implementing a residential parking program.