Hillsborough Neighborhoods
Hillsborough, incorporated in 1910, is entirely residential, with no commercial zoning and a half-acre minimum lot size, so its neighborhood names are informal, usually tied to former estates or terrain rather than official districts. Residents commonly distinguish the flatter lower areas near Burlingame and San Mateo from the wooded hills to the west.
7 neighborhoods across 3 areas. For current market data, schools and buying strategy, see the Hillsborough real estate guide. Browse other cities on the Silicon Valley neighborhoods page.
Lower Hillsborough
Lower North Hillsborough
Flatland area in northern Hillsborough near the Burlingame border.
Schools: Hillsborough City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
South Hillsborough
Southern part of town bordering San Mateo, served by South Elementary (303 El Cerrito Ave). It includes the Uplands estate, designed by Willis Polk for Templeton Crocker, home to Crystal Springs Uplands School since the 1950s.
Schools: Hillsborough City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Upper Hillsborough (Hills & Estates)
Skyfarm
Hillside estate area named for Skyfarm, William H. Crocker's 1930 estate designed by Arthur Brown Jr. and home to The Nueva School since the 1960s; streets include Macadamia Drive, Eugenia Way, Privet Drive and Ralston Avenue, and some homes carry Burlingame mailing addresses.
Schools: Hillsborough City School District (West Elementary, Crocker Middle); San Mateo Union High School District · Also listed as Skyfarm / Homeplace
Carolands
Area around the Carolands chateau, the 1915 French-style residence built by Harriet Pullman Carolan and listed on the National Register of Historic Places; streets include Ralston Avenue, Darrell Road, Chateau Drive and Tartan Trail Road.
Schools: Hillsborough City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Hillsborough Hills
Westernmost part of upper Hillsborough, with wooded lots of roughly a third of an acre to over an acre on streets such as Hillside Drive, Canyon Road and Fagan Drive; homes range from ranch houses to newer modern estates.
Schools: Hillsborough City School District (West Elementary, Crocker Middle); San Mateo Union High School District
Tobin Clark Area
Area of large homes built mostly from the 1980s through the 2000s, named for the Tobin Clark Estate originally designed by David Adler.
Schools: Hillsborough City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Other Named Areas
Hillsborough Park
Named residential area with estate homes on streets including El Centro Road and Lombardi Lane, on lots of roughly 0.4 to 1 acre.
Schools: Hillsborough City School District; San Mateo Union High School District
Neighborhood names follow city sources where they exist; informal names are noted. School assignments can change, so confirm by address with the district.
Questions about a street or tract in Hillsborough? Call 408.373.1660 or email homes@boyenga.com.