7.0 out of 10

Emerald Hills

37.4611454213527 -122.263676990181
Great for
  • Schools
  • Clean & Green
  • Neighborly Spirit
  • Parks & Recreation
  • Safe & Sound
Not great for
  • Public Transport
  • Childcare
  • Eating Out
  • Gym & Fitness
  • Parking
Who lives here?
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Country Lovers
  • LGBT+

Reviews

4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Internet Access 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 1/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 2/5
2yrs+

"Costly But Worth It"

Located deep in the hills to the north west of Woodside and west of Redwood City, Emerald Lake Hills is one of the two neighborhood that make up Emerald Hills. As you might guess from the fact that this neighborhood is far up in the hills on the Peninsula, this is an expensive location.

So what do these hillside homes with great views of the bay cost?

Well let’s start with renting. To rent a home up here, a 2-bedroom will run you about $4000 and a 4-bedroom for $6000.

As you might expect, if you want to own a home, you are looking at multi-million dollars to settle down here. These are largely newer homes, often built in the 90’s or 00’s and they offer a lot of space—often on the order of 6000 feet. Though not as expensive as the homes you will find in Hillsborough, these homes are pretty magnificent by virtually any other comparison.

Even an 1800 foot home built in the 1950’s will still run you a good $800 K.

In terms of schools, this is, as you might expect, a really good neighborhood with Roy Cloud Elementary and Woodside High having very high API’s. And it is a very safe neighborhood as well, with only the rare crime of note.

Overall this is a fantastic place to live, if you are very, very rich.
Pros
  • Great Houses
  • Great Views
  • Great Schools
Cons
  • Very, Very Expensive
  • Hillside Problems
  • A Bit Removed
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • LGBT+
  • Country Lovers
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
2yrs+

"Steep hills but steeper house prices"

Emerald Lake Hills is an affluent, extremely leafy hillside community nestled next to the vast natural preserves of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is rather large and predominately white with most residents raking in a pretty penny. If you drive through the district, you’ll notice everything from winding streets to some gorgeous dream homes clinging to the steep slopes that are so abundant within the area. The district is also reasonably isolated, with the only semblance of commercial real-estate a good drive into town.

Emerald Lake Hills is a thriving and exclusively residential neighborhood. For the perspective resident, there are a divergent style of homes built along the woodsy countryside. It is more often than not split into two different demographs. The district’s more luxurious homes are situated towards the northern, hilly end of the neighborhood while more garden-variety residences are concentrated near Highway 280. In some cases, garages are built at street level while their houses are actually perched atop a hill, and only connected by a long staircase. As a result, many homes have a remarkable view of the countryside from their back door. To afford these places, you might have to break the bank. The bulk of house values are just above $2 million with estimated household incomes averaging about $140,000/year.

For recreation, the vast Edgewood County Park lies adjacent to the neighborhood’s quarters. Elsewhere, Emerald Lake Country Club and Golf Course skirt the outer edges of the neighborhood. Also, Roy Cloud Elementary School sits along Jefferson Avenue. The institution offers a fine program and great teachers for your young ones.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Country Lovers

Unranked Streets in Emerald Hills

Park Rd

4/5
"ride around the lake"
37.4666367898095 -122.266760366496

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