The Town FilesPortola Valley, California
Town in San Mateo County · population 4,456 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $2,000,001
- Household income
- $250,001
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 60.6
Portola Valley is a town of 4,456 people in San Mateo County, California. The median home is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for cycling than 99% of California towns, more upscale than 98% of California towns, better for retirees than 97% of California towns.
- #4 in 25 Small Towns in California With the Most Remote Workers
- #5 in The 25 Richest Small Towns in California
- #6 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in California
- #8 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Most Remote Workers
- #11 in 50 Places in America With the Most Remote Workers
- #20 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in California
How Portola Valley ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Portola Valley is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.0 times the median household income of $250,001, which is more affordable than 28% of California towns. Median rent is $3,501 a month. 78.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Portola Valley | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $3,501 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $250,001 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 78.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Portola Valley
| People | Portola Valley | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 60.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 43.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 86.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.2% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.2% | — |
| Work from home | 49.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 19.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Portola Valley
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 40.9°F. About 42.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 11 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Portola Valley since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on January 11, 1951 about 6.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 5, 1998.
Severe weather in San Mateo County since 1996
San Mateo County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in San Mateo County
San Mateo County had 416,422 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $196,441 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Portola Valley itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Portola Valley
2 public schools with 503 students, about 14.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corte Madera | 4-8 | 258 | 11.7 |
| Ormondale Elementary | K-3 | 245 | 17.5 |
Towns near Portola Valley
- Woodside, CA4.2 mi · 5,309 people · home $2,000,001
- West Menlo Park, CA5.0 mi · 3,930 people · home $2,000,001
- Los Altos Hills, CA5.2 mi · 8,489 people · home $2,000,001
- Palo Alto, CA5.4 mi · 68,572 people · home $2,000,001
- Stanford, CA5.6 mi · 21,150 people · home $2,000,001
- Atherton, CA6.6 mi · 7,188 people · home $2,000,001
- Emerald Lake Hills, CA7.2 mi · 4,406 people · home $2,000,001
- Loyola, CA7.5 mi · 3,491 people · home $2,000,001
Portola Valley questions
Is Portola Valley, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Portola Valley scores better for retirees than 97% of California towns and quieter than 76%. 43.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 60.6).
How much does a house cost in Portola Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Portola Valley is valued at $2,000,001 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $250,001, so homes cost about 8.0 times income. Median rent is $3,501 a month.
What is the weather like in Portola Valley?
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 40.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Portola Valley get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Portola Valley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on January 11, 1951. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)