Atherton, California

Atherton, California
Town of Atherton
Holbrook-Palmer Park
Location of Atherton in San Mateo County, California
Atherton
Location in the United States
Atherton
Atherton (the United States)
Coordinates: 37°27′31″N 122°12′0″W / 37.45861°N 122.20000°W / 37.45861; -122.20000
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountySan Mateo
IncorporatedSeptember 12, 1923
Named afterFaxon Dean Atherton
Government
  City council
  • Mayor Rick DeGolia
  • Vice Mayor Bill Widmer
  • Elizabeth Lewis
  • Robert Polito
  • Diana Hawkins Manuelian
  AssemblymemberAlex Lee (D) (24th)
  State SenatorJosh Becker (D) (13th)
  U.S. Rep.Sam Liccardo (D) (16th)
Area
  Total
5.05 sq mi (13.07 km2)
  Land5.02 sq mi (12.99 km2)
  Water0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)  0.63%
Elevation
59 ft (18 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total
7,188
  Density1,433.01/sq mi (553.28/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
  Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Code
94027
Area code650
FIPS code06-03092
GNIS feature IDs1657960, 2411651
Websitewww.ci.atherton.ca.us

Atherton (/ˈæθərtən/ ATH-ər-tən) is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States. Its population was 6,823 as of July 2023 estimates. The town's zoning regulations permit only one single-family home per acre in new subdivisions, though smaller lots exist from prior zoning laws.

Atherton is known for its high concentration of wealth; in 1990 and 2019, Atherton was ranked as having the highest per capita income among U.S. places that have a population between 2,500 and 9,999, and is regularly ranked as having the highest cost of living in the United States. In 2023, Atherton had the highest median home prices in the United States, at $7,950,000.