:Menlo Park, California

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Menlo Park, California

| settlement_type = City

| nickname =

| motto =

| image_skyline = Downtown Menlo Park California.jpg

| image_caption = Downtown Menlo Park

| image_flag =

| flag_size =

| image_seal =

| seal_size =

| image_blank_emblem = Menlo Park California Logo.svg

| image_map = San_Mateo_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Menlo_Park_Highlighted.svg

| mapsize = 250x200px

| map_caption = Location of Menlo Park in San Mateo County (left) and of San Mateo County in California (right)

| pushpin_map = San Francisco Bay Area#USA California#USA

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the San Francisco Bay Area##Location in California##Location in the United States

| pushpin_relief = 1

| image_map1 = Menlo Park street map plan California USA.svg

| mapsize1 = 250px

| map_caption1 = Menlo Park street map, California

| named_for = Menlo, County Galway, Ireland

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = United States

| subdivision_type1 = State

| subdivision_name1 = California

| subdivision_type2 = County

| subdivision_name2 = San Mateo

| government_type =

| leader_title = Mayor

| leader_name = Drew Combs{{Cite web |title=City Council |url=https://menlopark.gov/City-Council |access-date=December 16, 2014 |publisher=City of Menlo Park}}

| leader_title1 =

| leader_name1 =

| established_title = Incorporated

| established_date = November 23, 1927{{Cite web |title=California Cities by Incorporation Date |url=http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017052413/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc |archive-date=October 17, 2013 |access-date=August 25, 2014 |publisher=California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions |format=Word}}

| unit_pref = Imperial

| area_footnotes = {{Cite web |title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_06.txt |access-date=July 1, 2020 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

| area_total_sq_mi = 17.38

| area_land_sq_mi = 9.99

| area_water_sq_mi = 7.39

| area_total_km2 = 45.03

| area_land_km2 = 25.87

| area_water_km2 = 19.15

| area_water_percent = 43.79

| area_metro_km2 =

| area_metro_sq_mi =

| elevation_footnotes = {{Cite GNIS|1659108|Menlo Park|access-date=December 19, 2014}}

| elevation_ft = 72

| elevation_m = 22

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_footnotes = {{Cite web |title=Menlo Park (city) QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/menloparkcitycalifornia |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

| population_total = 33780

| population_density_sq_mi = auto

| population_metro =

| population_density_metro_sq_mi =

| timezone = Pacific

| utc_offset = −8

| timezone_DST = PDT

| utc_offset_DST = −7

| coordinates = {{coord|37|27|10|N|122|11|00|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}

| postal_code_type = ZIP Codes

| postal_code = 94025–94028

| area_code_type = Area code

| area_code = 650

| blank_name = FIPS code

| blank_info = {{FIPS|06|46870}}

| blank1_name = GNIS feature IDs

| blank1_info = {{GNIS 4|1659108}}, {{GNIS 4|2411079}}

| website = {{URL|menlopark.gov}}

| population_density_km2 = 1341.04

}}

Menlo Park ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|ɛ|n|l|oʊ}} {{respell|MEN|loh}}) is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; and Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City to the west. It had 33,780 residents at the 2020 United States census. It is home to the corporate headquarters of Meta, and is where Google, Roblox Corporation, and Round Table Pizza were founded.{{Cite web |last=Huddleston |first=Tom Jr |title=Google was started in this garage office in California in 1998 — take a look inside |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/27/google-virtual-tour-of-larry-page-sergey-brins-1998-garage-office.html |access-date=April 24, 2023 |website=CNBC |date=September 27, 2018 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=In Memory of Erik Cassel |url=https://blog.haydz6.com/2013/02/in-memory-of-erik-cassel |access-date=April 24, 2023 |website=Roblox Blog |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=About {{!}} Pizza Delivery, Pickup, & Online Ordering - Round Table Pizza |url=https://www.roundtablepizza.com/about |access-date=April 24, 2023 |website=Roundtable Pizza |language=en}} The train station holds the record as the oldest continually operating train station in California.{{Cite web |date=January 28, 2015 |title=Menlo Park's Historic Railroad Station |url=https://www.siliconvalleyandbeyond.com/menlo-parks-historic-railroad-station/ |access-date=January 28, 2020 |website=Silicon Valley and Beyond |language=en}} It is one of the most educated cities in California and the United States; nearly 70% of residents over 25 have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.{{Cite news |last=Schwartz |first=Carly |date=November 17, 2011 |title=California's Most Educated Cities: Palo Alto, Los Altos Top the List |publisher=The Huffington Post Online |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/17/californias-most-educated-cities_n_1100129.html |access-date=September 9, 2012}}

Toponym

"Menlo" is derived from Menlo (the anglicized spelling of Irish Gaelic 'Mionloch', meaning 'small lake') in County Galway, Ireland. The name "Menlo Park" was given to a ranch purchased by Irish settlers in honor of their home village in Ireland.{{Cite web |last=Killelea |first=Patrick |date=2011 |title=Visiting Menlough in Ireland, origin of Menlo Park's name |url=https://inmenlo.com/2011/06/11/visiting-menlough-in-ireland-origin-of-menlos-name/ |access-date=August 31, 2020 |website=InMenlo |language=en-US}}

History

File:Menlo Park station postcard.jpg

The area of Menlo Park was inhabited by the Ohlone people when the Portolá expedition arrived in 1769.{{Cite web |title=CHL # 2 Portolá Journey's End San Mateo |url=https://www.californiahistoricallandmarks.com/landmarks/chl-2 |access-date=July 2, 2019 |website=California Historical Landmarks }}

In 1795, the Rancho de las Pulgas Spanish land grant was made that included the area of the current city.

=Original Menlo Park gate=

In 1851, two Irish immigrants, Dennis J. Oliver and his brother-in-law, D.C. McGlynn, purchased a {{convert|1700|acre|ha|adj=on}} tract of land on the former Rancho de las Pulgas.{{Cite book |last1=Hoover |first1=Mildred Brooke |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AYMPR6xAj50C&q=0804744831&pg=PA405 |title=Historic Spots in California |last2=Douglas E Kyle |publisher=Stanford University Press |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-8047-4483-6 |edition=4th |location=Stanford, CA |page=405}} In 1854, they erected a gate with a wooden arch bearing the inscription "Menlo Park" and the date "August 1854" at the entrance to their property (now the intersection of Middle Ave and El Camino Real).{{Cite book |last=Durham |first=David L |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yfa0hmE7yocC&q=1884995144&pg=PA662 |title=California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State |publisher=Word Dancer Press |year=1998 |isbn=978-1-884995-14-9 |location=Clovis, CA |page=662}}Stanger, 1963. pg. 109

=Railroad=

In 1863, the San Francisco and San Jose Rail Road had built the railroad from San Francisco to as far as Mayfield (now California Avenue station in Palo Alto) and started running trains to the area.{{Cite web |title=Menlo Park history |url=https://www.menlopark.org/888/Menlo-Park-history |access-date=February 5, 2017 |website=City of Menlo Park - Official Website |language=en}} They named a nearby station "Menlo Park" after the sign. The 1867 station building still stands on the platform of the current Caltrain station, used by the local Chamber of Commerce. It holds the record as the oldest, continually operating train station in California. The town of Menlo Park grew up around this station, becoming a popular home for San Francisco businessmen. A post office was established in 1870, and the city was incorporated in 1874 (it dissolved after two years, but later was permanently incorporated in 1927). The original arch, which gave its name to the stations and ultimately, the city, survived until 1922, when it was destroyed in an automobile accident. The origin of the name of Menlo Park, California ({{Circa|1850|lk=no}}) antedates any work done by Thomas Edison ({{Circa|1876|lk=no}}) in Menlo Park, New Jersey; Menlo Park, New Jersey, was named after Menlo Park, California,[https://web.archive.org/web/20240727074617/http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/356/nj_place_names_origin.pdf "The Origin of New Jersey Place Names"], New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945, p. 20. as was Menlo, Washington.{{cite book|last=Meany|first=Edmond S.|title=Origin of Washington geographic names|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015027074981;view=1up;seq=180|year=1923|publisher=University of Washington Press|location=Seattle|page=164}}

=Camp Fremont=

In 1917–18, a large portion of Menlo Park was the site of Camp Fremont, a training camp for, at its height, 27,000 men being sent to fight in World War I. It did not last long (the camp was dismantled after the war), but army engineers paved the first streets in Menlo Park and laid the first water and gas lines.{{Cite web |last=Kazak |first=Don |date=April 13, 1994 |title=The Peninsula mobilizes for war |url=https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news_features/centennial/1906B.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525001652/https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news_features/centennial/1906B.php |archive-date=May 25, 2017 |access-date=February 5, 2017 |website=Palo Alto Online}}{{Cite web |title=Historic California Posts: Camp Fremont |url=http://www.militarymuseum.org/CpFremont.html |access-date=February 5, 2017 |website=www.militarymuseum.org}} The army did retain the camp hospital, and it is now the site of a Veterans Administration Hospital off of Willow Road in Menlo Park. In the autumn of 1918, a flu pandemic hit Camp Fremont and killed 147.{{Cite book |last=United States War Dept. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NwcSAAAAYAAJ&q=Fremont |title=War Department Annual Report, Vol. 1 |date=1919 |page=2157 |language=en}}

=Dibble General Hospital=

At the start of World War II, the US government bought the {{convert|260|acre|ha|adj=on}} estate of Timothy Hopkins from his widow and created the Palo Alto General Hospital, later renamed the Dibble General Hospital (after Colonel John Dibble, who was killed in 1943). After the war ended, some of the land was sold to the city and became the sites of the main library and city hall. More of the land was bought by Stanford University to house the increase in students due to the G.I. Bill; the area was known as the "Stanford Village", which existed as student housing until the mid-1960s. This land also was the site of the Stanford Research Institute (now SRI International) starting in 1947; between 1955 and 1968, SRI bought the rest of the Stanford Village.{{Cite web |title=History of the District & Community / Thurlow Estate becomes Dibble General Hospital becomes SRI Int |url=http://district.mpcsd.org/Page/143 |access-date=February 5, 2017 |website=Menlo Park City School District |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Dibble General Hospital |url=http://www.militarymuseum.org/DibbleGH.html |access-date=February 5, 2017 |website=www.militarymuseum.org}}{{Cite web |title=Corporate History {{!}} |url=https://www.sri.com/about/corporate-history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170122205603/https://www.sri.com/about/corporate-history |archive-date=January 22, 2017 |access-date=February 5, 2017 |website=SRI International |language=en}}

=''Sunset'' magazine headquarters=

Sunset magazine moved to its headquarters in Menlo Park in 1951, designed by architect, Cliff May, with a similar layout to a California ranch-style house. Sunset referred to its Menlo Park headquarters as the Laboratory of Western Living.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

=Sharon Heights=

In the 1960s, the former {{convert|600|acre|ha|adj=on}} estate of Frederick W. Sharon (1859–1914) (son of Senator William Sharon) and his wife, Louise Tevis Breckinridge Sharon (1858–1938; daughter of Lloyd Tevis and divorced wife of John Witherspoon Breckinridge), in the hills of south west Menlo Park was developed and called "Sharon Heights".{{Cite news |last1=Svanevik |first1=Michael |last2=Burgett |first2=Shirley |date=November 30, 2016 |title=Matters Historical: From San Francisco to Europe to Menlo Park – The Mercury News |work=The Mercury News |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/11/30/matters-historical-from-san-francisco-to-europe-to-menlo-park/ |access-date=February 6, 2017}}{{Cite web |title=MLS 301 - Sharon Heights/Standford Hills - Silicon Valley and Beyond |url=https://www.siliconvalleyandbeyond.com/menlo-park/mls-301-sharon-heights-standford-hills/ |access-date=February 6, 2017 |website=Silicon Valley and Beyond}}

=Development of Google=

The development of leading Internet search engine provider Google occurred in 1998 in the garage in a Menlo Park home owned by Susan Wojcicki.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=April 2, 2012 |title=Our history in depth – Company – Google |newspaper= |url=http://www.google.com/intl/en/about/company/history/ |url-status=deviated |access-date=August 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402210041/http://www.google.com/intl/en/about/company/history/ |archive-date=April 2, 2012}} Wojcicki's Menlo Park garage was used as the office for Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin for $1,700 a month.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/10/business/susan-wojcicki-dead.html|title=Susan Wojcicki, Former Chief of YouTube, Dies at 56|first1=John|last1=Yoon|first2=Mike|last2=Isaac|work=New York Times|date=August 10, 2024|accessdate=August 10, 2024}}

=Replica of Menlo Park gate=

In 2015, the Menlo Park Historical Association (MPHA) began a project to raise funds for and build a replica of the original Menlo Park gates. The chosen site was at 800 Alma Street in front of the Menlo Park public library. The replica was completed in 2019. On March 17, 2019, Menlo Park Mayor Ray Mueller officially dedicated the reproduction of the Menlo Gates.{{Cite web |last=Clifford |first=Jim |title=A St. Patrick's Day present for Menlo Park |url=https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/a-st-patrick-s-day-present-for-menlo-park/article_2d2913a0-439f-11e9-805d-d39963ee3742.html |access-date=February 13, 2021 |website=San Mateo Daily Journal |date=March 11, 2019 |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=March 17, 2019 |title=Menlo Gates officially dedicated, fittingly on St. Patrick's Day |url=https://inmenlo.com/2019/03/17/menlo-gates-officially-dedicated-fittingly-on-st-patricks-day/ |access-date=February 13, 2021 |website=InMenlo |language=en-US}}

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|17.4|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|9.8|sqmi}} are land and {{convert|7.6|sqmi}} are covered by water. Menlo Park is long and narrow on a northeast to southwest axis. The northeast portion borders the San Francisco Bay and includes the Dumbarton Bridge that connects Menlo Park to Fremont on the east side of the bay. The city shoreline includes the city's largest park, Bedwell Bayfront Park ({{convert|160|acre|ha|disp=semicolon}}) and the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.{{Cite web |title=Bedwell Bayfront Park |url=https://www.menlopark.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Bedwell-Bayfront-Park-6 |access-date=February 4, 2017 |website=Menlo Park, CA |language=en}} San Francisquito Creek marks much of the southeast border of the city. West Menlo Park (unincorporated area) along Alameda de las Pulgas nearly separates the southwestern part of the city (known as Sharon Heights) from the rest. The extreme southwest is clipped by Interstate 280.

The Bayshore Freeway (part of U.S. Route 101) traverses Menlo Park northwest to southeast near the shoreline and somewhat parallel to the Bayshore Freeway to the southwest is El Camino Real. The intersection of El Camino Real and Santa Cruz Avenue is considered the heart of the city. Nearby, the Menlo Park Civic Center is bounded by Ravenswood Avenue, Alma Street, Laurel Street, and Burgess Drive. It contains the council offices, library, police station, and Burgess Park, which has various recreational facilities. Other major roads include Sand Hill Road in the Sharon Heights area.

The residential areas of Menlo Park can be unofficially divided into several neighborhoods. From "east" (northeast toward San Francisco Bay) to "west" (southwest toward the Pacific Coast), they are defined by the Palo Alto Weekly as:{{Cite news |date=February 9, 2017 |title=Menlo Park neighborhoods |language=en |publisher=Palo Alto Online |url=https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2010/02/02/menlo-park-neighborhoods |access-date=February 10, 2017}} Belle Haven is the only neighborhood east of Route 101; much of the rest of that area is business or protected land. Between 101 and the roughly parallel Middlefield Road are the neighborhoods of the Willows, Suburban Park, Lorelei Manor, Flood Triangle, Vintage Oaks, and South of Seminary (the seminary being Saint Patrick's Seminary). Between Middlefield and El Camino Real are the Caltrain track and Felton Gables, Linfield Oaks, and Park Forest. West of El Camino until the foothills of the Peninsula are the neighborhoods of Downtown Menlo Park, Central Menlo Park, and Allied Arts (sometimes also known as Stanford Park, it is named for the Allied Arts Guild in it). In the hills are Sharon Heights and Stanford Hills. Several other neighborhoods are closely associated with Menlo Park but are actually in unincorporated San Mateo county; these include Menlo Oaks and Fair Oaks (latter part of the North Fair Oaks census area) between Bayshore and Middlefield, University Heights (also known as West Menlo Park) between Sharon Heights and most of the rest of the city, and Stanford Weekend Acres, which is somewhat near Stanford Hills.

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1930= 2254

|1940= 3258

|1950= 13587

|1960= 26957

|1970= 26826

|1980= 26438

|1990= 28040

|2000= 30785

|2010= 32026

|2020= 33780

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{Cite web |title=Census of Population and Housing |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=June 4, 2015 |publisher=Census.gov}}

}}

=2020 census=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Menlo Park, California – Racial and ethnic composition
{{nobold|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.}}

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 2010{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Menlo Park, California|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0646870&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}

!{{partial|Pop 2020}}{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Menlo Park, California|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0646870&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}

!% 2010

!{{partial|% 2020}}

White alone (NH)

|19,841

|style='background: #ffffe6; |18,575

|61.95%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |54.99%

Black or African American alone (NH)

|1,482

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,001

|4.63%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.96%

Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|43

|style='background: #ffffe6; |26

|0.13%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.08%

Asian alone (NH)

|3,132

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,764

|9.78%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |17.06%

Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|446

|style='background: #ffffe6; |364

|1.39%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.08%

Other race alone (NH)

|73

|style='background: #ffffe6; |156

|0.23%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.46%

Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|1,107

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,905

|3.46%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.64%

Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|5,902

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,989

|18.43%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |17.73%

Total

|32,026

|style='background: #ffffe6; |33,780

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

=2010=

The 2010 United States census{{Cite web |title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA – Menlo Park city |url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0646870 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715115849/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0646870 |archive-date=July 15, 2014 |access-date=July 12, 2014 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}} reported that Menlo Park had a population of 32,026. Its population density was {{convert|3,271.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Menlo Park was 22,494 (70.2%) White, 1,551 (4.8%) African American, 156 (0.5%) Native American, 3,157 (9.9%) Asian, 454 (1.4%) Pacific Islander, 2,776 (8.7%) from other races, and 1,438 (4.5%) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 18.4% of the population, most of whom (4,303) were of Mexican ancestry.

The Census reported that 31,181 people (97.4% of the population) lived in households, 599 (1.9%) lived in noninstitutionalized group quarters, and 246 (0.8%) were institutionalized.

Of the 12,347 households, 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 49.9% were opposite-sex married couples living together, 8.4%had a female householder with no husband present, and 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present. About 5.2% were unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 0.8% were same-sex married couples or partnerships. About 29.7% were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53. The average family size was 3.20.

In terms of age, 7,805 residents (24.4%) were under the age of 18, 1,817 people (5.7%) aged 18 to 24, 9,563 people (29.9%) aged 25 to 44, 8,263 people (25.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 4,578 people (14.3%) were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.

The 13,085 housing units averaged {{convert|1,336.6|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}, of which 6,927 (56.1%) were owner-occupied, and 5,420 (43.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.2%; 18,972 people (59.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 12,209 people (38.1%) lived in rental housing units.

=2000=

As of the census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=January 31, 2008 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} of 2009, there were 33,690 people, 12,543 households, and 7,248 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|3441.3|PD/sqmi}}. There were 14,026 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,432.7|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. 64.2% spoke English, 19.5% Spanish, other Indo-European 4.2%, 4.6% Chinese or Mandarin, and other language 0.7%, as their first language from estimate census 2009.

There were 12,543 households, out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.67% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.

As of the 2000 estimate census, the median income for a household in the city was $82,609. Males had a median income of $77,766 versus $59,101 for females. The per capita income for the city was $51,341. About 5.9% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those over age 64. As of 2009 the median income for a family was $123,251.{{Cite news |title=Best places to live 2008 |work=CNN |url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2008/snapshots/PL0646870.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023110533/http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2008/snapshots/PL0646870.html |archive-date=October 23, 2013}}

Government and politics

City Council members are elected in districts to staggered four-year terms, in nonpartisan municipal elections every two years.{{Cite web |title=Elections |url=http://www.menlopark.org/744/Elections |access-date=February 2, 2015 |publisher=City of Menlo Park}}

=County, state and federal representation=

On the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, Menlo Park is split between Supervisorial District 3 (west of El Camino Real) and Supervisorial District 4 (east of El Camino Real),{{Cite web |title=County of San Mateo Board of Supervisors |url=http://bos.smcgov.org/ |access-date=February 2, 2015 |publisher=City of Menlo Park}} currently represented by Ray Mueller and Warren Slocum, respectively.

In the California State Legislature, Menlo Park is in {{Representative|casd|13|fmt=sdistrict}}, and is split between {{Representative|caad|21|fmt=adistrict}} and {{Representative|caad|23|fmt=adistrict}}.{{Cite web |title=Statewide Database |url=http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201113744/http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |archive-date=February 1, 2015 |access-date=November 20, 2014 |publisher=UC Regents}}

In the United States House of Representatives, East Palo Alto is in {{Representative|cacd|16|fmt=district}}.{{Cite GovTrack|CA|16|access-date=March 12, 2013}}

According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Menlo Park has 19,339 registered voters—9,984 (51.6%) of whom are registered Democrats, 2,989 (15.5%) registered Republicans, and 5,683 (29.4%) undeclared.{{Cite web |title=CA Secretary of State – Report of Registration – February 10, 2019 |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/ror-odd-year-2019/politicalsub.pdf |access-date=March 12, 2019 |website=ca.gov}}

=Mayors=

class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" width=75% align="left"
style="background:#F5DEB3"| Mayors of Menlo Park, California
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! Image

! Mayor

! Years

! Notes

style="height:2em"
| Alfred E. Blake

| 1927–1928

| First mayor of Menlo Park{{Cite news|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= New Menlo Park Mayor Visits P.A. Council |newspaper=The Peninsula Times Tribune|date=December 13, 1927 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122474724/new-menlo-park-mayor-visits-pa-council/ |via=Newspapers.com}}

| Harry Weeden

| 1928–1929

| {{Cite news|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= Recall Petitions At Menlo Park Filed At Stormy Session |newspaper=Redwood City Tribune|date=December 5, 1928 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122475632/redwood-city-tribune/ |via=Newspapers.com}}

| F.C. Ellis

| 1929–?

| {{Cite news|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= Restriction of Building is Discussed |newspaper=Redwood City Tribune|date=November 13, 1929 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122475983/redwood-city-tribune/|via=Newspapers.com}}

| ?

|

|

| Charles Burgess

| 1945–1953

| {{Cite web|first=Jim |last=Lewis |authorlink= |title=The Mayors of Menlo Park |website=Menlo Park Historical Association|date= |url= https://sites.google.com/site/mphistorical/home/local-govt/mp-mayors/the-mayors-of-menlo-park |accessdate=}}

| Michael Belangie

| 1953–1954

| {{Cite news|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= City of Menlo Park Spent Quite Year in 1953 |newspaper=The Peninsula Times Tribune|date= January 1, 1954 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122492256/the-peninsula-times-tribune/|via=Newspapers.com}}

| Charles Burgess

| 1954–1957

|

| William Lawson

| 1957–1969

|

| Ira Bonde

| 1969–1976

|

In 1976, the City Council limited mayors from serving consecutive one-year terms.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! Image

! Mayor

! Years

! Notes

style="height:2em"
| James Calloway

| 1977

|

| ?

| 1978

|

| James Bloch

| 1979

|

| Douglas Dupen

| 1980

|

| Billy Ray White

| 1981

| First African-American mayor{{Cite news|first=Emily |last=Mibach|author-link= |title=Billy Ray White, Menlo Park's first black mayor, dead at 81 |newspaper=Palo Alto Daily Post|date=February 13, 2018 |url= https://padailypost.com/2018/02/13/billy-ray-white-menlo-parks-first-black-mayor-dead-81/ |quote=}}

| Peg Gunn

| 1982

| First woman mayor

| Billy Ray White

| 1983

|

| Peg Gunn

| 1984

|

| Jack Morris

| 1985

|

| Billy Ray White

| 1986

|

| Ted Sorensen

| 1987

|

| ?

| 1988

|

| ?

| 1989

|

| Gerald Grant

| 1990

|

| Ted Sorensen

| 1991

|

| Jack Morris

| 1992

|

| ?

| 1993

|

| Bob McNamara

| 1994

|

| Raymond "Dee" Tolles

| 1995

| {{Cite news|first=Heather Rock |last=Woods|author-link= |title=MENLO PARK: New mayor rotates into position |newspaper=Palo Alto Online|date=December 20, 1995 |url= https://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/news/1995_Dec_20.MPMAYOR.html |quote=}}

| Bob Burmeister

| 1996

|

| Steve Schmidt

| 1997

|

| Charles Kinney

| 1998

| {{Cite news|first=Vicky |last= Anning |authorlink= |title= MENLO PARK: New mayor, vice mayor for Menlo Park |newspaper=Palo Alto Online|date=December 5, 1997 |url=https://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/news/1997_Dec_5.MAYORS.html |via=}}

| Paul Collacchi

| 1999

|

| Mary Jo Borak

| 2000

|

| Nicholas Jellins

| 2001

|

| Steve Schmidt

| 2002

|

| Nicholas Jellins

| 2003

|

| Lee B. Duboc

| 2004

| {{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= California Roster 2004 |website=admin.cdn.sos.ca.gov|date= |url=https://admin.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ca-roster/2004/2004-ca-roster.pdf |accessdate=}}

| Mickie Winkler

| 2005

| {{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= California Roster 2005 |website=admin.cdn.sos.ca.gov|date= |url=https://admin.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ca-roster/2005/2005-ca-roster.pdf |accessdate=}}

| Nicholas Jellins

| 2006

|

| Kelly Fergusson

| 2007

|

| Andy Cohen

| 2008

|

| Heyward Robinson

| 2009

|

| Richard Cline

| 2010

| {{Cite news|first=Sandy |last=Brundage |authorlink= |title= Rich Cline, new Menlo Park mayor, promises measured approach to contentious land-use debates|newspaper=The Almanac (Menlo Park)|date=December 9, 2009 |url=https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2009/12/09/rich-cline-new-menlo-park-mayor-promises-measured-approach-to-contentious-land-use-debates|via=}}

| Kelly Fergusson

| x

| Appointed December 7, 2010{{Cite news|first=Sandy |last=Brundage |authorlink= |title= Kelly Fergusson elected Menlo Park mayor by 3-2 council vote|newspaper=The Almanac (Menlo Park)|date=December 7, 2010 |url=https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2010/12/07/kelly-fergusson-elected-menlo-park-mayor-by-3-2-council-vote|via=}}
Resigned December 10, 2010, due to Brown Act violations
after separately soliciting three councilmembers to appoint her to the position{{Cite news|first=Sandy |last=Brundage |authorlink= |title= Kelly Fergusson resigns as Menlo Park mayor; revote delayed|newspaper=The Almanac (Menlo Park)|date=December 10, 2010 |url=https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2010/12/10/kelly-fergusson-resigns-as-menlo-park-mayor-revote-delayed-|quote=Council member Kelly Fergusson has resigned as the mayor of Menlo Park as a consequence of Brown Act violations she committed by meeting one-on-one with at least three council members to discuss her desire for the position.}}

| Richard Cline

| 2011

|

| Kirsten Keith

| 2012

|

75px

| Peter Ohtaki

| 2013

|

75px

| Ray Mueller

| 2014

|

| Catherine Carlton

| 2015

| {{Cite news|first=Kevin |last=Kelly |authorlink= |title= Menlo Park: City could pick new mayor Tuesday |newspaper=The Mercury News|date=November 25, 2015 |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2015/11/25/menlo-park-city-could-pick-new-mayor-tuesday/ |via=}}

| Richard Cline

| 2016

|

| Kirsten Keith

| 2017

| {{Cite web |title= About Kirsten Keith |website=kirstenforcouncil.com|accessdate=April 7, 2023 |url=http://www.kirstenforcouncil.com/about |via=}}

75px

| Peter Ohtaki

| 2018

|

75px

| Ray Mueller

| 2019

|

75px

| Cecilia Taylor

| 2020

|

75px

| Drew Combs

| 2021

| {{Cite news|first=Kate |last=Bradshaw |authorlink= |title= Betsy Nash is Menlo Park's new mayor |newspaper=The Almanac (Menlo Park)|date=December 15, 2021 |url=https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2021/12/15/betsy-nash-is-menlo-parks-new-mayor |via=}}

75px

| Betsy Nash

| 2022

|

75px

| Jen Wolosin

| 2023

|

| Ian Enbom

| 2024

|

|}

{{clear}}

Education

For primary schools, the central portions of Menlo Park are served by the Menlo Park City School District, while the Belle Haven neighborhood and VA hospital are served by the Ravenswood City School District, and the Sharon Heights and Stanford Hills neighborhoods served by the Las Lomitas Elementary School District. For high school, Menlo Park is part of the Sequoia Union High School District, with all of the city falling into the boundaries of Menlo-Atherton High School; some areas of the city have the option to attend Woodside High School.

Private elementary schools include two Catholic parochial schools, St. Raymond Catholic Elementary School and Nativity Elementary School;{{Cite web |title=Schools Directory |url=http://www.sfarchdiocese.org/catholicschools/our-schools/schools-directory |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319050744/http://www.sfarchdiocese.org/catholicschools/our-schools/schools-directory |archive-date=March 19, 2015 |access-date=November 2, 2016 |website=Archdiocese of San Francisco}} the Episcopalian Trinity School; Phillips Brooks School, pre-kindergarten to 5th grade; and Peninsula School, from kindergarten to 8th grade.{{Cite web |title=Quick Facts |url=http://www.peninsulaschool.org/quick-facts.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018081938/http://www.peninsulaschool.org/quick-facts.html |archive-date=October 18, 2015 |access-date=April 13, 2022 |website=Peninsula School}}

The Willows Campus of the private K–12 Silicon Valley International School, formerly known as German-American International School and Alto International School, is also in the city.{{Cite news |last=Mahbubani |first=Rhea |date=March 18, 2015 |title=German-American International School will move to old Menlo Oaks campus this fall |work=San Jose Mercury News |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2015/03/18/german-american-international-school-will-move-to-old-menlo-oaks-campus-this-fall/ |access-date=November 2, 2016}} Menlo School, a private middle and high school, is in Atherton on the border with Menlo Park. Sacred Heart School, Atherton, a Catholic middle and high school, is also in Atherton on the border with Menlo Park.

For higher education, Saint Patrick's Seminary and University is a Catholic seminary in Menlo Park.

There are two libraries, the Main branch and the Belle Haven branch. As part of the Peninsula Library System, they share many resources with other nearby libraries.

Economy

File:Facebook Headquarters Menlo Park.jpg (then known as Facebook), 2013]]

Much of Menlo Park's economy revolves around the companies on Sand Hill Road, consisting of venture capital, private equity, financial services, law firms, and other professional service companies and investment vehicles focusing on technology. Geron, Katerra, Robert Half International, Exponent, and SRI International are among the companies based in Menlo Park. Meta Platforms moved its headquarters to the former campus of Sun Microsystems in Menlo Park in December 2011.

=Top employers=

In 2012, Meta (then known as Facebook) announced it would be Menlo Park's biggest employer, with 6,600 employees.Guynn, Jessica (May 29, 2012). [https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2012-may-29-la-fi-tn-menlo-park-set-to-approve-facebook-campus-expansion-plan-20120529-story.html "Menlo Park set to approve Facebook campus expansion plan"]. Los Angeles Times. According to the city's 2023 annual comprehensive financial report,[https://menlopark.gov/files/sharedassets/public/v/3/administrative-services/documents/finance/annual-comprehensive-financial-reports/2023_city-of-menlo-park_acfr_final.pdf City of Menlo Park, California Annual Comprehensive Financial Report For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2023] the city's top employers were:

class="wikitable sortable"
#

! Employer

! # of Employees

1

|Meta

|16,586

2

|SRI International

|710

3

|Grail

|497

4

|Pacific Biosciences

|320

5

|United Parcel Service

|295

6

|SHR Hotel, LLC

|252

7

|Exponent

|250

8

|City of Menlo Park

|245

9

|Personalis

|239

10

|Safeway

|226

Transportation

Santa Cruz Avenue runs as the "Main Street" within Menlo Park; terminates at El Camino Real which runs concurrently with California State Route 82. The city is also the western end of the Dumbarton Bridge, which connects Menlo Park with the East Bay city of Fremont; the Menlo Park end is located immediately adjacent to Meta Platforms' headquarters. The city is flanked by U.S. Route 101 on its eastern end and by Interstate 280 on its western end.

Menlo Park's transit is primarily served by its eponymous train station, served by Caltrain. SamTrans is the primary provider of bus transport throughout the city. Menlo Park's eastern ends were previously considered for a short-lived BART extension along the Bayshore Freeway.{{Cite news |last=Softky, Marion |date=July 21, 1999 |title=Plan dumped to extend BART down Bayshore Freeway to Menlo Park |work=The Almanac News |location=Menlo Park |url=http://www.almanacnews.com/morgue/1999/1999_07_21.bart.html |access-date=March 15, 2016}}

BART and Caltrain are also the primary transit modes for Menlo Park's connections to the San Francisco Bay Area's airports. Menlo Park is located about halfway between San Francisco International Airport and San Jose International Airport; the former can be accessed by using Caltrain and either BART's Red, or Yellow Line during 3-line service, or SamTrans route 292 (both connecting to Caltrain at Millbrae station), while the latter connects to Menlo Park through Caltrain and VTA services through a transfer at Diridon station. Drivers to and from Menlo Park can connect to both San Jose and San Francisco airports through using US 101. Oakland Airport is the farthest of the three major Bay Area airports from Menlo Park, with drivers having to cross the Bay through one of the three bridges across it, and transit users needing to use either the Dumbarton Express, SamTrans, or Caltrain to connect to BART services..

Notable people

{{See also|Category:People from Menlo Park, California}}

{{div col}}

Sister cities

  • {{flagicon|Japan}} Bizen, Japan {{Cite web |title=Our cities – Menlo Park Sister Cities |url=https://menloparksistercities.org/our-cities |access-date=2025-02-07 |website=menloparksistercities.org}}
  • {{flagicon|Ireland}} Galway, Ireland
  • {{flagicon|India}} Kochi, India
  • Xinbei District (Changzhou), China

See also

References

{{reflist|30em}}

Further reading

{{refbegin}}

  • Stanger, Frank M. South from San Francisco: The Life Story of San Mateo County 1963, publisher: San Mateo County Historical Association

{{refend}}