Hillsborough, California

Town of Hillsborough
Town
Location in San Mateo County and the state of California
Country	United States
State	California
County	San Mateo
Incorporated (town)	1910
Area
• Total	6.190 sq mi (16.031 km2)
• Land	6.190 sq mi (16.031 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)  0%
Elevation	322 ft (98 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	10,825
• Density	1,700/sq mi (680/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	94010
Area code	650
FIPS code	06-33798
GNIS feature ID	1659735

Hillsborough is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Hillsborough is one of the wealthiest communities in America and has the highest income of places in the United States with populations of at least 10,000. It is located 17 miles (27 km) south of San Francisco on the San Francisco Peninsula, bordered by Burlingame to the north, San Mateo to the east, Highlands-Baywood Park to the south, and Interstate 280 to the west. The population was 10,825 at the 2010 census. The town is served by Hillsborough City School District. Hillsborough's landscape is dominated by large homes; the city enforces a 2,500-square-foot (230 m²) minimum house size and minimum lot size of 0.5 acres (2,000 m²) to preserve exclusivity. As a result, there are no apartments, condominiums or townhouses in the city limits; however, it is not unusual for the homes along the eastern edge of Hillsborough to face condominiums in neighboring Burlingame, sharing the ZIP code 94010.

History

Hillsborough is located on the Rancho San Mateo Mexican land grant which was purchased by William Davis Merry Howard, son of a wealthy Hillsborough, New Hampshire, shipping magnate, in 1846. Howard settled his family in this area, which attracted wealthy San Franciscans. Hillsborough is near Burlingame. In 1910, Hillsborough residents voted to incorporate.

Geography and environment

Hillsborough is located at 37°33′37″N 122°21′23″W.Template:GR

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16 km²), all of it land. The area's hilly topography and lack of use of a grid layout for roads make navigation by outsiders notoriously difficult. The area of Crystal Springs Road is one of the most difficult to navigate.

There are two prominent streams that drain the mostly wooded slopes of Hillsborough: San Mateo Creek and Cherry Creek. In both cases the upper watersheds are closed canopy California oak woodlands, with dominant trees of Coast Live Oak, Pacific Madrone and California Bay.

The upper drainage area of San Mateo Creek in Hillsborough contains significant serpentinite outcrops, which are known habitats for several rare plant species including the San Mateo Woolly Sunflower. Other common plants include Toyon, gooseberry, lupine, monkeyflower and coffeeberry. Commonly observed mammals include California Mule Deer, raccoon, opossum and skunk.

Hillsborough is bordered by Burlingame to the north, San Mateo to the east, Highlands-Baywood Park to the south, and Interstate 280 to the west.

Demographics

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported that Hillsborough had a population of 10,825. The population density was 1,748.9 people per square mile (675.3/km²). The racial makeup of Hillsborough was 7,178 (66.3%) White, 42 (0.4%) African American, 7 (0.1%) Native American, 3,044 (28.1%) Asian, 23 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 109 (1.0%) from other races, and 422 (3.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 373 persons (3.4%).

The Census reported that 10,825 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 3,693 households, out of which 1,445 (39.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,804 (75.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 220 (6.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 114 (3.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 66 (1.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 34 (0.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 451 households (12.2%) were made up of individuals and 309 (8.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93. There were 3,138 families (85.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.18.

The population was spread out with 2,877 people (26.6%) under the age of 18, 466 people (4.3%) aged 18 to 24, 1,600 people (14.8%) aged 25 to 44, 3,667 people (33.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,215 people (20.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.5 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.

There were 3,912 housing units at an average density of 632.0 per square mile (244.0/km²), of which 3,490 (94.5%) were owner-occupied, and 203 (5.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.2%. 10,206 people (94.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 619 people (5.7%) lived in rental housing units.

Hillsborough homes sold in 2011 for a median price of about $1.45 million.

2000

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 10,825 people, 3,689 households, and 3,161 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,738.7 people per square mile (670.9/km²). There were 3,804 housing units at an average density of 611.0 per square mile (235.8/km²).

There were 3,689 households out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.6% were married couples living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.3% were non-families. 11.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 19.7% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $193,157, and the median income for a family was $200,000. Full-time male workers have a median income of $100,000+ versus $55,882 for full-time female workers. The per capita income for the town was $98,643. About 1.8% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 0.8% of those age 65 or over.

• According to The Best Places to Live 2007 in Money Magazine, Hillsborough's $263,456 median household income is the highest in the country. The median family income is $370,945/year, and the average resident spends $11,023 per year on vacations.
• As of the year 2000, Hillsborough was the highest income place in the United States among cities with a population of 10,000 or more.
• As of the May 1998 issue, Hillsborough ranked #6 in Worth Magazine's "250 Richest Towns In America".
• In 2011, CNNMoney named Hillsborough #1 for "25 top-earning towns"

Politics

The town of Hillsborough is the second most Republican political subdivision in heavily Democratic San Mateo County (behind only Atherton). According to the California Secretary of State, as of October 22, 2012, Hillsborough has 7,228 registered voters. Of those, 2,871 (39.7%) are registered Republicans, 2,307 (31.9%) are registered Democrats, and 1,821 (25.2%) have declined to state a political party.

Hillsborough is one of the few remaining cities or towns in the San Francisco Bay Area to have a plurality of Republican registered voters. The others include the affluent towns of Danville and Atherton.

In the state legislature Hillsborough is located in the 8th Senate District, represented by Democrat Leland Yee, and in the 19th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Jerry Hill.

Federally, Hillsborough is in California's 14th congressional district, represented by Democrat Eric Swalwell.

Schools

Hillsborough has its own public elementary and middle school system, but no public high school. High school-aged children can attend one a of several schools in the San Mateo Union High School District. The town is also home to a small number of independent schools.

• The Nueva School, a nationally recognized independent school serving gifted and talented students.
• Crocker Middle School, a public middle school, located on Ralston Avenue, named after William H. Crocker.
• West Elementary School, a public elementary school, located on Barbara Way.
• South Elementary School, a public elementary, at 303 El Cerrito.
• North Elementary School, a public elementary, at 545 Eucalyptus Avenue.
• The Bridge School, a school serving students with physical and speech impairments.
• Crystal Springs Uplands School, a college preparatory middle and high school.

Landmarks

Primarily a residential suburb of San Francisco, Hillsborough has many mansions and other points of interest within the town's borders dating from the early 20th century.

• Carolands — Built by Harriet Pullman Carolan, heiress to the Pullman railway. At 65,000 ft² (6,000 m²), it is one of the largest residences in the United States and is placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• ′The Flintstone House′ (a.k.a. the Adobe/Dome/Bubble/Marshmallow/Gumby house) — designed by architect William Nicholson and built in 1976 using sprayed concrete over balloon-shaped forms, now painted a deep/burnt orange color reminiscent of the Golden Gate Bridge's distinctive hue. The house can be seen to the east from the Doran Memorial Bridge, northbound on Highway 280 between the Bunker Hill and Hayne/Black Mountain exits.
• Skyfarm — Built by William H. Crocker, namesake of Crocker middle school, and grandson of Charles Crocker of California's Big Four railroad magnates. Designed by Arthur Brown, Jr., and opened in 1930. Home since the 1960s to The Nueva School.
• Tobin Clark Estate - Originally designed by the noted architect David Adler for Mrs. Celia Tobin Clark, one of the Peninsula’s most prominent families of the early 20th Century
• Uplands — Built by Templeton Crocker, as a gift to his fiancée Helène Irwin, heiress to the C&H Sugar family fortune. Designed by Willis Polk; opened in 1912, with interior of 35,000 ft² (3,250 m²). Home since the 1950s to Crystal Springs Uplands School.
• Western White House — Built by William Randolph Hearst and now privately owned. It is structured very similarly to Hearst Castle.
• Junipero Serra Statue — Overlooking Highway 280, the statue was built in honor of Father Junipero Serra.

Climate

December is the coolest month with an average high of 60 degrees, and September is the warmest month with an average high of 78 degrees. Hillsborough has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa), with the vast majority of the precipitation from the months of November to April. On average, Hillsborough receives 17 inches (430 mm) of rain. With coastal mountains to the west of Hillsborough, it is blocked in the winter from much of the rainfall over Half Moon Bay, and in the summer it is blocked from virtually all the fog of the coast. Hillsborough receives an average of 307 days of sunshine annually, with 52 days of recordable precipitation per year.

Notable residents

• Alyssa Campanella - Miss California USA 2011.
• Jackie Speier - A prominent member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 12th district.
• Bing Crosby - raised his second family in Hillsborough.
• Patty Hearst - Heiress of the Hearst Newspaper fortune.
• Alicia Silverstone - Hollywood Actress
• Eric Dane - Hollywood Actor
• Tyson Beckford - Male Supermodel.
• Jenny Craig - American weight loss guru and founder of Jenny Craig, Inc.
• Martin Yan - famous Chinese chef, and star of his cooking show "Yan Can Cook", lives with his family in Hillsborough.
• William H. Crocker - founded and then later became the president of Crocker National Bank. Crocker also chaired the Panama-Pacific Exposition Committee and SE Community Chest, and was a key member of the committee that built the San Francisco Opera House and Veterans Building. Crocker was the founder of Crocker Middle School.
• William Randolph Hearst I - a leading newspaper publisher and son of self-made millionaire George Hearst.
• Brigitte Lin -Taiwanese actress.
• Lucio Tan - Businessman
• George Tupou V - King of Tonga
• Salote Mafile'o Pilolevu Tuita - Tongan princess, only daughter of former King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
• Siosa'ia Ma'ulupekotofa Tuita - Tongan diplomat and Consul General of San Francisco, husband of Salote Mafile'o Pilolevu Tuita
• Ricky Henderson -Hall of Fame former Major League Baseball Player
• Greg Maddux - Former Major League Baseball Player
• Troy Tulowitzki - Major League Baseball Player
• Andre Ethier - Major League Baseball Player
• J.T. Snow - Former Major League Baseball Player
• Pat Burrell - Major League Baseball Player
• Roxy Bernstein - Sports Broadcaster
• Charles Johnson - Chairman of Franklin Templeton Investments
• Michael Grimes - Managing Director and Co-Head at Morgan Stanley
• Larry Probst - Chairman and former President and CEO of Electronic Arts (EA)
• Kathy Garver - American film, television, and character actress
• David Marquardt - co-founder of venture capital firm August Capital
• Sam Chavez - professional golfer
• Bud Tribble - Vice President of Software Technology at Apple Inc. and was among the founders of NeXT, Inc.

External links

• Hillsborough, California official website.