Palo Alto is by no means a huge city, but it has become quite a recognizable place around the country. Not only is the city home to the headquarters of many influential tech companies, but it is also home of Stanford University, one of the most respected and historic academic institutions in the world. Every year, thousands of new students, faculty, and scholars move to or visit Palo Alto to study or work at Stanford University. If you’re coming to Palo Alto for Stanford, here are some neighborhoods to check out.

Home in Palo Alto

Professorville

This historic neighborhood dates back to the 1890s, when many Stanford University professors began building their homes in this tree-lined area. Today, Professorville is still one of the most desirable neighborhoods for homebuyers that Palo Alto has to offer. Homes are mostly single-family residences in the midsize range, and they are very expensive, to say the least. You can expect to pay a median sale price of $4.25 million for one of these coveted homes in the neighborhood. Professorville is also situated in a very pedestrian-friendly area, within easy walking or biking distance from University Avenue, Town & Country Village, and the Palo Alto Caltrain Station. One downside is that there isn’t a lot of street parking available during the day, as many drivers park their cars on Professorville’s residential streets and head to University Avenue or Stanford University.

Crescent Park

This picturesque neighborhood is just a stone’s throw away from University Avenue, Palo Alto’s downtown area, and it’s also close to the busy Middlefield Road, one of Palo Alto’s main thoroughfares. Crescent Park is situated just a few minutes away from Stanford University, and a quick drive down University Avenue takes residents straight to Highway 101, which will allow drivers to head north to San Francisco or south to San Jose. Many homes in Crescent Park are Spanish Revival-style, and bungalows are also a common sight. The median sale price in this neighborhood is in the $4 million range, so expect to pay from the high $1 million to over $7 million for a home in this coveted neighborhood.

University South

If you’d like to be near Palo Alto’s downtown area, the pedestrian-friendly University South is the neighborhood for you. University Avenue is lined with many hip eateries and fine dining options, local boutique shops, and retail stores, as well as office buildings. You’ll also find many modern condominium buildings in this neighborhood, perfect if you’re looking for a starter home. The median sale price of a home in University South is in the $2 million range, making this one of the lower-priced neighborhoods in Palo Alto, if you can believe that.

Midtown

The residential neighborhood of Midtown is one of the most family-friendly communities in Palo Alto. The approximately 1.5-square-mile neighborhood was largely built during the population boom California saw during the 1950s. You’ll find many Eichlers here, although many older properties have been torn down in recent years and replaced with more modern two-story homes. Driving around Midtown, you’ll notice plenty of foliage in practically every single home’s front yard, so there’s no shortage of greenery and shade here. Since the properties in this neighborhood are quite varied in size, they also vary widely in price. While the median sale price is in the $3 millions, the range of current home prices starts in the high $6 million.