Holbrook-Palmer Estate, "Elmwood" · Photo: LPS.1 · CC081 homes sold in Atherton in the last year, at a typical $12M
Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Atherton homes are listed.
Every place Atherton homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Atherton.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
Houses are 100% of Atherton’s sales, at a typical $12M
81 homes sold in the year to May 2026.
typical sale · 81 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $2,122CA $494
- Days to sell
- 38
- Sold over asking
- 41%
- Listings with a price cut
- 19%
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.7 times the 2016 price
81 sales in the last year, against 108 in 2013 and a low of 67 in 2016. The typical sale went from $6.9M in 2016 to $12M.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $2M buys in Atherton
Check a listing against what Atherton homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Atherton are more common than before the pandemic, but half fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Atherton’s home sales since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to May 2026, 81 sales.
If you’re buying in Atherton
- Shop in September. It brings about 13 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (21% over asking).
- You can negotiate. 19% of listings have cut their price, against 16% before the pandemic.
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 100.6% of the list price on average; 41% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 33% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 38 days.
Spring brings the homes; fall brings the bidding wars
April has the most new listings (about 14 a month), but October is the most competitive: 39% of October sales close over asking. September offers nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (21%). December has the least competition (19%) but only about 1 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Hotter than in 2021, and hotter than California
| Atherton now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | CA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 41% | 29% | 28% | 36% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 33% | 35% | 47% | 31% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 19% | 16% | 14% | 24% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 100.6% | 98.8% | 98.8% | 99.7% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 38 | 50 | 31 | 44 |
12 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 47% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2013’s 35.
1 in 5 listings has cut its price
19% in the last year, against 16% in 2017–19 and 24% across California.
Atherton ranks 202nd of 555 busy California markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Atherton is in the middle of the pack.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2012 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Five things worth knowing
New listings in April
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 1.
Best time to buySchools
The schools grade for Atherton, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in AthertonTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Atherton.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
North Fair Oaks, West Menlo Park, Menlo Park, Emerald Lake Hills, East Palo Alto and Woodside sell for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Atherton, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Menlo Park | 308 | $2.9M | $1,494 | 51% | 18 |
| East Palo Alto | 87 | $1.1M | $792 | 41% | 36 |
| Atherton | 81 | $12M | $2,122 | 41% | 38 |
| North Fair Oaks | 75 | $1.8M | $1,156 | 56% | 34 |
| Woodside | 61 | $5.1M | $1,660 | 21% | 54 |
| West Menlo Park | 49 | $3.8M | $1,740 | 37% | 42 |
| Emerald Lake Hills | 47 | $3.4M | $1,207 | 47% | 166 |
Redfin Data Center, June 2025 to May 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Atherton, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Atherton. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Atherton with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Atherton
What do homes sell for in Atherton, CA?
81 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $12M, $2,122 a square foot.
Is Atherton a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 11 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 11 sold, about 1 months of supply. Buyers paid 100.6% of asking on average, and 19% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in Atherton?
April brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
Where can I see homes for sale in Atherton?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Atherton’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Atherton.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).