Should we move to Hillsborough? (San Mateo, Burlingame: transfer, neighborhood, middle school)

[ezb]

Thinking of moving from New York City and have some questions. Is there a lot of academic pressure on the kids in the public schools? Is the community welcoming to newcomers? Is it family friendly? What is the drive into SF really like for a weekend or a night out (not a daily commute)? Is public transportation a realistic option?

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by ezb

Thinking of moving from New York City and have some questions. Is there a lot of academic pressure on the kids in the public schools?

I grew up near (basically in) Hillsborough, so I'll try to answer your questions! As for the public schools, there are no public high schools in Hillsborough - there's a middle school called Crocker which is very good, and I don't think the pressure is too high. For high school they usually go to Burlingame or San Mateo, which are both decent... I went to private schools (Nueva and Crystal Springs), where the pressure was VERY high to the point where I transferred before senior year.

Is the community welcoming to newcomers? Is it family friendly?

It's very family-friendly, but doesn't have much of a "community" feel... probably because it's very spread-out, spanning 3 or 4 cities below (east of) the town, and people generally have large lots. Many of my friends lived there growing up, and usually hung out in San Mateo or Burlingame since there's nothing to do in Hillsborough. On the upside, it is very safe and quiet!

What is the drive into SF really like for a weekend or a night out (not a daily commute)? Is public transportation a realistic option?

The drive is pretty easy if you take 280, maybe 20-30 minutes if traffic is light, which it typically is on that highway. Public transportation is not an option, unless you live really far east near Burlingame or SM... then you can take Caltrain, which gets you downtown in about 30-40 minutes. Buses don't really go through Hillsborough, and there are no train stations anywhere west of El Camino Real. The town of Hillsborough is very "long," so all of what I'm saying really depends on what part you live in - the area around Black Mtn. Road is less accessible to everything, whereas the neighborhood around Ralston is closer to public transit and civilization. Did you know that Hillsborough doesn't allow commercial properties of any kind? Keep that in mind, since you'll be driving to other towns for ALL of your shopping/doctor/etc. needs. But all in all, it really is a nice place to live and raise a family.