Palo Alto has about three dozen neighborhoods, with distinct names, layouts and vibes.

Yet across them all, their residents often use the same words to describe their chosen homes. Whether it's Palo Alto Hills or Fairmeadow, residents describe their neighborhoods as "serene," tight knit," and "friendly."

Homebuyers are impressed by neighbors who befriend them even before they've actually bought a home. New neighbors are touched by offers of rides, meals or invitations to block parties. From Greenmeadow to Barron Park tradition prevails, whether it's the Fourth of July or just a fall weekend. Many longtime residents celebrate as younger families move in, spicing up their streets with tricycles and children's laughter. Others appreciate the way the world is drawn to Silicon Valley and how neighbors' faces reflect that world.

This 2018 edition of Our Neighborhoods is peopled with anecdotes about what it's like to live in various parts of town.

Maps of the city show the location of each neighborhood. Fact boxes provide information about schools, shopping, parks, libraries, fire stations and other nearby amenities.

You can download neighborhood maps or learn about other Midpeninsula neighborhoods by visiting paloaltoonline.com/real_estate. Neighborhoods in Los Altos, Mountain View, Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley and Woodside are profiled there.

At times, neighbors have to band together to protect the look of their streets, to keep too many two-story homes from being built, or too many cares from parking on their streets. But at the end of the day, when they are walking their dogs, going for runs or driving home from work on their oak, magnolia or sycamore-lined streets, they realize, in the words of one resident, "you don't just have a house, you have a home."

The stories of the people and the neighborhoods they live in make up Palo Alto, and you can read about them all in the most recent Neighborhoods publication or through the links below.

The Neighborhoods publication, like Palo Alto itself, is ever-evolving. If we've missed your neighborhood, or if you have additional tidbits about your neighborhood you'd like to share with the Weekly, please let us know.

- See more at: Palo Alto Neighborhoods

PALO ALTO NEIGHBORHOODS:

• Adobe Meadow/Meadow Park

• Barron Park

• Charleston Gardens

• Charleston Meadows

• College Terrace

• Community Center

• Downtown North

• Duveneck/St. Francis

• Esther Clark Park

• Evergreen Park

• Fairmeadow

• Greater Miranda

• Green Acres

• Greendell

• The Greenhouse

• Greenmeadow

• Leland Manor/Embarcadero Oaks/Garland

• Mayfield

• Midtown

• Monroe Park

• Old Palo Alto

• Palo Alto Hills

• Palo Alto Orchards

• Palo Verde

• Professorville

• San Alma

• South of Midtown

• Southgate

• St. Claire Gardens

• Triple El

• University South

• Ventura

• Walnut Grove