By One reason change comes slowly to Los Altos is because its population increases slowly. In the 10 years from 1990 to 2000, total population in Los Altos grew from 26,303 to 27,693. Likewise, Los Altos Hills inched up from 7,514 to 7,902.

Yet while detailed analysis of the age and household living arrangements of residents hasn’t been released for the 2000 numbers, it’s clear that the ethnic makeup of the two towns is shifting and should continue to do so. In 1990 approximately 89 percent of Los Altos was white; that number stood at 80 percent in 2000. Roughly 75 percent of Los Altos Hills is described as white in the 2000 census, a decrease from the 83 percent in 1990.

Residents identifying themselves as of Asian or Pacific Islander background represented 10 percent of Los Altos’ population in 1990. That grew to 15.6 percent of the total in the year 2000. In Los Altos Hills, the Asian/Pacific Islander population stood at more than 21 percent of the total number of residents in 2000, jumping 45 percent from 1,163 residents in 1990 to 1,674 last year.

For all the talk about more youth in town, the abbreviated numbers released show a movement but hardly a groundswell. Approximately 76 percent of Los Altans were aged 18 and up in the 2000 census, versus 80 percent in 1990. Likewise, 79 percent of the Los Altos Hills population was above 18 years in age in 1990, compared to 76 percent in 2000.

While the population of Los Altos Hills is not expected to grow much by 2010, it is possible that Los Altos could see a noticeable increase if the residents of the San Antonio Hills area decide to join the town.

- Susan Kerr