Los Gatos is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, set in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains on the southwestern edge of Silicon Valley. Its population was 33,529 in the 2020 census, and despite its location at the center of one of the world's most dynamic economies, the town retains the scale and character of a historic small town. The name, Spanish for "The Cats," dates to the Mexican-era land grants that once covered the area. The downtown is the heart of Los Gatos. Along North Santa Cruz Avenue and the surrounding blocks, Victorian-era commercial buildings and restored homes house independent shops, cafes, and restaurants, and the Forbes Mill annex, built in 1880, stands as a landmark of the town's flour-milling past. Los Gatos High School, dating to the 1920s, anchors the civic and architectural fabric. Two large fires in the town's early history shaped the rebuilding of the area east of Highway 17, and the town has since become known for careful historic preservation. Los Gatos sits directly beneath open space that defines its western boundary. El Sereno Open Space Preserve, Lexington Reservoir, and the Sierra Azul range rise above the town, while Los Gatos Creek runs through parks that follow the valley floor. The Los Gatos Creek Trail connects neighborhoods to Vasona Lake and beyond, and Castle Rock State Park and the Santa Cruz Mountains offer hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails within minutes. Education is a defining feature. The Los Gatos Union School District serves elementary and middle grades, the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District operates Los Gatos High School, and the mountain communities are served by the Loma Prieta district. With Highway 17 providing a direct route to Santa Cruz and Highway 85 and Interstate 280 linking the town to the rest of Silicon Valley, Los Gatos combines a small-town historic core, top-tier schools, and easy access to both coast and tech employment.