OVERVIEW: Incorporated in 1916, Corte Madera is best known today for the two shopping malls that line the freeway. But the town, translated as "cut wood" in Spanish, has much more going for it than that. Besides boasting a 22-acre park with tennis courts, two playgrounds, and recreation equipment, the town also has an historic village square and numerous biking paths. The amenities as well as the area's central location, moderate home prices and taxes, friendly neighborhoods, and a good commute all help make Corte Madera a popular place to live. East Corte Madera is a flat, mostly ranch-style home area, including some properties that back up on the bay or Ring Mountain, an ancient Miwok site. Tamalpais Drive follows the west side of town up past the recreation center and City Hall to the base of Christmas Tree Hill.

HOUSING: Corte Madera's home prices are on the low end for the county, with real estate sales in the low triple digits over the last two years. Total area is just over 4 miles, and there are slightly under 4,000 dwellings in town. In the past five years, the number of homes built has increased dramatically. Zoning restrictions vary by area, but taxes remain steady.

EDUCATION: Children in Corte Madera attend schools in the Corte Madera School District. Both the elementary and middle school have high test scores, small class sizes, and a variety of supplemental programs. For high school, students attend Redwood High, part of the Tamalpais Union High School District. There are also several private schools.

TRANSPORTATION: Thanks to a central location that makes for a fairly easy commute, most drive to work. Travel times are fairly steady, and the town is within a fairly short distance of most key commute destinations.

PUBLIC SAFETY: Corte Madera is served by the Twin Cities Police Department and the Corte Madera Fire Department. Crime is low, made up mostly of shoplifting arrests at the local malls. Earthquake danger and damages depend on location in town.

DEMOGRAPHICS: The demographic information indicates that Corte Madera is a fairly affluent, middle class suburb. Over half the population is married and almost two-thirds have college degrees.

PARKS AND RECREATION: Corte Madera is home to many parks that range in size from small neighborhood fields and playgounds to large areas with tennis and basketball courts, baseball fields and soccer facilities. The Parks and Recreation Department offers a variety of youth programs, as well as some for adults.

AMENITIES: Corte Madera is the shopping mecca of the county, with two major malls. There are also several restaurants offering many types of food, and other entertainment includes a movie theatre and several annual events. The town has a handful of parks and many youth programs, and there are churches for all denominations.

WEATHER: Corte Madera has an average temperature of around 59 degrees, with an average maximum of 70 degrees and an average low of 48. From July to September, highs get into the 80s. The coldests months are November and December. Mount Tamalpais and Christmas Tree Hill usually protect the town from perpetual fog, but it does get its fair share, especially on summer mornings.