Although Danville was incorporated as a city in 1982, it has been in existence since the gold rush days. Daniel and Andrew Inman bought 400 acres in what is now Old Town Danville with their mining earnings in 1854, and the town has flourished ever since. The Town's connection to its Old West past is preserved in the downtown cluster of narrow roads and the remarkable number of early buildings that still remain.

With a population of 41,715, Danville is known for its small-town atmosphere and its outstanding quality of life. Eight parks, with ball fields, tennis courts, picnic facilities, playground equipment and walking trails, offer family activities all year long. The Iron Horse Trail provides miles of paths for biking and walking. 

First-rate restaurants draw people from as far away as San Francisco. A wide variety of outstanding cuisine is available. The lovely Danville Hotel Territory, with its cluster of specialty shops, has a favorite eating establishment and is a special Danville landmark. Another popular restaurant, Bridges, was made famous when segments of the movie Mrs. Doubtfire were filmed there.

Danville students are served by the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. Achievement scores consistently rank in the top 10 percentiles among California schools. In 1991, voters passed a $40 million bond to build and improve schools.

Downsides to Danville: developers would like to build more homes than residents will tolerate and building fights are frequent and bitter. Commuting ranges from a breeze to a local job to long, tiresome and infuriating if driving to San Francisco or the original Silicon Valley areas of San Jose, Sunnyvale, etc.

Area: 72 square miles
Distance to San Francisco: 26 miles.