[aworks]

I live in unincorporated San Mateo County aka West Menlo Park aka Menlo Park aka University Heights. The zip code is the Menlo Park zip code. The nearby branch post office, outside the city limits of Menlo Park, names itself West Menlo Park but shares the same zip code as Menlo Park.

I use Menlo Park for my mailing address incuding zip so no credit card problems. The city library does think I am a Menlo Park resident even though I don't pay their taxes. Other city services may check more closely.

To further complicate matters, I live one block beyond the Menlo Park city limits, but within the boundary of the Menlo Park City School District. So our street is its own voting precinct since we vote for city school measures but not for say, the Menlo Park City Council. And maybe because it was too small, 20 years ago, our precinct lost in-person voting on election day.

One final boundary condition: Atherton, Menlo Park, and unincorporated San Mateo County all lay claim to parts of Valparaiso Avenue. Atherton has one side of the road, Menlo Park the other until the entire road becomes the County's. The construction standards for the three sections vary. Atherton, not surprisingly, used the best materials and methods when the road was rebuilt. On the other hand, recently, the county was the first to repave its part of the road.