Conceived as an entry-level to middle-class option for families looking to flee the city in favor of quiet suburbia — and later for G.I.s returning from the war — Mills Park has remained true to its founders’ original vision, even as local housing prices edge toward the $1 million mark.

For a number of reasons, Mills Park real estate is among San Bruno’s most popular. It is convenient to downtown, El Camino Real, the 380 freeway, BART, and Caltrain and its curving, quiet streets easily makes it the kind of suburban neighborliness that is often missing from urban and rural settings. The locals keep their homes in good condition and their yards trimmed and their gardens well-tended. Perhaps this is why Mills Park homes soared past the $1 million median mark recently, with the most recent sales falling in the $1.38 to $2.4 million range.

Once a stop on the road between San Jose and San Francisco and then home to the legendary Tanforan horse racing track, San Bruno came into its own following World War II, when a combination of population growth fed large-scale expansion of the city’s western hills. Today, San Bruno is once again on the rise as homebuyers discover this vibrant, diverse and conveniently located city offering myriad housing options ranging from turn-of-the-century cottages to mid-century subdivisions, all the way up to gleaming new condominium buildings. Downtown features mom-and-pop shops and restaurants, plus the Bay Area’s only casino, the venerable Artichoke Joe’s, and BART whisks riders to San Francisco’s Financial District in 20 minutes. Further west, rolling hills offer plenty of protected open space — and an easy freeway commute to Silicon Valley.