Toa Alta is a town and municipality on the northern side of Puerto Rico, west of Bayamón and part of the San Juan–Caguas–Guaynabo metropolitan area. Founded in 1751, it is one of the oldest municipalities on the island, with roots reaching back to the Spanish colonial era. The name reflects the region's Taíno heritage — the word toa has been linked to a Taíno term for valley or mountain — and the area has long been known as the Valle del Toa, or Toa Valley. The municipality spreads across eight barrios plus Toa Alta Pueblo, the downtown and administrative center, and it is bounded by Toa Baja and Dorado to the north, Vega Alta and Corozal to the west, Naranjito to the south, and Bayamón to the east. The Río de la Plata, one of the island's major rivers, runs through Toa Alta, shaping both the landscape and the town's early settlement, which gradually moved to higher ground to escape the river's floods. For generations, agriculture anchored the local economy in the fertile Toa Valley. In the modern era, Toa Alta has transitioned into a primarily industrial and commercial economy supported by strong retail and service sectors, reflecting its place within the San Juan metropolitan area. The municipality has a population of about 66,000, and its residents are known as Toalteños. Its inland position, set back from the coast between Dorado and Bayamón, gives it a quieter residential character than the adjacent coastal municipalities while keeping the capital's economy within easy reach. Public education is provided by the Puerto Rico Department of Education through about 19 public schools, with private options also available. Highway PR-165 links Toa Alta to Toa Baja, Dorado, and the Bayamón area, connecting residents to the wider San Juan metro. The town celebrates its patron saint festival each May, a tradition that, together with its colonial history and riverside setting, gives Toa Alta a distinct identity within the island's northern valley.