Santa Clara, CA

Santa Clara is known as the “Mission City” as it came about as a result of a settlement around the Santa Clara mission in the 18th century. Today, the tech-oriented beautiful city, also known as the heart of Silicon Valley, is one of the most affluent and hip places to live in. It’s home to some of the major tech companies in the Bay Area – including industry giants such as Intel, Nvidia, and Advanced Micro Devices. Geographically, this large suburban city is adjacent to San Jose.

Apart from being a tech hub, Santa Clara has some wonderful attractions, restaurants, shopping centers, and cultural communities. Don’t be surprised if you spot Smash Mouth vocalist Steve Harwell or the professional beach volleyball player Kerri Jennings as you go about buying your groceries from the local store.

The median home price in Santa Clara is $1.3M. On average, houses in Santa Clara County sell after 30 days on the real estate market.

Most Santa Clara residents rent their homes. The average monthly rent for an apartment ranges from about $2,814 to $3,093. The exact amount varies depending on factors such as location, the size of the property, and the type of neighborhood you want to move to.

City highlights

Santa Clara lies in Santa Clara County – in the center of Silicon Valley. It is undoubtedly one of the best places to live in California. You get an urban-suburban feel with beautiful neighborhoods and a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks.

Thanks to technological innovations and economic developments, Santa Clara enjoys being a prosperous and progressive city today. That said, it’s much more than just a tech hub – it offers residents, businesses, and visitors a lovely, simple, and safe way of life.

Apart from offering high-paying career opportunities, the place has many top-rated healthcare and education institutions to its credit.

Whether you’re a young professional, single, married, parent, a retiree, an empty nester, or a student, you’ll love moving bags and baggage to Santa Clara. It offers something interesting for everyone.

Geographic location

Santa Clara is located 45 miles southeast of San Francisco – at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay Area. The entire area encompasses 1,312 square miles. The Diablo Range on the east and the Santa Cruz Mountains on the west encircle the rich Santa Clara Valley, which extends the whole length of the county from north to south.

Climate

Despite being slightly colder than southern California, the Bay Area is nonetheless fairly pleasant. Lows of 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and highs of 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer can be anticipated. When compared to the rest of the country, Santa Clara receives only 15 inches of annual rainfall – as opposed to the national average of 38 inches. Santa Clara doesn’t get any snow. The most comfortable months to travel to this wonderful city are July and August.

Demography

The population of Santa Clara is close to 130,371 people spread out over 18.2 miles. That means that the population density is approximately 7,000 people per square mile. The median age in Santa Cara is about 33.7 – pretty close to the California average of 37.

The racial demographics primarily comprise 46% Asians, 21% Whites, and 16% Hispanics. The gender ratio witnesses a tilt towards men, at 53%.

Keep in mind that the crime rate in this area is 36% higher than the national average. The crimes are predominantly property crimes rather than violent crimes. Generally speaking, Santa Clara is a fairly safe place to live in.

Cost of Living

Santa Clara is notorious for being an affluent area; it’s the fifth richest county in the U.S. Did you know, there are approximately 75,000 millionaire households here? Well, you can’t be surprised by all the wealth – Silicon Valley alone generates billions of dollars.

This area witnesses one of the fastest rates of economic growth and employment. The booming job market invites more people into the area – adding to the housing demand. The total cost of living is 114% higher than the national average. And, the median home price is almost triple the state average home price of $568,500.

Overall, Santa Clara’s housing expenses are 325% higher, utility prices are 8% higher, and grocery prices are 44% higher than the national average. Even the transportation expenses are 23% higher than the rest of the United States.

Fortunately, the median household income is about $147,507 to $150,244 – almost double the state average household income of $80,440. If you’re a family of four, you can expect a monthly expenditure of $4,032.8 (excluding rent) and if you’re a single person, your estimated monthly cost will be around $1,133.8 (excluding rent).

Transportation

Getting around Santa Clara is pretty easy – thanks to a well-connected public transportation network. You have the choice of utilizing your bicycle, Caltrain, VTA light rail, or taxi service.

With an average walk score of 58, Santa Clara is easy enough to get around. The most walkable neighborhoods include The Old Quad and Rivermark of Santa Clara.

Schools

Santa Clara is served by the Santa Clara Unified School District and has many top-rated schools such as Millikin Elementary School, Juan Cabrillo Middle School, and Adrian Wilcox High School.

What is the city like?

Santa Clara has natural beauty, family-friendly neighborhoods, excellent amenities, diverse neighborhoods, reputable public schools, fantastic weather, lots of green spaces, and fun recreation opportunities for all ages.

You can enjoy shopping, eating, and visiting popular attractions to your heart’s content.

There are several parks, biking and walking trails, great restaurants, recreational centers, museums, nearby beaches, and breweries to choose from for your day under the sun. The place is both a family-oriented and a professional-friendly city. There’s no way, you’ll not fall in love with the vibrant city!