San Jose

San Jose is quite a large city, in fact, it is the third largest city in the state of California. The city is nestled between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the breathtaking Diablo Range. The city has approximately 202 distinct neighborhoods, it is family friendly and offers a large variety of unique cultural and educational opportunities. The city is popular among educated young single, upwardly mobile family types and retirees. San Jose is known by many as the “Capital of the Silicon Valley” and is a world renown tech hub. The city enjoys around 300 sunny days a year on average and was named, by U.S. News, as the 14th best place to live. The top three neighborhoods in this bustling city are Willow Glen, Blossom Valley and Rose Garden. Over 41% of adults in the city have four-year degrees or more, nearly twice the national education average for U.S. communities. It is a very diverse city with a welcoming atmosphere. Foreign born residents make up nearly 40% of the city’s population. The cities largest population groups are Caucasian, Asian and Latino. English is the primary language of the city, followed by Spanish and Vietnamese. 

The city spans 180.52 square miles, about 177.5 square miles of land area and the remaining three miles water covered.  It is an upper-middle class city in comparison to state statistics and wealthy compared to federal statics. The city has a mixed workforce of white, blue and no-collar workers. In 2017, the population was 1,305, 317 and the population density was around 5,800 people per square mile. Also, in 2017, the estimated median household income was $104,675 and the estimated per capita income was $43,593. Further, in the same year, the estimated median house or condo value was $84,700, the mean price on all housing units was $895,011 and the median gross rent was $2,109. Public transportation is available, and buses remain the most popular commuter option. The average commute time for residents of San Jose is approximately 30-31 minutes. 

The first inhabitants of the area were the native Tamyen tribe of the Ohlone people since around 4,000 B. C.  The first Spanish explorer in the area was Juan Rodrigues Cabrillo California, including the San Jose area which quickly became part of the Spanish Empire in 1542. San Jose officially became California’s first civilian settlement in November of 1777. The city officially incorporated in March of 1850 and soon after, that same year, California, including San Jose officially became of state. San Jose’s foray into the industry that would one day make it the capital of Silicon Valley began back in 1943 when IBM established their headquarters in the city. 

 The city has a wonderful Mediterranean climate, is close to the ocean and surrounded by rugged landscape that inspires active outdoor lifestyles.  The city is the home of the infamous Winchester House and also features a 120-acre flea market. The city has over 200 parks that span a total of nearly 16,000 acres. Homes for sale come in a variety of sizes and styles and other real estate options include apartments, town homes, condos and more. To find the home of your dreams in sunny San Jose, call local real estate agent Melanie Ventura today at 408-590-4272.