San Jose, CA


90 Reviews



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San Jose, CA

About San Jose, CA

San Jose, California is a vibrant city filled with attractions, activities and events for all ages. From world-class museums like the Tech Museum of Innovation, to family-friendly destinations like the Children’s Discovery Museum - there's something for everyone in this city. The colorful downtown district boasts an array of shops, restaurants and entertainment to satisfy any traveler, while outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy exploring its nearby parks and trails. With its temperate climate, San Jose offers endless opportunities for year-round fun in the sun - making it an ideal destination for any adventure seeker! Large city / suburban complex - Northern California, on the south end of San Francisco Bay.

Zip Codes: 95123, 95127, 95111, 95112, 95122, 95116, 95125, 95124, 95148, 95136, 31 total
Cost of Living:
Time zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST)
Elevation: 67 ft above sea level

This large metro area covers the southern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area and is otherwise known as Santa Clara County, or more informally, as the “Silicon Valley.” Once a quiet agricultural valley of orchards and small towns and anchored by the indistinct processing and shipping point of San Jose, the area has completely transformed over a period of forty years into an economic and technology powerhouse and cultural crossroads between America and Asia.

The small towns, which include the likes of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, have completely grown together into a vast sprawl of residential and commercial spaces. Major high-tech manufacturers, research facilities and an enormous array of supporting small- and medium-size businesses fill the valley. Several defense technology suppliers are also present. The area has a distinct high-tech culture with its own lingo and architectural style of endless long, low, glass-fronted buildings in some way mimicking the circuit boards they produce.

Many settle in the area because of career opportunity and the excellent climate, and are rewarded so long as they are tolerant of crowding and high prices. Entertainment assets and cultural activities are abundant and varied, but some of the better activities fill quickly and hard to get into. Like many recent-growth places in California, San Jose suffers from overcrowding and sprawl. In fact, neighborhoods cover buildable land in all directions and traffic along main commute corridors is very bad.

Neighborhoods such as Los Gatos, Los Altos, and Palo Alto at the western edges adjacent to Coastal Range foothills feature exceptional housing and appealing, small downtowns, but homes under $1 million are rare.

The broad, flat valley narrows considerably but continues south toward Gilroy. The sheltered, coastal, Mediterranean climate is ideal. Summers are clear, dry, and sunny, with normal daytime highs in the low 80’s. In the evening, marine air often delivers low, stratus clouds, known locally as “fog,” which typically burns off by mid-morning the next day. Light jackets are usually required in summer. The valley location and stable, summer air produce some hazy or smoggy days. Hot, desert winds sometimes blow in late summer and fall, but temperatures seldom reach 100. Winter is typically mild with days in the 60’s and nights in the 40’s, with occasional lows in the 30’s or upper 20’s. Winter is the rainy season; most precipitation falls when steady Pacific storms enter the area, but the coastal mountains reduce the impact.

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San Jose Cost of Living

Year-round climate, educated population, and entertainment make San Jose a great place to live.

$1,184,400
71.5% lower than avg
$125,075
44.8% lower than avg
9.8 / 7.5
Comfort Index
summer/winter
San Jose Crime
36.5 / 100
Crime is ranked on a scale of 1 (low) to 100 (high). US average: 35.4
Minimum annual income
To live comfortably in San Jose, California
$226,800
for a family
$100,800
for a single person
Pros & Cons of San Jose
   Year-round climate
Air quality
   Educated population
Economic cycles
   Entertainment
Cost of living
Reviews for San Jose
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I've lived in west San Jose/Cambrian, between Los Gatos and Almaden SJ since 1997. This side of town somehow avoided the erosion of the American dream. Houses are  More
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I lived in San Jose for 40 years. That’s during the most exciting time when the Silicon Valley was booming with real technology and San Jose was ranked as the safest big  More
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Over 3 years ago
I've lived in San Jose, CA for 25 years. This city is being over run with crime and gangs. The cost of living is very high. Granted, you are so close to mountains,  More
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