Firstly why Santa-Clara, California?
I’ll start with some quick stats and an overview:
- City: Santa-Clara
- State: California
- Population: 127,329 people
- Santa-Clara’s quick summary would be Home to Levi’s Stadium and the headquarters of major tech companies like Intel.
Some people I know rave about this place, others say it’s on the upswing or going through changes. Check out these migration details:
- How many people move-in: 20,000 annually
- While this many move-out: 12,000 annually
- Net Migration: 8000 more people in (net) annual change
- Non-Citizen Move-in: 4,000
- Number of Homeless people: 400
You might wonder why people choose to move here, I’d say generally because it home to many tech companies attracting professionals in the tech industry
Perk #1: Santa-Clara Demographic Mix & Lifestyle
- The percentage of Residents Age 30–50 is about 35%
- Percentage of Home Ownership is hovering around 54%
- Largest Local Ethnic Group is Asian
- The 2nd Largest Ethnic Group is mostly White
- The median income is (and growing) $121,000
- Income Required to Live Comfortably in Santa-Clara is $110,000
- Average Extra Spending Money after paying bills yearly is approx. $-11000 in negative cash flow
This and any cities local population can be a real melting pot—or sometimes it’s more homogeneous, depending on the area. Ask yourself: would you enjoy a bustling community with diverse backgrounds, or do you prefer a quieter, tight-knit vibe?
Perk #2: Housing & Santa-Clara’s Cost of Living
- Cost of Living Index: 180 (100 is the US average)
- Annual Property Tax Per House: $6,325
- Property Tax %: 1.07%
- Rent for an average 2BD Apartment: $2,800
- Rent for an average house: $3,200
- Popular and Expensive Neighborhood: Santa Clara
- Top 5 Growing Areas: Santa-Clara, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, San-Jose, and probably could include Campbell
- Avg. Age of Homes in Santa-Clara: 41 years
- The Percentage of Realtors per 100 people here: 1.8%
If the cost-of-living index is low, you might find a place without selling your kidney. If it’s high, well, you’ll need to budget carefully. Some income earners thrive in pricey markets, others prefer less financially stressful areas.
Perk #3: Job Market & Santa-Clara’s Economy
- 3 Industries gaining traction in Santa-Clara are Technology, Healthcare, and Education
- Santa-Clara Job Scene: strong job market primarily in tech and manufacturing
- The General Tech Scene: varied tech landscape with significant presence in chip manufacturing and R&D , ,
- Santa-Clara Resident’s pay $1,400 in City Tax alone!
- Local Sales Tax in Santa-Clara: 10.25%
- No. of Independent Businesses: 130 (excluding chains and corporates)
- Number of Local Branch Banks: 10
Maybe you’re a go-getter in finance, tech, or healthcare. Or you’d rather open a mom-and-pop shop. Either way, it’s worth checking if the local industries align with your skill set—or if you’re game to try something new.
Perk #4: Transportation & Commuting in Santa-Clara
- Monthly Transportation Costs: $200 on average per person
- Freeway Access: U.S. Route 101 runs through Santa Clara linking it to the Bay Area
- Commute Time: 29 minutes (public & private)
- Main Evening Traffic Area: traffic congestion on the 101
- Transportation Score: 56 out of 100 described as Good Transit
- No. of Vehicles Registered in Santa-Clara: 90,000
- Cars registered per Person: 0.7
- No. of Car Washes: 8 in and around the city
- DMV Website for Santa-Clara: dmv.ca.gov
- The Bike-Friendly Score: 67 of 100
- Local Airport: San Jose International
Is a 15-minute commute your dream, or is 45 minutes stuck on the freeway a dealbreaker? If you can handle traffic or love public transit, this might be perfect. If not, brace yourself with a killer podcast lineup.
Perk #5: Santa-Clara’s Weather & Natural Factors
- The Most Common Natural Disaster is Earthquakes
- General Weather in Santa-Clara is best described as experiences mild winters with cool temperatures and warm dry summers with occasional heat waves
- Winter Weather in Santa-Clara i’d describe as mild with sunny days
- Spring Weather in Santa-Clara can be described as mild and dry
- Summer’s in Santa-Clara are mostly warm and dry
- Fall ( the nicest time) in Santa-Clara is usually warm and sunny
- How many days in a row over 90°F: 10 days in summer
- Days in a row in Santa-Clara below Freezing: 0
- Average Annual Rainfall: 15 inches
- Summer Air Quality is usually moderate air quality influenced by suburban traffic
- Santa-Clara Winter Air good air quality with minimal pollution influences
Do you live for sunny skies? Or maybe you can’t stand humidity. Some relish snowy winters; others run south at the first snowflake. And if hurricanes, tornadoes, or earthquakes are part of the package, put all that into your consideration matrix.
Perk #6: Santa-Clara Education & Schools
- The GreatSchools.org City Rating:
- Number of Colleges and Universities in Santa-Clara 4
- While the number of trade schools inside Santa-Claras’s city limits are 3
- Library that I have visited and enjoyed is the Santa Clara City Library
If you’ve got kids—or you’re looking to further your own education—solid school ratings and local colleges can be a huge perk. If not, hey, a good library have more gems that you didn’t know existed, check it out.
Perk #7: Healthcare & Santa-Clara Stats
- Typical EMS Response Time: 9 minutes
- Registered Full-Time Santa-Clara only Doctors is about 160
- Local Hospitals here is 6
- Full-time Santa-Clara only Police Officers is about 160
- Crime Rate Index: 30/100
Medical facilities could be important to you and who knows it could be related to the crime stats. Again some stats that are worth considering.
Perk #8: Utilities, Gyms & Water Quality
- Santa-Clara’s Monthly utility bill average is $220
- Santa-Clara’s Monthly Gym Membership: $78
- Santa-Clara’s Water Quality Score: 82
Some of us freak out if water tastes off, others don’t mind. Gym buffs will appreciate a cheap membership; others prefer running outside for free. Check if these monthly costs fit inside your realistic lifestyle.
Perk #9: Events, Festivals & Vibe in Santa-Clara
- Approx number of Festivals the city puts on is 10 annually
- The General Local City Vibe: urban area with a focus on tech and family-friendly amenities
- You might enjoy live performances at the Santa Clara Convention Center
- Nightlife Scene (yes this is completely subjective), Santa-Clara has a growing nightlife scene with local brews and bars appealing to sports fans and locals alike
If you love a lively social calendar—fairs, concerts, maybe the odd chili cook-off—this is your jam. If crowds make you itch, you might only show up for the funnel cakes.
Perk #10: The Food, Sports & Culture of Santa-Clara
- The Objective Restaurant Scene Includes a variety of restaurants including tech-friendly cafes
- The Number of Independent Restaurants are 30 scattered around Santa-Clara
- The Popular Sports Team is Santa Clara Broncos
- Top Level Political Climate in Santa-Clara can be described as tech-driven area with progressive social policies
- Santa-Clara’s Longer standing religious establishment is Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Whether you’re a foodie wanting fancy cuisine or a sports nut who can’t miss the local team’s home game, see if your interests line up with what the city offers.
Perk #11: Santa-Clara Parks & Green Spaces
- Did you know Santa-Clara has 28 Parks?
- Central Park is Santa-Clara’s Green Space Center
- The local favorite Farmers Market is Santa Clara Farmers Market normally open Thursday 4pm-8pm
- Outdoor Activities that both weekend warriors are pro’s can enjoy are biking, outdoor events , and
Love fresh air? A city investing in parks and markets can be a sanity-saver. If you prefer the indoors, maybe it’s less of a draw—but I still say fresh produce is never a bad thing.
Perk #12: Santa-Clara Neighborhoods Pace & Proximity
- The Pace of Life in Santa-Clara can be described as rapid urban life with a focus on technology and family
- 3 Family-Friendly Activities anyone can enjoy in Santa-Clara visiting museums exploring local parks picnics in nature
- The Cities people commute to from Santa-Clara are Santa-Cruz 33 miles away San-Jose 8 miles away Mountain-View 13 miles away
Neighborhood pace can range from laid-back suburbs to frantic downtown vibes. If you need a quick getaway, big neighboring cities can scratch that itch for a weekend change of scene.
8 Drawbacks about Santa-Clara or are they?
No place is perfect. I rate these as important based on your location and type of work you do. They might not be negatives or positives for everyone.
- Traffic/Commute Issues
Maybe you read: traffic congestion on the 101. If you hate gridlock, look at alternative routes or brace yourself with podcasts. - Natural Disaster or Extreme Weather
Santa-Clara’s Earthquakes risk could be minimal or major. Dig more on that is your eyebrow just went up. - Pricey Neighborhoods
If Santa Clara is out of your price point, you might consider these places nearby Santa-Clara are Santa-Cruz 33 miles away San-Jose 8 miles away Mountain-View 13 miles away. - Crime Rate Concerns
With a 30 of 100, some neighborhoods might feel safer than others. Everyone has a different tolerance for this. - Harsh Climate Contrasts
Santa-Clara has 0 days in a row below freezing and 10 days above 90 degrees. This might be your heaven or your nightmare. Some people can’t stand snow, while others pray for it. - Limited Extra Funds
After general costs of living here in Santa-Clara people have an average (positive or negative) $-11000 in negative cash flow left over in income to spend or pay off. Economics will make or break you here. - Homelessness or Social Challenges
400 homeless people living in Santa-Clara. It can be tough for the community—no easy solutions. - Cultural/Political Mismatch
The general tech-driven area with progressive social policies could change but probably not quickly. We all go thru cycles in our lifestyle and outlook. Think about this and your future outlook before a move to Santa-Clara.
Retiree & Senior Life in Santa-Clara
- Retiree Tax Benefits say seniors can can benefit from property tax relief programs targeting older homeowners
- The most established Senior Citizen Community is Brookdale Santa Clara
- Santa Clara Senior Center hosts social events fitness activities and health workshops
If you’re in (or nearing) retirement, see if the city provides property tax breaks or comfy 55+ communities. Some places cater heavily to seniors, others less so.
Moving to Santa-Clara, California?
If Santa-Clara, California ir your next home or you are packing up, Let Allied Van Lines Help
As someone who’s hauled half his life across state lines more times than I can recall, let me say that Allied Van Lines simplifies the process. From big bulky couches to fragile antiques, they’ve got you covered.
A quick quote or phone call might be all you need to turn your daydream into reality. If you see me around Santa-Clara, California, say hi—I’m the guy who once moved with nothing but a backpack and a guitar. Good luck on your new adventure!