San José is a different kind of big city. We are the third largest city in California and the 13th largest city in the United States. We reside on the brink of change, deeply connected to our rich origins, yet alive in a space uniquely ours. This mindset fosters an urban center of innovation, learning, transit, creativity and art in Silicon Valley. Oh, and our weather is second to none.

We're all about location.

San José’s quality of life is unsurpassed. Surrounded by the Diablo and Santa Cruz mountain ranges and enjoying an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, residents have easy access to the beaches along the California coast including Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Carmel; Yosemite and Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada; local and Napa Valley wine country, and the rich cultural and recreational life of the entire Bay region.

We’re the birthplace of Silicon Valley.

From yesterday’s agricultural roots to today’s tech giants, we continue to drive innovation, enterprise and growth. Entrepreneurship is in our DNA, and we’re a natural home for those with the next great idea and a thirst for change. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center has resulted in one of the largest concentrations of technology companies and expertise in the world, including major tech headquarters like Cisco, Adobe, Zoom, Samsung, and eBay as well as start-ups and advanced manufacturing.

We have a thriving ecosystem of talent, infrastructure, research and creation.

San José is home to approximately 66,000 businesses employing a total of 439,000 workers in sectors ranging from advanced manufacturing to healthcare to software. More than 2,500 high-tech companies are located here. We have easy access to the Bay Area and beyond, space to grow and a talent pool of one in five residents with degrees in science, engineering, technology and math. It’s no wonder San José is known as one of the world’s great innovation clusters to live and work.

Downtown San José is Silicon Valley’s vibrant urban center - with a blend of young professionals, high-rise housing, entertainment and business.

North San José is where the world’s leading technology firms do their biggest, best work – whether it’s dreaming up the next microprocessor innovation, AI breakthrough or manufacturing improvement.

South San José is an expansive region with thriving business, green space and parkland.

A steady talent pipeline.

As the largest city in the Bay Area, a growing concentration of young professionals, expert technologists and experienced managers call San José home.

• 1 in 3 San José residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher
• 1 in 5 hold degrees in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
• #1 city nationally for foreign-born talent
• 50% of San José residents have a college degree or higher, making San José one of the most highly educated communities in the nation
• One of nation’s top cities in education levels and household income

 

We act locally and think globally.

 

Our greatness comes from our differences. Our mindset is eclectic and agnostic – a good idea is a good idea in any language, and they are all spoken here. Together, we are committed to being the most successful multicultural community in the world.

 

 

Of the City’s 1 million residents, 32 percent are Latino, 35 percent are Asian, 26 percent are White and 3 percent are Black.

More than 39 percent of San José’s population is foreign-born—with 118,000 residents born in Latin America and 225,000 residents born in Asia.

The upshot is a cultural and culinary diversity you won’t get anywhere else. (San José boasts more than 100,000 Vietnamese residents, more than any other city outside of Vietnam.) The evidence is everywhere: Including fantastic restaurants in Little Saigon, Little Portugal, Japantown, Little Italy or just around most any corner.

A global city and a California lifestyle - active, green, and healthy.

 

 

 

In San José, you’ll get the best of big city amenities—sports, arts, dining, shopping, and urban vitality—along with the Northern California lifestyle—active, green, and healthy. With more than 300 days of sunshine annually, San José is the place to be.

• Downtown San José: Downtown is Silicon Valley’s urban core —the region’s only urban live-work environment, home to 250+ restaurants and cafes, 40+ cultural venues, thousands new high-rise homes in the City Center and easy access to transit via Diridon Station.
• Arts and Culture: San José offers a wide array of events, and arts and cultural venues including museums, art exhibits, concerts, theatrical performances, festivals and events.
• Parks and Trails: San José has the largest urban trail network in the nation.
• Bike Friendly: San José is a bike friendly city with a numerous bikeways, hundreds of shared bikes and electric scooters, along with a growing bike lane system.
• Retail Hot Spots: San José has numerous shopping destinations including Downtown, Santana Row, and Valley Fair.
• Neighborhood Districts: San José has wonderful neighborhoods near business districts, such as the Alameda, Willow Glen, Japantown and Alum Rock.
• Sports and Events: SAP Center in Downtown is home to hundreds of Sharks games, concerts and events annually, while PayPal Park is home to the San Jose Earthquakes and the world’s largest outdoor stadium bar.

Never finished.

We are bold. Outspoken. Razor sharp and ablaze to make our mark. But we aren’t done yet. Not even close. We’re a city on the rise, and we can’t wait to see what you’ve got.

 

Living and working in San José - three people, one city

We talk with a tech product designer, a manufacturing CEO and a community arts organization leader, on their San Jose experience.