When people dream of California, they dream of someplace like San Jose. An hour south of San Francisco, in the heart of Silicon Valley, San Jose is abuzz with opportunity. Fresh ideas and young talent are everywhere. And while its cost of living may be high, so are its salaries. The average household brings in over $117,000, compared to $78,000 for the rest of the country.
The city’s added jobs at twice the national rate for the past ten years and its unemployment is 1.5 percent below most American cities. Not surprisingly, technology is the main driver. There are over 6,600 tech firms operating in or around the city, including Apple, Google, Netflix, Oracle, Cisco, Amazon, eBay, Adobe, Intel, Hitachi, Verifone, Sage, and Western Digital ‒ all paying good money for skilled coders and project managers.
However, there’s strong demand for financial, manufacturing, and healthcare workers as well. A registered nurse can make over $112,000 a year in city hospitals! But money isn’t the only reason people are moving to San Jose. It’s rich, but also peaceful, charming, and diverse ‒ one of the most exciting places to live in the country.
Great for Families
San Jose is a city for young families as well as young professionals. The booming economy has allowed it to invest heavily in schools, parks, and public safety. Its education system is one of the best in the state, with strong academics, high graduation rates, and low student-teacher ratios. Most graduates go on to pursue higher education in local colleges or universities, such as Stanford and San Jose State University, renowned for their computer science, business, engineering, nursing, and marketing programs.
After school, parents and children relax and explore the city’s parks. San Jose has cultivated green space all across town, most notably:
- Municipal Rose Garden. Five acres of green lawns and colorful flowers, with over 3,500 plantings and 189 varieties. Visit from April through November and you’ll always find at least one section of the park in full bloom.
- Happy Hollow Park & Zoo. Home to wildlife from all over the world, including lemurs, red pandas, squirrel monkeys, and capybaras. Kids can take part in interactive lessons or enjoy a fun performance at the zoo’s puppet theater.
- Alum Rock Park. One of America’s oldest and largest municipal parks. Over 720 acres of green trees and golden hills ‒ perfect for hikers, cyclists, horseback riders, and family picnics.
Alongside its great parks, San Jose also has some of the safest streets in California. Besides combating robbery and violent crimes, the police have special units for school and child safety, as well as quality-of-life crimes such as vandalism, trespassing, and blighted property. They even helped introduce community policing back in the 1990s. As a result of this proactive approach, crime has remained well below the rest of the state. In fact, San Jose is America’s 4th safest city with more than 500,000 residents.
Close to Nature
San Jose is surrounded. There are rolling hills to the east. Magnificent beaches to the west. And sun-drenched mountains on either side. Black Mountain and Mount Umunhum are particularly popular for their spectacular views and incredible landscape. San Joseans can hike, ride, and camp amid woodland forests, sprawling grasslands, cool ravines, and seasonal brooks winding their way through the countryside.
And unlike cities further north, San Joseans can get out and enjoy themselves practically year-round, thanks to the incredible weather. Summers are warm, but not hot; winters are cool, but not cold. Even in December, the average high rarely dips below 60°F.
And despite a few scattered rain storms, the weather is mostly clear. The city enjoys 300 days of sun every year, which means plenty of opportunities for backpacking, trail running, horseback riding, mountain biking, and other forms of outdoor recreation.
Numerous Unique Attractions
Living in San Jose means there’s always a lot to do and see. The city’s packed with attractions, including:
- Winchester Mystery House. One of America’s architectural wonders. Built by Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester Repeating Arms fortune, the house is a labyrinth of trap doors, dead ends, and bizarre fixtures. Rumored to be haunted, it’s a massive and unforgettable structure, sure to send a shiver up your spine.
- SAP Center. Home to the San Jose Sharks, this 17,500 seat arena is the place to be during hockey season. San Joseans are fanatics for the ice. When the team’s out of town, the arena hosts big-name musical and comedy acts, such as Dave Chappelle, Pitbull, and John Mayer.
- Santana Row. Where San Joseans go in search of retail therapy. One of America’s chicest and most relaxing shopping districts, full of colorful storefronts selling clothes, furniture, and gadgets from the world’s biggest labels. Also home to the city’s biggest farmer’s market, full of hand-made products from local artisans.
- Tech Interactive. A hands-on museum for kids who love to play with technology. Its science and engineering labs give them a solid grasp of the principles behind today’s most astounding innovations.
- San Jose Museum of Art. Explore the latest in contemporary art at this cutting-edge institution. A series of rotating exhibitions showcase the imagination and ingenuity of America’s leading painters, sculptors, architects, and designers.
- SubZERO Festival. An extraordinary street fair celebrating everything weird and wonderful about San Jose. Musicians and street artists crowd downtown to show off their skill and creativity. Come to watch or join in! Participation is not only welcomed, but encouraged.
Packed with Multicultural Neighborhoods
San Jose welcomes and celebrates diverse cultures. It’s home to one of the country’s last remaining Japantowns, a place where people can immerse themselves in the history, traditions, and artwork of Japanese Americans. Learn about the community’s struggles at the Japanese American Museum. Try authentic ramen and sushi, served fresh at restaurants throughout the district. Sing your heart out at a karaoke bar or witness the grace and majesty of Obon, a Buddhist festival honoring the spirits of their ancestors, held every August.
San Jose’s Little Saigon is home to the largest Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam. At the Viet Museum or Museum of the Boat People & the Republic of Vietnam, you’ll hear the story of the brave Vietnamese who fled to America after the end of the Vietnam War. Explore the Friendship Garden or shop at Vietnam Town, one of the city’s up-and-coming retail districts. Purchase unique, East Asian products then grab lunch at one of the center’s pho restaurants. Tet, the traditional Vietnamese New Year, is celebrated every January and February, at Lion Plaza, the heart of the neighborhood. Witness the joy and heritage of the Vietnamese community as they welcome the new year with firecrackers, lion dancers, and strings of Chinese lanterns.
At Mexican Heritage Plaza, you’ll experience the art and culture of San Jose’s Hispanic community. Their music and dance programs help preserve Mexico’s indigenous culture, passing it down through the generations in a series of brilliant public performances held throughout the year. The community comes together to commemorate its pioneers and civil rights leaders, as well as Mexican Independence Day and Dia de Los Muertos. All people are welcome to share in the festivities and learn more about Mexican food, history, and folklore.
Integrated Public Transportation
Most Californians are reliant on their cars, but not San Joseans. The city’s extensive public transit system makes it easy to travel to and from downtown without hopping in an automobile. Catch a bus or jump aboard the city’s light rail network – it’s one of the easiest and fastest ways to navigate the city.
Or save a few bucks and go by bike. The city’s bike paths are 285 miles long and connect almost every neighborhood and park, not to mention the business district. An additional 215 miles are currently being added, which will make the city even more bike-friendly. Residents who don’t have a bike can rent one from the Bay Area Bike Share, the first large-scale bicycle sharing program in California, designed to facilitate faster, cleaner, and cheaper travel throughout San Francisco Bay.
Help Moving to San Jose
Whether you’re moving to San Jose for personal or business reasons, trust Allied to get you there. For the past 85 years, we’ve helped families transport their households long distances, from one side of the country to the other. Our teams help you pack, load, and store your most valuable belongings. With agents operating in every state, you can be sure of personal, on-the-ground support no matter where you go. Contact us today for a free quote!
ABOUT HAZELWOOD ALLIED
Established in Santa Barbara in 1918, Hazelwood Allied is a full service relocation company providing national relocation and international moves for residential and commercial clients. Known as “The Careful Movers,” Hazelwood Allied is a Santa Barbara moving company with a strong track record for thorough and careful approaches to residential moves and commercial moves. Follow the Facebook page for exclusive offers and moving tips. Call 800-541-5958 for a free moving estimate.
