Silicon Valley hasn’t always had a reputation for family-friendliness. Housing prices and overall costs of living are extremely high. That compounds the challenges of raising a family.
Nevertheless, a new report from WalletHub names San Jose the best city for families in California. It was the only California locale to make WalletHub’s list of the 50 Best Places to Live for Families, coming in at #14 nationwide.
Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains in the Santa Clara Valley, San Jose is a place where jobs are plentiful, the weather is warm, and the schools are highly rated. Considered the heart of Silicon Valley, it’s a haven for tech workers. Adobe, Cisco, and eBay are just a few of the big tech firms located here, and the area is not far from the headquarters of such tech giants as Apple in Cupertino and Google in Mountain View. While commuting can get a bit congested, many local firms offer shuttles for their workers.
Its status as a tech hub has given the city an urban feel with a vibrant downtown area full of character (there’s an oversize Monopoly board in the park), but its sprawling nature gives way to more suburban areas, too. Its 1 million–plus residents, more than three-quarters of whom come from diverse backgrounds, have 18 neighborhoods to choose from.
San Jose delivers over 300 days of sunshine a year in which to enjoy all of its outdoor offerings. The Sierra Azul Preserve provides endless trails for biking; Castle Rock State Park features many hiking opportunities among the redwoods; and Los Gatos Creek Trail is always brimming with joggers and Rollerbladers. For those who want some grapes with their nature, Napa Valley is less than two hours away.
The city is also rich in entertainment, home to several landmark theaters and music venues. From the Tech Museum of Innovation to the San Jose Museum of Artto the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, cultural options abound.
As noted, housing costs are the main drawback. The median sales price for a single-family home in 2022 was $1,334,021. But earnings are high. The median household income in San Jose is $139,847.
Nationally, the best city for families is Silver Spring, Maryland.
See full list and methodology here.
List was compiled by WalletHub and does not reflect statistics on all cities.