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Santa Clara occupies the south end of the San Francisco Bay, in the center of what became known as Silicon Valley, and is one of the larger cities in Santa Clara County with a population of roughly 130,000. It sits between San Jose to the south and east and Sunnyvale to the west, with major freeways — U.S. 101, Interstate 280, and State Route 237 — framing its edges. Known as the "Mission City," Santa Clara pairs one of California's deepest historical roots with one of the world's densest concentrations of technology industry. The city's history begins with Mission Santa Clara de Asís, established in 1777 as the eighth of California's 21 Spanish missions. The mission became the site of Santa Clara College, founded by the Jesuits in 1851 and today Santa Clara University, the oldest operating institution of higher learning in California. That heritage is visible in the mission church, the university campus, and the Old Quad neighborhood that grew up around them. In the late 20th century, the city's orchards and farmland gave way to the semiconductor and computing industries that defined Silicon Valley. Santa Clara is home to the headquarters of Intel, Nvidia, and Applied Materials, among others, and to Levi's Stadium, the home of the San Francisco 49ers, plus the California's Great America amusement park. The result is a city where residential neighborhoods, a research university, and global technology campuses sit side by side. Santa Clara appeals to a wide range of households: technology professionals who can walk or cycle to major employers, families drawn to the single-district school system and neighborhood parks, and residents who value the city's transit connections, central location, and mix of historic and modern housing. It is at once a company town of the tech economy and one of the Bay Area's oldest settled places.

Population 130,000

County Santa Clara

Active Listings 199

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Santa Clara located?

Santa Clara is in Santa Clara County, California, at the south end of the San Francisco Bay in the heart of Silicon Valley. It sits between San Jose and Sunnyvale, with U.S. 101, Interstate 280, and State Route 237 along its edges.

What is Santa Clara known for?

Santa Clara is known as the 'Mission City' and as the home of Santa Clara University, the oldest operating institution of higher learning in California. It also hosts Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, and major technology employers including Intel, Nvidia, and Applied Materials.

What school district serves Santa Clara?

Santa Clara Unified School District serves the entire city across elementary, middle, and high school levels. The city is also home to Santa Clara University, a private Jesuit university founded in 1851.

What county is Santa Clara in?

Santa Clara is in Santa Clara County, California, one of the most populous counties in the state. The county is the heart of the Silicon Valley technology region and includes San Jose, the largest city in Northern California.

How do residents get around Santa Clara?

Santa Clara is well connected by transit and freeway. Caltrain serves the city on the San Francisco–San Jose corridor, VTA light rail and buses provide local service, and San Jose Mineta International Airport lies just a few miles away.

City Guide

About Santa Clara

Real Estate & Housing

Santa Clara's housing spans more than a century of building. The Old Quad and other central neighborhoods hold early-20th-century bungalows and mid-century ranch homes, while the 1950s–1970s brought large tracts of single-family houses that now define much of the city. Newer development has added townhomes, condominiums, and apartment communities, particularly near transit corridors and the Rivermark planned community in the city's northern section. Housing demand is shaped by proximity to the city's major tech employers, and the stock ranges from modest starter homes to larger, updated properties, reflecting Santa Clara's transition from orchard town to tech hub.

Neighborhoods

Santa Clara's neighborhoods range from its historic core to planned communities. The Old Quad, surrounding Santa Clara University and Mission Santa Clara de Asís, is the city's oldest residential district, known for tree-lined streets and period homes. Rivermark, a newer master-planned community in the north, combines housing with shops, a library, and neighborhood services in a walkable layout. Established mid-century subdivisions fill the center of the city, while the areas near Levi's Stadium and the Santa Clara Convention Center blend residential, commercial, and event uses. This variety gives homebuyers options from historic bungalows to modern attached housing.

Lifestyle in Santa Clara

Santa Clara's lifestyle is shaped by its double identity as a historic mission city and a global technology center. University events, mission history, and the city's parks and community facilities give it a civic, family-oriented core, while the tech campuses, Levi's Stadium, and California's Great America bring energy and visitors. Downtown offers local dining and services, and the broader Bay Area — San Jose, Mountain View, Palo Alto, and San Francisco — is easily reached by car or transit. Residents enjoy a generally mild Bay Area climate and easy access to the cultural and dining amenities of the wider South Bay.

Schools & Education

Public education in Santa Clara is provided by Santa Clara Unified School District, which serves the entire city across elementary, middle, and high school levels — a rare one-district arrangement among Silicon Valley cities. The district's campuses include several neighborhood elementary schools and Santa Clara High School, among others. Santa Clara University, a private Jesuit university and the oldest operating institution of higher learning in California, anchors higher education within the city. Private and parochial schools add further options for families.

Getting Around

Santa Clara is one of the better-connected cities in the South Bay. Caltrain serves the city via its Santa Clara station on the corridor linking San Francisco and San Jose, and VTA light rail and buses provide local and regional connections. San Jose Mineta International Airport lies just a few miles away, and U.S. 101, Interstate 280, and State Route 237 offer freeway access across the Bay Area. For many residents, the city's central location and transit options make for shorter commutes to South Bay employers, though regional driving remains common.

Parks & Recreation

Santa Clara's recreation runs from historic to high-energy. Central Park offers picnic areas, a lake, playgrounds, and community facilities, while neighborhood parks are spread across the city. Levi's Stadium hosts San Francisco 49ers football and major events, and California's Great America provides a large regional amusement park. The Intel Museum offers a look at the semiconductor industry's history. Nearby, the Santa Clara Golf and Tennis Center and the Ulistac Natural Area add outdoor options, and the campus of Santa Clara University brings gardens and mission-era architecture into daily life.

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