Santa Clara County

The County of Santa Clara and the greater Bay Area are one of the most popular travel destinations for visitors from across the country and around the world. With our truly diverse culture, natural beauty and attractions that rival most states, we offer the perfect vacation and living spot for you and your family.

There are 15 cities ranging from Palo Alto in the north to Gilroy in the south. San Jose is the largest city in the County, with a population of over 900,000, and is the administrative site of County Government. A significant portion of the county’s land area is unincorporated ranch and farmland.

The County of Santa Clara has a culture rich in its history, ethnic diversity (over 100 languages and dialects are spoken), artistic endeavors, sports venues and academic institutions. The County is home to three major universities – Stanford University, Santa Clara University and San Jose State University – as well as excellent community colleges. In sports and recreation San Jose is home to teams for professional soccer- the Earthquakes; minor league baseball- the San Jose Giants; and the San Jose Sharks- the only professional ice hockey team in Northern California. Numerous public and private golf courses are located throughout the County. In addition to these recreational outlets the County of Santa Clara operates 27 parks covering more than 50,000 acres including scenic lakes, streams and miles of hiking and biking trails.

In addition to the wide variety of business, educational, cultural and recreational opportunities within the County, a short hour drive can bring residents or visitors to the famous Lick Observatory on Mt. Hamilton, the hills of San Francisco or any number of white sand beaches along the Pacific Ocean from Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay to Monterey and Carmel. And wineries aren’t just for Napa and Sonoma — there are many wineries located in the heart of our County.

Today the County is a major employment center for the region providing more than a quarter of all jobs in the Bay Area. It has one of the highest median family incomes in the country and a wide diversity of cultures, backgrounds and talents. The County of Santa Clara continues to attract people from all over the World.

The County’s population of nearly 1.7 million is one of the largest in the state, following Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange Counties, and is the largest of the nine Bay Area counties. Its population constitutes about one fourth of the Bay Area’s total population. The County of Santa Clara is made up of people from diverse cultures, nationalities and racial groups. The County, with its diverse population, high standard of living and strong economic vitality has attracted people from all over the world.

Today the County of Santa Clara is known as “Silicon Valley,” the birthplace of the high technology revolution. The County of Santa Clara is also unique because of its combination of physical attractiveness and economic diversity. With its numerous natural amenities and one of the highest standards of living in the country, the County has long been considered one of the best areas in the United States in which to live and work.