The Town FilesSan Jose, California
City in Santa Clara County · population 1,013,240 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,233,200
- Household income
- $146,427
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 38.2
San Jose is a city of 1,013,240 people in Santa Clara County, California. The median home is worth $1,233,200, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 90% of California towns, better transit than 90% of California towns, more seaside character than 86% of California towns.
How San Jose ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in San Jose is worth $1,233,200, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.4 times the median household income of $146,427, which is more affordable than 21% of California towns. Median rent is $2,669 a month. 55.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | San Jose | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,233,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,669 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $146,427 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 55.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in San Jose
| People | San Jose | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.3% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 42.0% | — |
| Work from home | 20.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in San Jose
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 43.3°F. About 16.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of San Jose since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on December 8, 1997 about 4.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 8, 1997.
Severe weather in Santa Clara County since 1996
Santa Clara County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County had 1,116,581 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $197,043 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in San Jose itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in San Jose
234 public schools with 128,790 students, about 21.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evergreen Valley High | 9-12 | 2,749 | 24.5 |
| Independence High | 9-12 | 2,368 | 21.1 |
| Silver Creek High | 9-12 | 2,184 | 23.7 |
| Santa Teresa High | 9-12 | 2,181 | 22.5 |
| Branham High | 9-12 | 1,955 | 22.5 |
| Piedmont Hills High | 9-12 | 1,945 | 22.6 |
| Leigh High | 9-12 | 1,816 | 24.5 |
| Lynbrook High | 9-12 | 1,720 | 23.2 |
| Yerba Buena High | 9-12 | 1,621 | 22.8 |
| Andrew P. Hill High | 9-12 | 1,620 | 20.5 |
| Abraham Lincoln High | 9-12 | 1,596 | 21.9 |
| Willow Glen High | 9-12 | 1,580 | 21.4 |
Towns near San Jose
- Alum Rock, CA5.1 mi · 12,042 people · home $909,500
- East Foothills, CA6.0 mi · 6,803 people · home $1,346,100
- Burbank, CA6.6 mi · 4,940 people · home $1,104,600
- Cambrian Park, CA6.9 mi · 3,719 people · home $2,000,001
- Campbell, CA7.7 mi · 43,959 people · home $1,617,000
- Los Gatos, CA9.1 mi · 33,529 people · home $2,000,001
- Santa Clara, CA9.7 mi · 127,647 people · home $1,582,600
- Monte Sereno, CA10.3 mi · 3,479 people · home $2,000,001
San Jose questions
Is San Jose, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, San Jose scores better for retirees than 31% of California towns and quieter than 14%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.2).
How much does a house cost in San Jose?
The median owner-occupied home in San Jose is valued at $1,233,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $146,427, so homes cost about 8.4 times income. Median rent is $2,669 a month.
What is the weather like in San Jose?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 43.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does San Jose get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of San Jose since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on December 8, 1997. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)