San Jose, located in northern California in the Santa Clara Valley, is the third-largest city in the state (930,000) and the eleventh-largest in the nation. San Jose is the capital of Silicon Valley, where many high-tech companies are located. The area is also one of the world's leading centers for medical treatment and research. Heart transplants, gene splicing, and transportable baby incubators were developed there. San Jose has also has healthy retail, transportation, and tourism industries and is the primary center for real estate and industrial development in the area. Agriculture is still a large part of the city's economy, with wine production and food processing/distribution among its leading industries.
The city also ranks among highest in the country for median household income, giving it a wealth of entertaining outlets to spend that income. Including Oakland, San Francisco and other communities in the Bay Area, San Jose is part of the country's fourth-largest metropolis. But despite its size, San Jose is one of the country's safest, ranking #1 among big cities on Morgan Quitno's Safest Cities in America list three years in a row.
San Jose has a world-renowned quality of life, offering a wide variety of exciting cultural, recreational, educational and entertainment opportunities. In addition, the City of San José has the nation's best public safety record of any metropolitan area, a marvelous ethnic diversity and a beautiful climate. With 300 sunny days per year, an average annual temperature of 70 degrees and proximity to the ocean and mountains, San Jose is ideal for outdoor recreation. Almaden Lake Park within the city offers swimming, fishing, boating, wind surfing, hiking and volleyball.
February 2010 Median House: $420,000
