Santa Clara County California

Santa Clara County is located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay and encompasses 1,312 square miles.  The Santa Clara Valley runs the entire length of the county from north to south, ringed by the rolling hills of the Diablo Range on the east, and the Santa Cruz Mountains on the west.  Salt marshes and wetlands lie in the northwestern part of the county, adjacent to the waters of San Francisco Bay.

The County of Santa Clara, also referred to as "Silicon Valley," is 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.

There are 15 cities including Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga, and Sunnyvale ranging from Palo Alto to the north, to Gilroy in the south.  San Jose is the largest city in the County, with a population of nearly 900,000, and is the administrative site of County Government.  A significant portion of the county's land area is unincorporated ranch and farmland.  Nearly 92% of the population lives in cities.

The latest 2000 census reports put the Median value of owner-occupied housing in Santa Clara County at $446,400, compared to the California state Median value of $211,500.