About Santa Clara County, California

santa clara county
Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Santa Clara County is located in the San Francisco Bay Area and is the most populous county in the region and in Northern California. The county seat and largest city is San Jose, which is the 10th-most populous city in the United States. The county has an estimated population of 1,998,107 as of the 2024 census. There are 15 cities in Santa Clara County, including Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, which are the second- and third-largest cities, respectively. The county is known for being the economic center of Silicon Valley and is home to many high-tech companies. It had the third-highest gross domestic product per capita in the world in 2015. The county’s website, santaclaracounty.gov, provides essential services, information, and resources for county residents.

Here are 10 facts about Santa Clara County, California:

1. Santa Clara County is the sixth-most populous county in California.
2. The county seat and largest city, San Jose, is the most populous city in the San Francisco Bay Area.
3. Santa Clara County is part of the San Jose metropolitan area, which is contiguous with the San Francisco metropolitan area, making it a component of one of the most heavily populated areas in the United States.
4. The county is located in the center of Silicon Valley, northwest of San Jose, and 50 minutes southeast of San Francisco.
5. Santa Clara County was named after the Mission Santa Clara de Asis, one of the many missions that the Spanish created during their rule in California.
6. The county has a diverse population, with the largest ethnic groups being Asian (Non-Hispanic) (37.9%), White (Non-Hispanic) (29.9%), Other (Hispanic) (9.43%), White (Hispanic) (9.17%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (5.7%).
7. The median household income in Santa Clara County is $140,258, and the median property value is $1.13 million.
8. The average commute time in Santa Clara County is 28.5 minutes, and the average car ownership is 2 cars per household.
9. Santa Clara County is home to five Fortune 1000 business headquarters, including the headquarters and practice facility for the San Francisco 49ers.
10. The county has a strong sports culture, with nearby professional sports teams such as the San Francisco 49ers (NFL), San José Sharks (NHL), San Francisco Giants (MLB), and Golden State Warriors (NBA).