At the southern tip of San Francisco Bay, about 45 miles south of San Francisco, is the beautiful city of Santa Clara, California. Not only is Santa Clara rated as one of the best places to live in Silicon Valley, but it is also actually considered to be one of the best areas to live in all of the United States.
The perfect location of Santa Clara makes it the ideal place to call home. With all the convenience of freeways, airports, railroads, expressways, light rail and other public transportation, the door to the world and all of its fantastic amenities is wide open.
The economic diversity of Santa Clara, its beautiful landscapes, natural amenities, high standards of living, and a mix of urban and suburban lifestyles make this one of the most sought out places to live in Silicon Valley for all age demographics.
You know you want to move to Santa Clara but trying to decide which is the best neighborhood to live in Santa Clara, CA can be quite overwhelming. Wanting to make it easier and less overwhelming for you, we have put together a list of the BEST Neighborhoods to Live in Santa Clara, California.
The Top 6 Neighborhoods to Live in Santa Clara, California
Central Santa Clara
The location of Central Santa Clara is what makes this one of the best neighborhoods in Santa Clara to call home. What makes this Santa Clara neighborhood stand out is the fact that it is situated close to many first-class amenities. It is within walking distance of many excellent shops and fabulous restaurants. Everything one can want and need is available right where you are.
Central Santa Clara is known to be a family-friendly and pristine community. Not only is the neighborhood of Central Santa Clara a great place to raise a family providing excellent schooling options, its many attractive and diverse attributes attract residents of all backgrounds and lifestyles.
The beautiful Santa Clara Central Park is a 50-acre park with lush green spaces, a great playground, an amazing amphitheater, tennis and basketball courts, picnic areas and one of the best recreation centers in Santa Clara. No matter what age you are, you will find many ways to enjoy living in Central Santa Clara.
1. Rivermark
Rivermark is a charming, master-planned community stretched across a 152-acre parcel of land which was previously owned by the State of California. Today the community is filled with beautifully crafted single-family homes, condominiums and townhomes as well as retail space, parks, a library and a school.
Bordered by Montague Expressway on the south, Rivermark is ideally located for those who travel into San Jose as the downtown district, depending on traffic, only takes roughly 15 minutes to reach.
There are a number of parks which fall within and just outside of the Rivermark community. Live Oak Park and Thamien Park are located in Rivermark and offer large grassy areas, playgrounds, multi-use sports fields, basketball courts and trails for visitors to enjoy. Nearby, the Guadalupe River runs along the eastern edge of the neighborhood and offers scenic areas for residents to walk.
2. Kentfield
Located about three miles southeast of Central Santa Clara you will find the smaller community of Kentfield. If you are looking for a small-town feel in a metropolitan setting, the best neighborhood to live in Santa Clara, CA would be Kentfield.
With the San Tomas Expressway in your backyard, short commute times to and from work are a great bonus of living here.
The neighborhood of Kentfield is an exceptional community for all ages, older residents who may prefer a more relaxed and quiet setting, those who are looking for a slower pace outside of work hours and of course, it's a great place for raising a family.
One of Kentfield’s local attractions is the 112- acre amusement park, California’s Great America.
Kentfield is a well-established community making it one of the best places to live in Santa Clara CA.
3. San Tomas Woods
San Tomas Woods is a beautiful neighborhood located to the west of its namesake, the San Tomas Expressway. Falling across from the stunning Pruneridge Golf Club, residents of San Tomas Woods enjoy the community’s quiet and friendly atmosphere.
Residents of San Tomas are just a short 10 to 15-minute drive from San Jose which offers them an ideal location near many job opportunities, schools, restaurants, entertainment venues and shopping locations.
Dotted around the community are many parks, recreational areas and more which residents of San Tomas Woods can quickly visit and explore. Parks such as Mission City Memorial Park, Central Park and Henry Schmidt Park are all within minutes of the neighborhood and offer green space, playgrounds and more.
4. Lawrence and El Camino
Another well-known gem of a community to choose to live in in Santa Clara CA is the Santa Clara neighborhood of Lawrence and El Camino. Lawrence and El Camino is a first choice preference if one is looking to belong to a close-knit community. The smaller size of this Santa Clara neighborhood is what makes it so easy to make friends and the ability to be involved for those who feel this is what makes a community feel like home.
Although it was once known to be a community for the middle age demographic, the highly-rated schools found in this neighborhood have made it very attractive for those raising a family.
The Lawrence and El Camino neighborhood is located just north of Central Santa Clara.
If you enjoy golf, you will enjoy living close to this 9 hole executive golf course, Sunken Gardens. The Sunken Gardens Golf Course is a fantastic course for all skill levels.
5. Oakmead
If you are looking for a neighborhood that is a bit larger in size, then the neighborhood of Oakmead should be placed on the top of your list of considerations for best places to live in Santa Clara.
Oakmead is situated four miles west of downtown Santa Clara. The close proximity to the central hub of Santa Clara means that Oakmead offers its homeowners a well-balanced mixture of urban and suburban living.
The geographical location of this community provides ease and convenience for traveling around Santa Clara and other nearby cities with its direct access to Highway 101 and the Montague Expressway.
Oakmead is a great community for professionals because of its easy commute to many companies and businesses. The employment opportunities that this location offers make Oakmead a wonderful place for everyone to establish roots.
Oakmead offers lots of places to get out and enjoy walking or biking. Enjoy exploring the Santa Clara Square Marketplace. Not only is this a luxurious apartment complex but it also features incredible dining options, exquisite retail shops and a Whole Foods Marketplace.
Oakmead is also home to the top-rated Mission College, a public college for those seeking to further their education.
6. Westwood
The neighborhood of Westwood Santa Clara CA is a well-established community offering everything from single-family homes to apartment complexes and quarter-acre lots.
If you are moving with children or plan to begin your family, this is a great community to live in as it provides excellent education options.
Westwood is a community that is quite bikeable making it so easy to get around without a car.
This Santa Clara neighborhood features a great park and a very popular Silicon Valley golf course. The Henry Schmidt Park and the Pruneridge Golf Club make the Westwood neighborhood one of the best places to live in Silicon Valley.
Living in Santa Clara, CA
Of all the places to live in Silicon Valley, Santa Clara, CA is one of the best places to live in Silicon Valley. With its diverse neighborhoods, and continual growth as more and more businesses make Santa Clara their base of operations, and incredible amenities, this bustling city is quite attractive to all demographics.
Santa Clara is known to be “the center or hub of Silicon Valley'' and prides itself in being a family-oriented and professional-friendly city. You will absolutely love living in any one of the Santa Clara neighborhoods.
The fantastic weather of Santa Clara is yet another one of the many reasons people love living here. With an average of 261 days of sun a year, the warm and very agreeable Mediterranean climate of Santa Clara residents can pretty much claim they live where it is warm and mild all year round.
With so much to do and the great ease of getting around, Santa Clara neighborhoods offer something for everyone. From incredible green spaces, parks, open-air shopping centers, bike and walking trails, top-notch restaurants, great shopping, plenty of recreational centers, museums, breweries, area wineries and so more you can choose an active or passive lifestyle that can be everything you desire it to be.
Something to make note of if you are a sports fan is that the San Francisco 49ers football team made Santa Clara their home in 2014. This means sports fans can take in a live game of American football right in their own backyard.
Also, just a short drive away is the SAP Center at San Jose, the home of the San Jose Sharks National Hockey League Team.
Although Santa Clara is headquarters to several of the world’s greatest tech companies it isn’t just about the technology. There are many top-rated healthcare and education opportunities as well as an abundance of high-paying careers to be found by making Santa Clara home.
Whether you are an ambitious professional, single, married, have children, no children, retiree, student or empty nester there is an incredible neighborhood in Santa Clara that's just perfect for you. Being the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara really does offer something for everyone.
One of the things that go hand in hand with such a progressive and thriving location to live is of course the high cost of living. Is the high cost of living in Santa Clara CA worth the move?
As already mentioned above, there are so many great reasons to live in Santa Clara CA that totally make the high cost of living worth it. Top-rated schools, amazing diversity, high-paying jobs, neighborhoods that offer the best of everything for everyone, location, the best of health care and of course easy access to the world and all it has to offer are just a few of these reasons.
Having the majestic mountains of the Pacific Coast just 30 minutes away by car provides countless adventures of hiking and camping or perhaps you prefer the nearby beaches, boardwalks and natural beauty of Santa Cruz to fill your free time.
Also surrounding this beautiful city is what the California Native Americans call the “Valley of the Heart’s Delight”. The perfect Mediterranean climate combined with optimum nutrient-rich soils provides excellent conditions for grape growing. Whether you love red, white or rose, you will quite enjoy the many wineries available just outside of Santa Clara.
No matter which of the Top 5 Neighborhoods to Live in Santa Clara, California 2022 you pick to call home, we hope you find the information we have provided helpful in making your decision with confidence.
The Bay Area and Silicon Valley have it all. Some of the best neighborhoods to live in for families and young professionals to raise a family. Find some of the safest places to live and enjoy the fantastic climate while living near your work or the beach. Find the best areas for singles, young married couples, and first-time home buyers.
Silicon Valley Real Estate is a team of invested industry professionals ready to help clients through the entire buying and selling process. The local knowledge the Don Orason Real Estate Group has will ensure clients get the results they want and deserve.
