Santa Clara, CA Homes For Rent

Homes for Rent in Santa Clara, CA: What You Need to Know

Santa Clara is strategically located at the heart of Silicon Valley, close to both San Jose and San Francisco. No wonder the city calls itself “The Center of What’s Possible.”

Local Job Opportunities

Santa Clara (population: 130,365) is part of Silicon Valley in the San Francisco Bay Area. It’s home to some of the world’s biggest technology companies, including Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Applied Materials, Nvidia, Oracle, and Ericsson. A robust local economy can be attributed to the more than 12,000 businesses located in the city, with $3 billion in new development projects expected in the near future.

The Cost of Living in Santa Clara

Moving to Santa Clara? Brace yourself for a cost of living that’s 51.4% higher than the national average. Food and housing costs are not any better – 3.7% and 53% higher than the national average, respectively. The city’s median gross rent is $2,261. Take note that California has one of the highest tax rates in the U.S. The state charges from 1% to 13.3% in income tax. Its sales tax rate ranges from 7.25% to 10.50%. 

Know Your Neighborhoods

Santa Clara is considered a suburb of San Jose, so if you love suburbs, it’s a great choice for you. Residents tout their hometown as less elitist and friendlier than other Silicon Valley cities, although they admit it’s pricey. More than half of Santa Clara’s residents are renters. University South is close to Santa Clara and Stanford University (Palo Alto) both. The majority of its residents are renters. Barron Park is within commuting distance of Santa Clara, and gets kudos for its rural ambiance. Santa Clara, University South, and Barron Park all have excellent schools.

Getting Around in Santa Clara

Traffic in the Bay Area is almost always heavy. Using public transportation is a reliable alternative to driving. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) provides bus, light rail, and paratransit services throughout the county, including Santa Clara City. In addition, the Altamont Corridor Express train and Caltrain, as well as Amtrak, service the city. From Santa Clara, you can take Caltrain to and from San Francisco while Amtrak can take you to and from Sacramento. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) services Santa Clara and all of Silicon Valley.

Shopping in Town

Santa Clara Town Centre, a strip mall, and Santana Row are the closest shopping destinations for locals. Santana Row is an outdoor mall with over 70 shops, nine spas and salons, and 20 restaurants. The Great Mall in Milpitas, only nine miles away from Santa Clara, is true to its name. It’s the largest enclosed outlet destination in Northern California, featuring more than 200 stores.