If you or your spouse are part of the Silicon Valley scene, chances are you’re looking for a quick, comfortable commute that will ensure you can get away from the action without being too far away from it all.
We get it. And that’s why we’re all about these seven sought-after Bay Area suburbs, ideal for the tech set. With easy commutes, A+ schools, and an amazing quality of life, you’ll be right at home in these communities—and (for better or worse!) be surrounded by your fellow thought leaders, innovators, and tech elite.
#1. Los Gatos, CA
Netflix is here. So is Roku—and, beyond that, there are plenty of other smaller-names around town. That, though, is just a small reason to consider living in Los Gatos. This beautiful Bay Area community is incredibly family-friendly and family-focused.
Here, you’ll find a decidedly progressive population all hitting up the bustling downtown, amazing Santa Cruz Mountains trails, award-winning restaurants, and, of course, the top-rated schools. There’s a reason—or, really, lots of reasons—Niche ranks this community among the top suburbs to live inside Santa Clara County.
#2. Cupertino, CA
Cupertino’s most famous resident is, of course, Apple—but plenty of other companies including Amazon Lab, Welocalize and Symantec call this suburb “home.” While this community consistently scores high for everything from schools to safety to nightlife, the nearly $2.2 million median home value can make the cost of entry a bit high. That said, the schools are among the best in California and the community is tight-knit, active and fun, say residents. Also unique to this community: tons of amazing Asian specialty supermarkets and restaurants. Yum!
#3. Mountain View, CA
Ranked the #1 place to live in Santa Clara County, Mountain View is home to Google, LinkedIn, Upwork, and countless other tech companies—and that can make this city-in-the-suburbs feel like the center of all things Silicon Valley. More than 80,000 people—mostly families—call Mountain View “home.”
Given its city status, you’ll find everything here, from top-rated schools to cool shopping to hundreds of restaurants, bars, cafes, and coffee shops. And downtown Castro Street? There’s nothing you won’t find here.
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#4. San Jose, CA
eBay and Paypal as well as Adobe are anchored in massive San Jose campuses, another city that’s not the city. Niche ranks this bustling community in its top 100 Best Cities to Raise a Family in America so, if you land here, you’re in good company. More than one million people live here—and many work here, too. And, given its size, there’s something for everyone here—you can find a truly suburban vibe, a city-feeling neighborhood, hillier areas with larger lots and more.
Also impressive? Given its big-city status and proximity to San Francisco and the rest of Silicon Valley, the median home price is just over $1,000,000, making it a more reasonable area to consider, especially if you’ve got kids in tow. Among its other superlatives: #21 Best Cities for Outdoor Activities in America and #49 Healthiest Cities in America—both serious selling points if you’re looking for the best cities in Sillicon Valley and you’ve got an active and outdoorsy crew.
#5. Palo Alto, CA
Ranked the #5 best suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area, Palo Alto is one of the most sought-after communities around—it’s also one of the priciest, with a median home value around $3.1 million. That said, the price tag is worth it for residents who crave a true suburban experience close to all the action—an experience that includes highly ranked schools, a sought-after downtown, very welcoming neighbors and a pervasive sense of innovation thanks to its incubators and, of course, Stanford University. You’ll also find HP, Tesla and SAP, making this a true tech city epicenter.
#6. Menlo Park, CA
Just 33,000 call Menlo Park “home”—including Facebook, Sun Microsystems, Intuit and E*TRADE. With top-rated public schools and a very young, very affluent community of professionals dominating the town, there’s a reason Menlo Park ranks among the top towns for millennials not just in the Bay Area, but in California as a whole.
#7. Fremont, CA
If you work at Logitech or Tesla’s Fremont offices, this could be the community for you. This Alameda County community has a median home value just under $1.2 million—well below the area average—along with top-tier public schools, nightlife and a quick commute into San Francisco and throughout Silicon Valley thanks to two Bart Stations. Traffic can be tough, but it’s a small price to pay for the quality of life and family-friendly vibe that’s central to this community.
Talk to Our Strategists Today
Out of all of the best places to live in Silicon Valley, how do you figure out which city is best? You simply don’t, without getting a Suburban Jungle Strategist to help you through it all. Schedule here for your strategy session with our innovative suburbs strategy team. All services are completely free.