Where are the ‘yay areas’ in the San Jose Bay Area? Keep reading, you’re about to find out.
We think that San Jose is one of the best cities in America: it’s one of a kind. And this is quite an honor considering it’s currently one of the biggest cities in the country. What we really think makes this city so great, however, is that it has San Francisco and Oakland in its backyard and the Pacific Ocean to the West; so, we couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to live in this NorCal gem. That’s where HomeSnacks, the experts at scientifically ranking places, comes in: we’ve created a list of the best neighborhoods in San Jose for 2024 and listed them below.
If the home to the San Jose Sharks is on your radar for 2024, you’re going to need a couple of things to fall into place if you want to live in one of this city’s best neighborhoods. First, to live in most of the places that made this list, you’re going to have to make at least $114,571/year-especially in one of San Jose’s best neighborhoods, Cambrian Park, where homes on average cost $832,741.
Incidentally, San Jose is also one of the most diverse cities in California and this usually equates to great food and cultural experiences for all; and, folks, these gold star qualities are definitely evident in one of San Jose’s best neighborhoods, Willow Glen. Matter of fact, this great San Jose neighborhood is home to the Assyrian Food Festival every year.
And while Cambrian Park and Willow Glen are definitely great little corners of San Jose, they are not the best; so, if you want to know what neighborhood is number one, you’re going to have to look below.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
Since HomeSnacks is a data driven site, we turned to the numbers to produce the most accurate list of the best neighborhoods in San Jose. To get our list, we looked at the latest FBI data, Census report, and BLS for median home prices and median income for San Jose’s 18 neighborhoods. We then ran each neighborhood through our Snackbility index and gave each a score based on jobs, affordability, safety, and amenities.
So, what is the best neighborhood in San Jose for 2024? According to the latest data and our index, West San Jose is number one.
To see a list of how the rest of San Jose’s neighborhoods faired, give that down arrow another scroll.
For more California reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In California
- Cheapest Places To Live In California
- Most Dangerous Cities In California
The 10 Best Neighborhoods To Live In San Jose
Population: 96,997
Median Home Value: $1,301,833 (best)
Median Income: $143,421 (Fifth best)
More on West San Jose: Data | Real Estate
Population: 70,045
Median Home Value: $1,139,062 (Third best)
Median Income: $145,893 (Third best)
More on Cambrian Park: Data | Real Estate
Population: 46,778
Median Home Value: $1,176,574 (Second best)
Median Income: $181,680 (best)
More on Almaden Valley: Data | Real Estate
Population: 81,105
Median Home Value: $896,235 (Seventh best)
Median Income: $159,304 (Second best)
More on Evergreen: Data | Real Estate
Population: 77,437
Median Home Value: $1,088,590 (Fourth best)
Median Income: $130,927 (Eighth best)
More on Willow Glen: Data | Real Estate
Population: 71,983
Median Home Value: $809,087 (11th best)
Median Income: $118,432 (Tenth best)
More on Blossom Valley: Data | Real Estate
Population: 38,763
Median Home Value: $957,650 (Sixth best)
Median Income: $135,823 (Seventh best)
More on Berryessa: Data | Real Estate
Population: 14,537
Median Home Value: $1,066,850 (Fifth best)
Median Income: $118,739 (Ninth best)
More on Rose Garden: Data | Real Estate
Population: 35,478
Median Home Value: $826,107 (Ninth best)
Median Income: $144,769 (Fourth best)
More on North San Jose: Data | Real Estate
Population: 80,651
Median Home Value: $731,928 (12th best)
Median Income: $105,663 (11th best)
More on North Valley: Data | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Best San Jose, CA Neighborhoods In 2024
To rank the best neighborhoods in San Jose, we had to determine what criteria define “best” and then apply Saturday Night Science to it.
Using FBI crime, Census, and extrapolated BLS data, we arrived at the following set of criteria:
- High incomes
- Low unemployment rates
- Low crime
- High home prices
- High population densities (A proxy for things to do)
We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 18 in each category, where 1 was the best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a best neighborhood index.
And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest best neighborhood index, the “Best City Neighborhood In San Jose.” We’re lookin’ at you, West San Jose.
Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the best places San Jose, California has to offer. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city, from best to worst.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best neighborhoods to live in San Jose.
Summary: Putting A Bow On Our Analysis Of The Best Neighborhoods In San Jose
If you’re measuring the neighborhoods in San Jose where crime is low and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best neighborhoods in San Jose are West San Jose, Cambrian Park, Almaden Valley, Evergreen, Willow Glen, Blossom Valley, Berryessa, Rose Garden, North San Jose, and North Valley.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in San Jose aren’t all good. Buena Vista takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in San Jose.
The worst neighborhoods in San Jose are Buena Vista, Fairgrounds, Burbank, East San Jose, and Alum Rock-East Foothills.
We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below.
For more California reading, check out:
Best Neighborhoods To Live In San Jose For 2024 Detailed Data
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West San Jose | 96,997 | $1,301,833 | $143,421 |
| 2 | Cambrian Park | 70,045 | $1,139,062 | $145,893 |
| 3 | Almaden Valley | 46,778 | $1,176,574 | $181,680 |
| 4 | Evergreen | 81,105 | $896,235 | $159,304 |
| 5 | Willow Glen | 77,437 | $1,088,590 | $130,927 |
| 6 | Blossom Valley | 71,983 | $809,087 | $118,432 |
| 7 | Berryessa | 38,763 | $957,650 | $135,823 |
| 8 | Rose Garden | 14,537 | $1,066,850 | $118,739 |
| 9 | North San Jose | 35,478 | $826,107 | $144,769 |
| 10 | North Valley | 80,651 | $731,928 | $105,663 |
| 11 | Santa Teresa | 58,064 | $818,408 | $141,919 |
| 12 | Downtown | 84,990 | $844,232 | $95,888 |
| 13 | Edenvale-Seven Trees | 41,443 | $469,583 | $73,072 |
| 14 | Alum Rock-East Foothills | 29,934 | $680,715 | $94,629 |
| 15 | East San Jose | 115,325 | $645,096 | $96,615 |
| 16 | Burbank | 5,274 | $556,183 | $57,932 |
| 17 | Fairgrounds | 56,423 | $560,385 | $72,752 |
| 18 | Buena Vista | 1,423 | $420,833 | $44,822 |