Living in San Jose, CA

It's elevated — there's no way to sugarcoat a violent crime index of 131 when the national average sits at 100. Property crime is at 145. That said, city-wide averages hide a lot of variation. There are safe, quiet neighborhoods in San Jose where people raise families without much worry. The key is doing granular research: talk to residents, check precinct-level data, and visit at different times of day before signing a lease. FBI UCR numbers.

Housing costs in San Jose are reasonable. Median rent sits at $2,617/month with median household income at $141,565/year — a 22.2% rent-to-income ratio. That's well within the comfort zone that most financial advisors recommend. It's not dirt cheap, but most working households can afford rent here without financial strain. Other costs like groceries and utilities will vary, but the rent picture is solid. Census ACS 2023 data.

The average commute in San Jose runs 23 minutes, which is moderate. 64.6% of commuters drive solo, contributing to peak-hour congestion. 2.8% use transit, and 18.5% work from home. Rush hour on major corridors will add 10-15 minutes on top of the average, so plan your route before you pick a neighborhood.

Not particularly. The climate risk score is 31/100, which puts San Jose in the low-risk tier. Earthquake, Wildfire, and Drought are the most relevant hazards, but none of them are frequent concerns. Standard insurance should have you covered. It's one less thing to worry about if you're comparing this city to higher-risk metros along the coast or in tornado alley. Data from FEMA disaster declarations and NOAA.

For most families, yes. Graduation rates run at 90.0% with a 21:1 student-teacher ratio, which is respectable. The best schools in San Jose compete with any in the state, though weaker ones pull the city-wide average down. If schools drive your housing decision, focus on specific attendance zones — the right neighborhood makes all the difference.

About what you'd expect anywhere. The average monthly utility bill in San Jose runs around $223 for electricity, gas, water, and sewer combined. The national average is $230, so you're right in line. Your actual bill depends on home size, insulation quality, and how much you run the AC or heater — but no surprises here.

Good, overall. The median AQI sits at 46, which falls within the EPA's "Good" category, and San Jose logs 250 clean-air days annually. PM2.5 is the main pollutant. Occasional spikes happen — wildfire smoke, temperature inversions, or high-ozone days — but they're the exception, not the rule. Check AirNow.gov during allergy season or summer heat waves.

Higher than average, yes. The total effective tax rate lands around 17.6% when you add up income, property, and sales taxes. Sales tax is 9.1%. High-tax areas often come with better public schools, infrastructure, and services — but that's not guaranteed, and it's cold comfort on payday. If you're moving from a low-tax state like Texas or Florida, brace for a noticeable dip in take-home pay.

Yes. San Jose's water system scores 85/100 in our analysis — zero health-based violations on record, and the lead risk rating is "low." It meets or exceeds all EPA standards. You can fill a glass from the faucet without thinking twice. A basic pitcher filter can improve taste if you're particular, but it's not a safety concern.

Everything on this page is built from public government sources: rent and income figures from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023); commute and transportation data from Census ACS tables B08303 and B08006; crime rates from the FBI Uniform Crime Report; climate risk assessments using FEMA disaster declarations and NOAA storm records; air quality measurements from the EPA's Air Quality System database; water quality compliance data from EPA records and the EWG Tap Water Database; school data from the National Center for Education Statistics; utility cost estimates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. We refresh each dataset monthly through an automated pipeline and cross-check for anomalies. No surveys, no user-submitted guesses — just official federal data presented in a way that's actually useful for people researching a move.