Mountain View is a city located in Silicon Valley in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Known as the home of many technology companies including Google, Mozilla, Symantec and Intuit, Mountain View has emerged as a major hub for high-tech industry.
Population
According to the Wikipedia page for Mountain View, the 2020 census put the city’s population at 82,739. Mountain View is the 9th largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area by population. The population density was 6,949.88 inhabitants per square mile.
Mountain View has grown rapidly in recent decades as the technology industry has expanded in Silicon Valley. Between 1960 and 2000 the population grew over five-fold from 30,889 to 70,708. The rapid growth has presented challenges for city planning and housing affordability.
Economy and Major Employers
The city has a diverse economy covering high technology, retail, tourism and healthcare. As of 2018, the top employers were:
- Google – 12,990 employees
- Elanco – 1,695 employees
- Microsoft – 1,413 employees
- Synopsys – 1,350 employees
- LinkedIn – 1,320 employees
Other major employers include the El Camino Hospital, Intuit Inc., Mozilla Corporation, and Symantec.
The concentration of technology companies has led to extremely high housing costs. In 2020, the median home price reached $1.89 million according to the Mercury News.
Attractions and Landmarks
Some of the top attractions and landmarks in Mountain View include:
- Moffett Federal Airfield – Formerly Naval Air Station Moffett Field, home of NASA Ames Research Center.
- Hangar One – Iconic building at Moffett Federal Airfield constructed in 1932.
- Shoreline Park – Large regional park with views of San Francisco Bay.
- Pioneer Park – Community park in the center of downtown.
- Eagle Park – New park with skate park, dog park, and sports fields.
- Mountain View Amphitheater – Venue for concerts, performing arts and events.
Sports
While there are no major professional sports teams in Mountain View, residents are fans of Bay Area teams including:
- San Francisco Giants – Major League Baseball team.
- Golden State Warriors – National Basketball Association team.
- San Jose Sharks – National Hockey League team.
- San Jose Earthquakes – Major League Soccer team.
Many recreational youth and adult sports leagues also play at parks and schools across Mountain View.
The City of Mountain View has an official Facebook page to communicate news and information to residents.
With over 17,000 followers, the page provides updates on city events, programs, services, and more. Users can also message the page to ask questions or leave comments.
Connecting through social media allows the city government to directly engage with Mountain View citizens. The Facebook page supplements traditional communication methods like the city website, emails, and in-person interactions.