Population
Santa Clara is a city located in Santa Clara County, California with a population of 129,488 as of 2021 according to the Wikipedia page on Santa Clara. It is part of the San Jose metropolitan area which has a population of around 2 million people.
Santa Clara was incorporated in 1852 and had a population of just 1,000 people at the time. The city saw rapid growth in the 1950s and 1960s with the development of Silicon Valley and is now one of the largest cities in the Bay Area.
According to the 2020 census, Santa Clara had 51,328 households and an average household size of 2.53 people. The racial makeup of the city was 36.3% Asian, 32.3% White, 2.5% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 21.6% from other races, and 6.1% from two or more races. Around 39.4% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Santa Clara has a relatively young population compared to state and national averages. The median age is 36.8 years old. Around 14% of the population is aged 65 or older while 27% is under age 18.
Economy
Santa Clara has a robust and thriving economy centered around technology and innovation. Many major tech companies are based in Santa Clara, making it an integral part of Silicon Valley.
Some of the major employers in Santa Clara include Intel, Applied Materials, Agilent Technologies, San Francisco 49ers, Levi’s Stadium, California’s Great America, and Apple.
Other important industries in the city include biotechnology, clean energy, healthcare, education, retail, and professional services.
In 2019, the median household income in Santa Clara was $126,486, significantly higher than the statewide median of $80,440. However, 11.8% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Some notable companies headquartered in Santa Clara include Intel, Nvidia, Applied Materials, Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto Networks, Coherent, Chegg, and Nextest Systems. The city is home to the headquarters of Intel, which employs around 20,000 people in the area.
Other major employers include Applied Materials, Texas Instruments, Marvell Semiconductor, Symantec, McAfee, Micron Technology, SanDisk and OmniVision. High tech companies employ over 110,000 workers in the greater Santa Clara region.
The city also benefits from being home to Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers NFL team, as well as other venues that host sporting events, concerts and conferences year-round.
In addition to the tech sector, Santa Clara has a thriving biotech and healthcare industry. The Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center is the largest hospital in the city. The Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is a public safety-net hospital serving low-income patients.
Retail is another important employer in the city, providing around 13,000 jobs. Westfield Valley Fair and Santana Row are two large upscale shopping malls located in Santa Clara.
Landmarks
Some of the most famous landmarks in Santa Clara include:
- Levi’s Stadium – Home of the San Francisco 49ers and host of Super Bowl 50.
- Intel Museum – Showcases Intel’s history and the development of Silicon Valley.
- California’s Great America – An amusement park featuring rollercoasters and other rides.
- Mission Santa Clara de Asis – A Spanish mission founded in 1777.
- Santa Clara University – A private Jesuit university founded in 1851.
- Central Park – A 51 acre park in the center of the city.
- Santa Clara Convention Center – Hosts conferences, expos and events.
The Levi’s Stadium is one of Santa Clara’s most famous modern landmarks. Home of the San Francisco 49ers NFL team since 2014, it also hosted Super Bowl 50 in 2016. The venue seats over 68,000 fans and hosts a range of sporting events and concerts throughout the year.
The Intel Museum showcases the history of the pioneering Silicon Valley company Intel and includes exhibits on the development of the semiconductor industry that transformed Santa Clara. Intel’s headquarters are located nearby in the city.
California’s Great America amusement park opened in 1976 and features over 40 rides including classic rollercoasters like Gold Striker and Flight Deck. The park undergoes seasonal transformations into Halloween Haunt in the fall and WinterFest during the holidays.
Mission Santa Clara de Asis is a Spanish Catholic mission that was founded in January 1777 by Father JunÃpero Serra. It was the eighth mission established in California by Spanish colonists. The original Mission Santa Clara church still stands today on the grounds of Santa Clara University.
Founded in 1851, Santa Clara University is California’s oldest operating institution of higher education. The private Jesuit university has over 8,000 undergrad and grad students across its 106-acre campus located in the heart of Silicon Valley.
In the center of the city lies the 51 acre Central Park which features gardens, greenery, a library, baseball diamonds, an amphitheater and the Triton Art Museum. The park often hosts community events and festivals.
The Santa Clara Convention Center opened in 1986 and encompasses 550,000 square feet of event space. It hosts major tech conferences like Samsung Developer Conference as well as trade shows, corporate events, and consumer events throughout the year.