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Life in San Jose, California

San Jose Reviews California Message Board
City/State
Spencer Nitkey's review of San Jose California
Are you thinking of moving or relocating to San Jose, California? Would you like to know what the quality of life is like living in San Jose?
WeatherSafetyNeighborhoodsPeople
As a city located in the Bay Area in "Sunny California" the climate here is very mild, it never gets extraordinarily cold, nor does it get extraordinarily hot. It can hit up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer but it never dips below freezing. There isn't heavy rain, the only potential problem is that it lies on the San Andreas Fault which means it is prone to earthquakes; after living there for eight years and never experiencing one, however, I can attest to the rarity of this. Overall the weather in San Jose is remarkably nice, and while there isn't a lot of variety in the weather I don't know anyone who complains about the weather.San Jose itself has some crime, in the neighborhood where I lived, Almaden Valley, there was virtually no crime, only one person I knew has ever been broken into and that was a robbery when no one was home and it was very minimal. The crime in Almaden Valley is virtually non-existent. The crime in the rest of the city is very much under control and there is little crime at all though in Buena Vista there is the most report crime that I hear on local news.Almaden Valley is the best neighborhood in San Jose. It is populated by a upper middle, and upper class of almost exclusively Caucasian and Asian-Americans and has some of the lowest crime, best schools, and best houses in the San Jose. New expensive 1960 Ranch houses are what most houses are in Almaden Valley.

The Buena Vista neighborhood is the worst neighborhood in San Jose with the highest crimes, some of the worst schools and the crummiest houses. A mainly hispanic and Caucasian neighborhood most houses are old apartment complexes or dilapidated victorians.
The people that tend to flourish and fit into San Jose are subrban types and young hipster-like people. There is also a large Latin American population so those of that descent will find themselves fitting in vry nicely. In the suburbs educated older men and women will be very welcomed and find themselves very much at home, while in the downtown area young hipsters and college graduates will flourish. There is not a large African-American population.
Downtown AreaRestaurantsSchoolsSingle life
It is just begining to blossom and there are a lot of rapid developments being made every single day. Certainly, the downtown of San Jose is on the upswing and is getting better everyday.Flames, Country Inn, El Fornio are some of the best restaurants that the city has to offer and each has remarkable and unique food and atmosphere.The public school quality is, unfortunately, below average. Test scores on standardized tests are low and budget cuts have hampered the ability of teachers and districts alike. Definitely not the best schools in the country or state.With a vibrant downtown packed with bars, clubs, and outdoor activity groups there is a plethora of opportunity for singles to meet and mingle, as it were.
NoiseCompared to other placesBest hospitalTourist attractions
San Jose International Airport does have a lot of air traffic so there are some airplane noises that fill the city. Two big highways 101 and 280 line both sides of the large city but are exceptionally easy to get away from.Two neighboring towns: Mountain View and Palo Alto.

In comparison to Mountain View the cost of living in San Jose is lower but the school are much worse. The crime in Mountain View is a lot lower but thats most likely because Mountain View is smaller and doesn't have an actual city where as San Jose has a population of almost 1,000,000 and does have a vibrant downtown city. The shopping and people are pretty similar but Mountain View has a much higher Caucasian population.
Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center is the local hospital and it provides the cream of the crop medical and emergency room care.Downtown San Jose is a remarkably youthful and vibrant location. There are Japanese friendship gardens which boast some of the most beautiful flowers and plants anywhere.
General comments   
The city is amazing. It has such a diverse community and is so large. It feels very open and innovative and there is a huge creative pulse that runs through the city. The people and places are unique and variant and there is always something happening somewhere. Miraculously it never feels overwhelming as there is always a place to relax and get away from it all. A really spectacular city.   
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