Santa Clara, CA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·California·Santa Clara

Santa Clara County · San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara · population 133,132

Santa Clara, CA
Image: Wikipedia · Santa Clara, California
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
65
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Santa Clara stands

Rents up 6.1% in the last year.

Median home $1,766,558
1-year -1.4%
5-yr CAGR +5.0%
vs 5-yr peak -2.9%
Population +1.1%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2025-01$1767k$841k$1191k$1542k$1892k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
64/100
Somewhat walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
30/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
55/100
Workable for remote workers
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$3,727/mo$2,702$3,326$3,951202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent128130100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 39.5
Rent

At a 39.5 price-to-rent ratio, renting beats buying in Santa Clara for most shorter holds. The premium you pay to own would take many years of rent savings to recoup, and that's before maintenance, taxes, and opportunity cost on the down payment.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
43 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
65 · w22%
Distance from peak
73 · w18%
Population growth
66 · w16%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
70 · w10%
Long thesis

Santa Clara has held up across the cycle: home values at $1,766,558 with +5.0% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Santa Clara carries a $1,766,558 median home with only -1.4% YoY. Premium pricing in a flat tape is the bear setup — you're paying for the trend that already ran while new buyers can't afford to extend it.

About Santa Clara

Santa Clara is a city in Santa Clara County, California, with an estimated population of 133,132. It anchors the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area. The population grew 1.1% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Santa Clara is $1,766,558 as of 2026-04, down 1.4% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.0% annual growth (-2.9% from the 5-year peak). Rents in Santa Clara average $3,727 per month, up 6.1% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 65 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +5.0% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Net positive migration: population up 1.1% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
●Held the highs: currently -2.9% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
●Hot rental market: rents up 6.1% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

●Expensive AND not growing: median home $1,766,558 with only -1.4% YoY. You’re paying premium pricing for a flat trend.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Santa Clara (Wikipedia)

Santa Clara is a city in Santa Clara County, California. The city's population was 127,647 at the 2020 census, making it the eighth-most populous city in the Bay Area. Located in the southern Bay Area, the city was founded by the Spanish in 1777 with the establishment of Mission Santa Clara de Asís under the leadership of Junípero Serra.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorLisa Gillmor unit_pref = Imperial
Area18.28 sq mi
Elevation72 ft
EstablishedJuly 5, 1852
NicknameThe Mission City
Density6984.0/sq mi
Named forSaint Clare of Assisi government_type = Council–Manager

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Santa Clara County right now.

NWS active alerts (CA)California Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Santa Clara County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Santa Clara

Corona, CA62 · RisingChino, CA63 · RisingTemecula, CA62 · RisingOntario, CA63 · Rising

Run the numbers for Santa Clara

ToolCan I afford Santa Clara?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Santa Clara rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Santa Clara to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolSanta Clara cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
60° / 41°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
82° / 60°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
258
~71% of year
Annual precip
22″ rain
8″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
Very high
Earthquake
Very high
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Santa Clara listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
65%
Moderate climate
Median household income
$91,500
California state median
Top industries (state-level)
TechEntertainmentAgriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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