San Jose Apartments and Rentals

San Jose offers an array of apartments and rentals for people who are relocating to this exciting city, whether to attend college or pursue a new career. Located in Northern California, San Jose is the third largest city in the state. Widely known at the Capital of the Silicon Valley, San Jose is at the southern end of San Francisco Bay. In fact, it is the largest city in Northern California and the Bay Area in not only population, but also in land area and development.

San Jose has a long history. It began in 1777 as a Spanish Colony with a farming community to support Spanish military installations in the area. As with other cities in California, the real boom began after World War II as returning soldiers sought new homes in a state where many received their training. By the 1990s, the city and surround Santa Clara Valley became a mecca for the high-tech and electronics industries, earning it the nickname "Silicon Valley."

Today, the city has a population of just under 1 million. Many were drawn by the booming high-tech industry, but found the city offered so much more. The sun shines for about 300 days a year and the average high temperature is 74 degrees. Its location in a valley protects it from the coastal fog and rainy weather, making it a great outdoor city.

As a whole the city has earned a well deserved reputation as a great place to live. Yahoo! ranked San Jose as No. 7 on its list as the Ten Best Cities for Health and Happiness, while Sports Illustrated ranked it No. 7 on the Best Golf Cities in America. BusinessWeek also included San Jose in its Top 25 list of The Best Places to Live, 2011. It also is rated as one of the "Safest Big Cities" in the nation by the FBI.

Like most modern American cities, the business core is encircled by residential neighborhoods, each with their own appeal. Among the more popular neighborhoods are: Los Gatos, Willow Glen, West San Jose, Almaden Valley, Berryessa and Downtown.

As the Capital of the Silicon Valley, not surprisingly, San Jose is home to a large number of high tech companies. Top local high tech employers include Cisco Systems, eBay, IBM, Hitachi and Adobe Systems. Other top employers are city and county government, the local school districts, universities and health care systems/hospitals.

Many are attracted to San Jose to attend one of its colleges or universities, which churn out thousands of "high tech" grads annually. Among them are San Jose State University, the University of San Francisco, St. Mary's College of California, San Jose City College and more.

Like other large cities in California, San Jose's cost of living is substantially above the average for the country. That is driven in large part by housing costs. It is important to remember, however, that salaries often reflect that high cost of living. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, for 2010, the average family income in San Jose was $103,461. The average monthly rental cost for the city is $1,678. However, that can vary widely based on the size of the apartment, the type of rental (apartment, condo or home) and its location. The city also is experiencing a low vacancy rate, which can drive up rents. However, there are still plenty of deals to be found and finding them is easier if you use online rental guides.

There are plenty of attractions and entertainment in San Jose for all types of people with all kinds of interests. Cultural and family attractions include the Children's Discovery Museum, the Downtown Farmer's Market, Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, Lake Cunningham Park/Raging Waters, San Jose Museum of Art and more.

There's the world famous Winchester Mystery House, built by Winchester rifle heir Sarah, whose bizarre obsession resulted in a mansion that was under construction for continuously, night and day, for 38 years.

For the sports minded, there is minor league baseball, the NHL's San Jose Sharks and local college teams. And, with the city's mild weather, there are plenty of outdoor activities, especially golf.

San Jose hosts numerous special events throughout the year, among these are: the San Jose Arts Festival in March, the Vietnamese Spring Festival and Parade in February, the four-decade old Carvers and Wood Turners Show in April, a Jazz Festival in August, the Mountain View Art and Wine Festival in September and so much more.

If you're looking for an apartment for rent in San Jose, use Rent.com® to find the perfect rental for your needs.