San Jose – Tapping into Technology

San Jose is located in the central California in the western United States, at the southern end of San Francisco Bay. It is the tenth most populous city in the United States, with roughly 1 million people. Today San Jose has a land mass of 179 square miles. Established in 1777 as El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe, San Jose was the first town in the Spanish colony of Nueva California. The city then produced agricultural products to support Spanish military outposts in San Francisco and Monterey. In 1850 San Jose served as the first capital of California upon its admittance as a state. After many decades as an agricultural hub, San Jose saw increased demand for housing from returning World War II veterans, and experienced a population boom from the 1950’s through the 1970’s, resulting in the annexing of more land. The Silicon Valley technology industry boom starting in the 1990’s has placed San Jose squarely at the fore as a technology city.

The San Jose Economy: Technology Hub

San Jose is a major business and commercial center. The city is home to several companies listed on the Fortune 500 list of largest U.S companies. Manufacturing of computer and peripheral equipment, semiconductors, and electronics is a major driver of the San Jose economy. Other contributing sectors include: professional services, health services, tourism, trade and transportation, and government services.

Education in San Jose: San Jose is Full of Smart Alecks

Educational attainment among the San Jose populace is above that of the U.S. as a whole. As of 2008, roughly 81% of its residents aged 25 and older had completed high school, slightly above the national average, and roughly 35% had completed college, well above the national average. There are six colleges and universities located in San Jose. San Jose State University is home to more than 30,000 students within seven different colleges. Among other institutions of higher learning in San Jose are: Evergreen Valley College, San Jose City College, and St. Mary’s College of California.

The Crime Scene in San Jose: Low

San Jose ranks safer than most other large cities for both violent crime and property thefts, besting even New York and Los Angeles. It is regarded as one of the safest big cities in the United States.

The San Jose Population and Politics: Heavily Democratic

San Jose has a population of approximately 1 million people. Its population has been growing at a rate of 1.3% per year over the past decade. The city’s population is highly diverse, with Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian residents of all roughly equivalent number. San Jose has generally leaned heavily Democratic in its political preferences recently. Among the more than 600,000 votes cast in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, San Jose voters chose Democratic candidate Barack Obama over Republican candidate John McCain by a ratio of nearly four to one.