Smart Movers Club

    Moving to San Jose, CA

    Is San Jose a good place to live?

    Watch San Jose

    San Jose ranks #168 of 304 California cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (49/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 1.1% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $1,187,800
    +3.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $2,617
    per month
    Household income
    $141,565
    median
    Unemployment
    4.7%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in San Jose

    The median home value in San Jose is $1,187,800 and median rent is $2,617 a month, against a median household income of $141,565. Homes cost about 8.4× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    San Jose crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across California the 2025 rate was 435 violent and 1,821 property crimes per 100,000 people — #9 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to San Jose, CA

    San Jose has about 990,054 residents, 4.7% unemployment and 26% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare San Jose with

    San Jose vs Los AngelesSan Jose vs San DiegoSan Jose vs San FranciscoSan Jose vs FresnoSan Jose vs SacramentoSan Jose vs Long BeachSan Jose vs OaklandSan Jose vs Bakersfield

    More: Where to move in California · Best counties in California

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report