Santa Clara County, California
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| Official website: http://www.sccgov.org/ | |||
| Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Location of Santa Clara County within California. | |||
| Government | |||
| Country State | United States California | ||
| Board of Supervisors
District One | Donald Gage | ||
| Formed | |||
| 1850 | |||
| Geographical characteristics | |||
| Area | 3,377 km² | ||
| Land | 3,343 km² | ||
| Water | 34 km² | ||
| Population | |||
| Total (2000) | 1,682,585 | ||
| Density | 503/km²
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| Time zone | Pacific (UTC−8) | ||
| Summer (DST) | Pacific (UTC−7) | ||
Santa Clara County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. It is the site of Silicon Valley. As of 2000 it had a population of 1,682,585. The county seat is San Jose.
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[edit] History
Santa Clara County was one of the original counties of California, formed in 1850 at the time of statehood. Part of the county's territory was given to Alameda County in 1853.
The county is named after Mission Santa Clara, which was established in 1777, and named for Saint Clare of Assisi, Italy. The name "Clare" or "Clara" means "clear" or "bright."
In 1882, Santa Clara County tried to levy taxes upon property of the Southern Pacific Railroad within county boundaries. The result was the U.S. Supreme Court case of Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad, 118 U.S. 394 (1886), in which the Court established the doctrine of corporate personhood.
In the 1980's and 1990's, many hi-tech companies began operations in Santa Clara County, which became the headquarters for such companies as Apple Computer, Hewlett Packard, Quest, Intel, and many others. Today the county is the main area of the Silicon Valley, which includes several other counties both north and south of Santa Clara.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,377 km² (1,304 mi²). 3,343 km² (1,291 mi²) of it is land and 34 km² (13 mi²) of it (1.02%) is water.
The San Andreas Fault runs along the Santa Cruz Mountains in the south of the county.
[edit] Adjacent Counties
- San Benito County, California - south
- Santa Cruz County, California - south, southwest
- San Mateo County, California - northwest
- Alameda County, California - north
- Stanislaus County, California - east
- Merced County, California - southeast
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 1,682,585 people, 565,863 households, and 395,538 families residing in the county. The population density was 503/km² (1,304/mi²). There were 579,329 housing units at an average density of 173/km² (449/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 53.83% White, 2.80% Black or African American, 0.67% Native American, 25.56% Asian, 0.34% Pacific Islander, 12.13% from other races, and 4.66% from two or more races. 23.98% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 565,863 households out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were married couples living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 21.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.41.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 9.30% from 18 to 24, 35.40% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 102.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $74,335, and the median income for a family was $81,717. Males had a median income of $56,240 versus $40,574 for females. The per capita income for the county was $32,795. About 4.90% of families and 7.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.40% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over.
Santa Clara County has the highest median household income of any county in California.
[edit] Politics
Santa Clara County is covered by California's 11th through 16th congressional districts. When the 110th United States Congress meets in January of 2007, all the Santa Clara districts will be represented by Democrats.
[edit] Presidential elections results
| Year | GOP | Democrats |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 34.6% 209,094 | 63.9% 386,100 |
| 2000 | 34.4% 188,750 | 60.7% 332,490 |
| 1996 | 32.2% 168,291 | 56.9% 297,639 |
| 1992 | 28.4% 170,870 | 49.2% 296,265 |
| 1988 | 47.0% 254,442 | 51.3% 277,810 |
| 1984 | 54.8% 288,638 | 43.6% 229,865 |
| 1980 | 48.0% 299,048 | 35.0% 166,995 |
| 1976 | 49.5% 219,188 | 46.9% 208,023 |
| 1972 | 51.9% 237,334 | 45.6% 208,506 |
| 1968 | 45.6% 163,446 | 48.4% 173,511 |
| 1964 | 36.6% 117,420 | 63.1% 202,249 |
| 1960 | 52.7% 131,735 | 47.0% 117,667 |
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Freeways and expressways
The county has an extensive freeway system (now nearing completion) and a separate expressway system. Expressways in California are distinct from freeways; although access to adjoining properties is eliminated, at-grade intersections are allowed. However, unlike expressways virtually everywhere else in California, the Santa Clara County expressways were built, signed, and maintained as county roads; they are not maintained by Caltrans, although they are patrolled by the California Highway Patrol.
Many journalists and mapmakers from outside California do not understand the important difference between freeways and expressways, and incorrectly describe or depict Silicon Valley as criss-crossed by a "web" of freeways when many of the lines on the map are really expressways.[citation needed]
There is also a large street network dominated by four- and six-lane arterials. Some of the newer boulevards (primarily in the West Valley) are divided with landscaped medians.
[edit] Major highways
- Image:I-280.svg Interstate 280
- Image:I-680.svg Interstate 680
- Image:I-880.svg Interstate 880
- Image:US 101.svg U.S. Route 101
- Image:California 9.svg California State Route 9
- Image:California 17.svg California State Route 17
- Image:California 82.svg California State Route 82
- Image:California 85.svg California State Route 85
- Image:California 87.svg California State Route 87
- Image:California 237.svg California State Route 237
[edit] Mass transit
Santa Clara County has consolidated its transportation services into the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, which operates a rapidly expanding light rail system and a large system of bus routes. It also manages certain county-funded highway and expressway projects.
Besides SCVTA, the County is also served by Caltrain commuter rail service, and the ACE Train system, which runs between San Jose and Stockton.
[edit] County roads
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[edit] Ports
The county's main airport is Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC). Moffett Federal Airfield (NUQ), a former Naval Air Station, is used by the Air National Guard, NASA, and Lockheed Martin, There are also smaller general aviation airports in Palo Alto (PAO), San Jose (RHV), and San Martin (E16).
The county has no seaports. Like all other Bay Area counties, it is dependent upon the Port of Oakland for transport of ocean cargo.
[edit] Cities, towns, and neighborhoods
[edit] Incorporated Places
There are 15 incorporated cities and towns in the county:
- Campbell
- Cupertino
- Gilroy
- Los Altos
- Los Altos Hills
- Los Gatos
- Milpitas
- Monte Sereno
- Morgan Hill
- Mountain View
- Palo Alto
- San Jose (incorporating the formerly independent unincorporated communities of Alum Rock, and Cambrian Park, as well as the formerly independent incorporated cities of Willow Glen, East San Jose, and Alviso)
- Santa Clara
- Saratoga
- Sunnyvale
[edit] Unincorporated communities
[edit] Census Designated Places
- Buena Vista
- Burbank
- East Foothills
- Fruitdale
- Lexington Hills
- Loyola also known as Loyola Corners
- San Martin
- Seven Trees
- Stanford
- Sunol-Midtown
[edit] Other unincorporated communities
- Bell Station also known as Bell's Station and Hollenbeck's Station.
- Chemeketa Park
- Casa Loma also known as Loma Chiquita.
- Redwood Estates (part of Lexington Hills CDP.)
- Rucker.
- San Antonio also known as Deforest circa 1892-1924.
[edit] Parks
Santa Clara County has an extensive park system, much of it founded in the major park expansion of the late 1970s. Some of the parks within the county are:
[edit] Sister counties
[edit] See also
- Committee for Green Foothills
- Santa Clara County expressway system
- List of school districts in Santa Clara County, California
[edit] External links
- List of special districts in Santa Clara County (LAFCo)
- Santa Clara County official website
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
Cities
Population over 100,000: San Jose (County seat) • Santa Clara • Sunnyvale
Population 50,000 – 100,000: Cupertino • Milpitas • Mountain View • Palo Alto
Population under 50,000: Campbell • Gilroy • Los Altos • Los Altos Hills • Los Gatos • Monte Sereno • Morgan Hill • Saratoga
Census-designated places
Buena Vista • Burbank • East Foothills • Fruitdale • Lexington Hills • Loyola • San Martin • Seven Trees • Stanford • Sunol-Midtown
Other unincorporated communities
Bell Station • Casa Loma • Chemeketa Park • Holy City • Loma Chiquita • Redwood Estates • Rucker • San Antonio • Sargent
de:Santa Clara County fr:Comté de Santa Clara it:Santa Clara County lb:Santa Clara County nl:Santa Clara County ja:サンタクララ郡 no:Santa Clara County pt:Condado de Santa Clara sv:Santa Clara County zh:聖塔克拉拉縣 (美國加州)
