San Jose, California

What is it like to live in San Jose, CA?
Christophilies
Living in San Jose
1y ago

It’s my hometown. Frankly, it’s way overpriced for what it is: which is a college town that’s suffered from shit planning going back at least fifty years. The downtown district was starting to see some build up and then the pandemic pretty much flatlined that. Even then, because there’s a god damn airport right next to it, the city will never have an impressive skyline. Suburban sprawl combined with mediocre public transit has decentralized everything, so you’re forced to commute by car. That combined with the influx of people has created a traffic nightmare. Compounding this issue is the fact that the freeways were planned and designed decades ago to handle probably half the amount of traffic traveling at least 10 to 15 mph slower than how it is now.

For all its faults though, its still my hometown. There’s a very diverse ethnic population here, each with their own communities, so the dining scene has tons of variety. Its central location means you can be in a proper big city, a beach town, and hiking in the mountains within an hours drive. Typically, the weather is very mild. A cold day is in the 40s, and a hot day is in the 90s (barring the rare heatwave or cold snap).

All in all, my roots here run deep and when I really think about it, I don’t see myself living somewhere else.

love44
living in San Jose
2y ago
✭✭

Just moved here last year from Toronto (originally from Vermont)

Like every place San Jose has its pros and cons.

Pros: I personally feel there are more opportunities in California. I have the best job I’ve ever had in my life and I haven’t had a problem securing a job since moving here (had to leave original company I transferred with). Obviously the weather is a huge pro and it’s close to many outdoor activities.

Cons: The driving is crazy. I thought Toronto was bad but MAN they don’t mess around here haha. Also, I actually don’t find it to be that friendly of a place. It’s not really a city like I thought where you take public transportation everywhere; you pretty much have to drive. I also don’t feel as safe as I have felt in other places BUT I felt worse in SF. I also wish I realized where SJ was in relation to the ocean but that’s my fault.

Ultimately, we are looking to move back to Toronto because we like that type of city feel more but I have enjoyed my time in California for the most part.

Would you move to San Jose these days?
roaringchicken42
Living in San Jose
2y ago

When you move to San Jose, you are moving to a big city and everything it comes with: sky high cost of living, insane traffic, and rampant homelessness. Compared to other big cities, however, San Jose has great weather (when there’s no smoke :) ), diverse food (from Ethiopian to German, and everything in between), decent bike infrastructure, and good nearby parks.

Also consider the suburbs like Los Gatos and Campbell that have a more small city feel while being close to San Jose proper.

Just be aware that San Jose (and CA in general) has the potential for fires, earthquakes, and drought, and public transportation is severely lacking.

How is living in San Jose?
Quabbie
Lived in San Jose
4mo ago
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I moved here and loved it here. San Jose arguably has the best weather, with a diverse cuisine from around the world, tech hub (I work in tech/engineering so it’s for me.

It has its own set of problems, don’t get me wrong. High rent, cost of living, bad traffic, taxed to death, “Man José, etc

I think just how “boring” it is makes it a perfect place for me. I can just drive out to San Francisco for the night life/clubs/raves, Lake Tahoe to ski/snowboard, Santa Cruz/Half Moon Bay/Monterey for the beach, just some hours away from Yosemite. Great schools. I can go on but I don’t need to convince anyone.

Living in San Jose, CA | Pros and Cons