Santa Clara, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Santa Clara, California
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_(cropped).jpg)  .jpg) _(cropped).jpg) .jpg) Clockwise from top: Mission Santa Clara de Asís; the Carmelite Monastery; Saint Claire Monument; Santa Clara University; Women's Club Adobe
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| Nickname(s):
The Mission City
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Location of Santa Clara in California (left) and within Santa Clara County (right)
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 Santa Clara, California
Location in California
Santa Clara, California
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | California | ||
| County | Santa Clara | ||
| Incorporated | July 5, 1852 | ||
| Named for | Saint Clare of Assisi | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Council/Manager | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 18.28 sq mi (47.34 km2) | ||
| • Land | 18.28 sq mi (47.34 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 72 ft (22 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 127,647 | ||
| • Rank | 3rd in Santa Clara County 46th in California 220th in the United States |
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| • Density | 6,982/sq mi (2,697/km2) | ||
| Demonym(s) | Santa Claran | ||
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) | ||
| ZIP codes |
95050, 95051, 95054
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| Area codes | 408/669 | ||
| FIPS code | 06-69084 | ||
| GNIS feature IDs | 1654953, 2411816 | ||
Santa Clara is a city in Santa Clara County, California. Its name comes from "Saint Clare" in Spanish. In 2020, about 127,647 people lived there. This makes it the eighth-largest city in the Bay Area.
Santa Clara is in the middle of Silicon Valley. Many famous technology companies have their main offices here. These include Intel, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Nvidia. The city is also home to Santa Clara University, which is the oldest university in California. You can also find Levi's Stadium here, where the National Football League team San Francisco 49ers plays. Another fun place is California's Great America amusement park. Santa Clara is mostly surrounded by San Jose. To the west, it borders Sunnyvale and Cupertino.
Contents
History of Santa Clara
Before Europeans arrived, the Tamien tribe lived in this area for thousands of years. They were part of the Ohlone nation of Indigenous Californians.
Spanish Settlement and Missions
The first European to explore the valley was José Francisco Ortega in 1769. The Spanish started building missions in California. One of these, the Mission Santa Clara de Asís, was founded in 1777.
Early American Period
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In 1851, Santa Clara College was built on the mission grounds. A year later, in 1852, Santa Clara became an official town. By 1862, it was a state-chartered city.
For about 100 years, farming was very important. Orchards and vegetables grew well in the rich soil. By the early 1900s, about 5,000 people lived in Santa Clara. This number stayed similar for many years.
In 1905, John J. Montgomery made the first public high-altitude glider flights over Santa Clara. Around 1960, the semiconductor industry began to grow. This industry, which makes computer chips, changed the city and the surrounding area a lot. Today, very little of its farming past remains.
Santa Clara's first hospital was built in 1963. A new medical center replaced it in 2007.
Geography and Nature
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Santa Clara has three creeks that flow into the southern part of San Francisco Bay. These are San Tomas Aquino Creek, Saratoga Creek, and Calabazas Creek.
The city is home to some important wildlife. This includes the burrowing owl. These owls use burrows made by ground squirrels. They like open grasslands and even disturbed areas. Coyotes have also been seen more often in the area recently.
The city covers about 18.4 square miles (47.3 square kilometers) of land.
Santa Clara's Climate
Santa Clara has mild weather. In July, the average daily temperatures are between 53°F (12°C) and 82°F (28°C). Winters are also mild. In January, temperatures range from 38°F (3°C) to 58°F (14°C). Most of the rain falls in the winter months. Summers are usually dry.
| Climate data for Santa Clara, California (Santa Clara University, 1893–1976) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 58 (14) |
62 (17) |
66 (19) |
70 (21) |
74 (23) |
79 (26) |
82 (28) |
82 (28) |
81 (27) |
76 (24) |
67 (19) |
59 (15) |
71 (22) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 38 (3) |
41 (5) |
42 (6) |
44 (7) |
47 (8) |
50 (10) |
53 (12) |
52 (11) |
51 (11) |
47 (8) |
42 (6) |
39 (4) |
46 (8) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.03 (77) |
2.56 (65) |
2.30 (58) |
1.03 (26) |
.40 (10) |
.09 (2.3) |
.01 (0.25) |
.04 (1.0) |
.27 (6.9) |
.63 (16) |
1.47 (37) |
2.66 (68) |
14.49 (367.45) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ .01 in) | 10 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 56 |
| Source: Western Regional Climate Center | |||||||||||||
Santa Clara's Population
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 2,416 | — | |
| 1890 | 2,891 | 19.7% | |
| 1900 | 3,650 | 26.3% | |
| 1910 | 4,348 | 19.1% | |
| 1920 | 5,220 | 20.1% | |
| 1930 | 6,302 | 20.7% | |
| 1940 | 6,650 | 5.5% | |
| 1950 | 11,702 | 76.0% | |
| 1960 | 58,880 | 403.2% | |
| 1970 | 86,118 | 46.3% | |
| 1980 | 87,700 | 1.8% | |
| 1990 | 93,613 | 6.7% | |
| 2000 | 102,361 | 9.3% | |
| 2010 | 116,468 | 13.8% | |
| 2020 | 127,647 | 9.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Santa Clara has grown a lot over the years. In 2020, the city had 127,647 residents.
Who Lives in Santa Clara?
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The 2010 United States census showed that Santa Clara had 116,468 people. About 45% of the people were White, 2.7% were African American, and 37.7% were Asian. Many different Asian groups live here, including Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese people. About 19.4% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Most people in Santa Clara live in homes. About 97.3% of the population lived in households in 2010. The average household had 2.63 people. Many families live in Santa Clara, with an average family size of 3.18 people.
The city has a mix of ages. About 21.3% of the people are under 18. About 10% are 65 or older. The median age was 34.1 years.
Economy and Jobs
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Santa Clara has its own electric company called Silicon Valley Power. This company helps keep electricity costs lower for residents and businesses. In 2005, they opened a new power plant that produces a lot of electricity for the city.
Many well-known technology companies have their main offices in Santa Clara. Some of these include AMD, Applied Materials, Intel, Nvidia, and Palo Alto Networks. These companies provide many jobs and help make Santa Clara a key part of Silicon Valley.
Major Employers in Santa Clara
Here are some of the biggest employers in the city:
| # | Employer | # of employees |
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| 1 | Applied Materials | 8,500 |
| 2 | Intel | 7,801 |
| 3 | AMD | 3,000 |
| 4 | Kaiser Foundation Health Plan | 2,600 |
| 5 | Nvidia | 2,500 |
| 6 | California's Great America | 2,500 |
| 7 | Dell | 2,088 |
| 8 | Santa Clara University | 2,000 |
| 9 | City of Santa Clara | 1,704 |
| 10 | Macy's | 1,200 |
Education in Santa Clara
The Santa Clara Unified School District serves most of Santa Clara. It also covers small parts of Sunnyvale and North San Jose. The city has many schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools. Many schools are named after important local people.
Some students in Santa Clara attend schools in the nearby city of Cupertino.
There are also private schools in Santa Clara. These include three Catholic schools: Saint Clare School (the oldest elementary school in California), Saint Lawrence Elementary and Middle School, and Saint Justin School. The Granada Islamic School is also in Santa Clara.
Colleges and Universities
Santa Clara has several options for higher education:
- Santa Clara University: A private university run by Jesuits.
- Mission College: A public community college.
- UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley extension campus.
- Golden State Baptist College: A private Baptist college.
Culture and Fun Things to Do
Santa Clara is home to California's Great America, a popular amusement park. It has many rides and attractions for all ages.
The Santa Clara Convention Center is a large place for events and meetings in Silicon Valley. Santa Clara also has several museums. You can visit the Intel Museum to learn about computers. The Triton Museum of Art shows different art pieces. The Harris – Lass historical house offers a look into the past. The Our Lady of Peace Shrine has a very tall statue that you can see from Highway 101. For plays and shows, you can go to the Mission City Center for Performing Arts.
Sports in Santa Clara
The Santa Clara Broncos are the sports teams of Santa Clara University. They compete in NCAA Division I and have 19 different teams. The red and white colors of the Broncos are even on the city's flag!
The George F. Haines International Swim Center is a famous place for swimming. Many local, regional, and international swim competitions happen here.
The Santa Clara Vanguard is a well-known marching music group. They have several competitive teams that perform across the country. They have won many awards for their performances.
The San Francisco 49ers football team has its main office and practice fields in Santa Clara. In 2014, the team moved its home stadium to Santa Clara. Levi's Stadium is now where the 49ers play their games.
Santa Clara will also host several matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Levi's Stadium.
Getting Around Santa Clara
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Santa Clara has two main train stations: the Santa Clara – Great America station and the Santa Clara station. Both stations are served by Amtrak's Capitol Corridor train and the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE). The Santa Clara station also has Caltrain service.
The city also has the VTA light rail system. It has four stations: Reamwood station, Old Ironsides station, Great America station, and Lick Mill station.
For air travel, Santa Clara is close to San Jose International Airport.
Famous People from Santa Clara
Sister Cities
Santa Clara has three sister cities around the world:
- Coimbra, Portugal
- Izumo, Shimane, Japan
- Limerick, Ireland
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See also
In Spanish: Santa Clara (California) para niños
