Saratoga, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saratoga, California
City
Clockwise from top left: Memorial Arch; Mountain Winery; Downtown Saratoga; Villa Montalvo
Seal
Location in Santa Clara County and the state of California
Country	United States
State	California
County	Santa Clara
Incorporated	October 22, 1956
Named for	Saratoga Springs, New York
Area
• Total	12.78 sq mi (33.10 km2)
• Land	12.78 sq mi (33.10 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation	423 ft (129 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	31,051
• Density	2,429.7/sq mi (938.10/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP codes	95070–95071
Area codes	408/669
FIPS code	06-70280
GNIS feature IDs	1656315, 2411832

Saratoga is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is located in Silicon Valley, which is in the southern Bay Area. In 2020, the city had a population of 31,051 people. Saratoga is famous for its wineries, many restaurants, and important historical places. Some of these landmarks include Villa Montalvo, Mountain Winery, and Hakone Gardens.

History of Saratoga

Mountain Winery, started by the famous wine expert Paul Masson in 1901.

Villa Montalvo (now Montalvo Art Center), the historic home of James D. Phelan.

The land where Saratoga is now was first home to the Ohlone Native Americans. In 1847, European settlers began to build a community here. William Campbell built a sawmill about 2.5 miles (4 km) southeast of the current downtown area. An early map called this spot Campbell's Gap.

In 1851, Martin McCarthy took over the mill. He built a toll road leading down to the Santa Clara Valley. He also founded the town, calling it McCarthysville. The toll gate was at the intersection of Big Basin Way and 3rd Street today. This gave the town its first common name: Toll Gate. In 1867, the town got its own post office under the name McCarthysville.

Some early residents who moved to Saratoga in 1881 included Mary Brown, the wife of John Brown. Her daughters, Sarah and Ellen, and Ellen's husband, James Fablinger, also moved there. All of them are buried in the Madronia Cemetery.

The town soon grew with factories. A furniture factory, a grist mill, a tannery, and a paper factory were built. To celebrate this growth, the town was renamed Bank Mills in 1863. In the 1850s, Jud Caldwell found natural springs. These were called Pacific Congress Springs. Their water had minerals similar to Congress Springs in Saratoga Springs, New York.

In 1865, the town received its final name, Saratoga, after the city in New York. At the same time, a resort hotel called Congress Hall was built at the springs. It was also named after the famous resort in New York. California's Congress Hall brought many tourists to the area until it burned down in 1903. Because of these events, Saratoga was recognized as a California Historical Landmark in 1950.

Saratoga became a farming area, like much of the valley. Some vineyards and orchards from that time still exist today. The Miller-Melone Ranch is the last remaining prune ranch home in Saratoga. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. After World War II, the town quickly became more urbanized. It officially became a city in 1956. This was mainly to avoid being taken over by San Jose. A popular saying during the campaign to make Saratoga a city was "Keep it rural." Today, Saratoga is a residential area for people who work in Silicon Valley.

Saratoga High School was shown in Steven Spielberg's 2022 film The Fabelmans.

Geography and Neighborhoods

Hakone Gardens, established in 1917. The first West Coast performance of the opera Madama Butterfly was held here in 1923.

Sanborn County Park

Saratoga is next to Cupertino and San Jose to the north. It also borders small parts of Campbell and Los Gatos to the east. Monte Sereno is to the southeast. Saratoga is located at 37°16′21″N 122°1′10″W.

The United States Census Bureau says the city covers 12.8 square miles (33.1 km2), and all of it is land. Within Saratoga, you can find beautiful redwood forests and foothills perfect for growing wine grapes. The sunny valley floor was once covered with prune and apricot orchards. Now, it has suburban homes, schools, and churches.

Saratoga has several neighborhoods. Brookview and Pride's Crossing are in the northern part of the city. Blue Hills and Greenbrier are in the northwest. Congress Springs is in the southwestern corner. The Golden Triangle is an area named by real estate agents. It is bordered by Saratoga Avenue, Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road, and Cox Avenue. This area mostly has four-bedroom ranch homes. These homes are slowly being replaced by custom Mediterranean-style houses.

Northeast of the Golden Triangle is Saratoga Woods. This is a small community behind Prospect High School, north of Cox Avenue. Bellgrove Circle is a popular neighborhood next to Route 85. The land for Bellgrove Circle was once a vineyard owned by Paul Masson Winery. It is east of Saratoga Avenue and north of Route 85. Kentfield is south of Route 85 and east of Saratoga Avenue. Parker Ranch is a very wealthy neighborhood with large lots, west of Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road and up into the hills. The downtown area along Big Basin Way is known as the Village.

Population Information

Saratoga's Population in 2020

The Federated Church of Saratoga

The 2020 United States census showed that Saratoga had a population of 31,051. The population density was about 2,430 people per square mile (938 people per km2). The racial makeup of the city was 37.9% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, and 54.3% Asian. About 0.2% were Pacific Islander, 1.1% were from other races, and 6.1% were from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 3.6% of the population.

The census reported that almost all residents (99.5%) lived in households. There were 10,830 households in Saratoga. About 34.6% of these households included children under 18. Most households (73.7%) were married couples. The average household size was 2.85 people.

The age breakdown showed that 19.9% of the population was under 18. About 23.7% were 65 years or older. The average age in Saratoga was 49.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males.

There were 11,264 housing units. Most of these (96.1%) were occupied. Of the occupied homes, 85.3% were owned by the people living in them. In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the average household income was $241,348. The average income per person was $123,743. About 3.7% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Saratoga's Population in 2010

Montalvo Arts Center

The 2010 United States census reported that Saratoga had 29,926 people. The population density was about 2,417 people per square mile (933 people per km2). The racial makeup was 53.9% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, and 41.4% Asian. About 3.5% of residents were Hispanic or Latino.

Most people (99.3%) lived in households. There were 10,734 households. About 37.5% of these had children under 18. Most households (73.5%) were married couples. The average household size was 2.77 people.

In 2010, 24.0% of people were under 18. About 20.3% were 65 years or older. The average age was 47.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.7 males.

There were 11,123 housing units. Most (86.2%) were owned by the people living in them. In 2011, Bloomberg Businessweek reported that the average household income was $237,804. The average household net worth was $1,516,018.

Economy and Wealth

Shop in Saratoga Village

In 2016, a report by Coldwell Banker said Saratoga had the most expensive housing market in the United States. In 2010, Bloomberg Businessweek called Saratoga the most expensive suburb in California. According to CNN Money, over 70% of households in Saratoga earn more than $100,000 per year.

Forbes magazine ranked Saratoga in 2009 as one of America's top 20 most educated small towns. In 2011, Bloomberg Businessweek named Saratoga's zip code (95070) the 18th richest zip code in America. Data from 2018 showed that Saratoga was the 8th wealthiest city in the United States.

City Government

Saratoga Fire Station

Saratoga is a general law city in California. This means its rules and powers are set by state law. It has a council–manager form of government. The current mayor is Belal Aftab. The Vice Mayor is Chuck Page. Other council members include Kookie Fitzsimmons, Tina Walia, and Yan Zhao.

The Saratoga City Council has made important decisions for the community. They have been leaders in dealing with the issue of unfunded pensions in California.

In the California State Legislature, Saratoga is part of the 15th Senate District and the 23rd Assembly District. In the United States House of Representatives, Saratoga is in the 16th Congressional District.

Education in Saratoga

Saratoga Memorial Arch

Several public school districts serve Saratoga. For elementary and middle school students (grades K to 8), these include the Saratoga Union School District, Campbell Union School District, Cupertino Union School District, and Moreland School District.

High school districts that serve Saratoga include the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District, Fremont Union High School District, and Campbell Union High School District. These districts offer several high schools. Some of them are Saratoga High School, Monta Vista High School (in Cupertino, but serves parts of Saratoga), and Lynbrook High School (in San Jose, also serving parts of Saratoga). Other high schools are Prospect High School and Westmont High School (in Campbell, serving parts of Saratoga).

Private schools in the area include Challenger School, Saint Andrew's School, and Sacred Heart School.

West Valley Community College provides college-level education in the area. The Santa Clara County Library District operates the Saratoga Library.

Transportation and Local Features

Bike shop in Saratoga Village

The path of Route 85 along Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road was changed in 1994. This happened when the West Valley Freeway was finished, and it now goes through northeast Saratoga. Highway 85 has one exit and entrance within the city, at Saratoga Avenue. Original plans for the freeway included exits at Quito Road and Prospect Avenue, but these were not built due to objections from residents. Street signs in Saratoga are brown.

The Union Pacific Railroad runs freight trains through the town. It also serves the nearby Permanente Quarry. The train tracks run parallel to Route 85. In the past, passenger trains, like the Peninsular Railway, started operating in 1908. They took commuters to San Francisco in 90 minutes. Today, Saratoga does not have passenger train service and has very limited bus service.

Saratoga also has special rules for building to keep its semi-rural look. The city tries to keep this appearance by not having street lights and sidewalks on most residential streets. This helps make Saratoga a unique place to live.

Sister Cities

• Muko, Japan (since 1983)

Notable People from Saratoga

• Jeremy Atherton Lin (born 1974), author
• Alex Brightman (born 1987), actor (Beetlejuice, School of Rock)
• Mary Brown (1816–1884), widow of John Brown, and her daughters Sarah and Ellen, and Ellen's husband, James Fablinger. All are buried in Madronia Cemetery.
• Michael Burry (born 1971), financial manager
• Stephanie Elam (born 1974), news anchor (CNN, NBC)
• Joan Fontaine (1917–2013), Oscar-winning actress
• Devon Graye (born 1987), actor (Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh)
• Zaza Harvey (1879–1954), professional baseball player
• Steve Harwell (1967–2023), lead singer of the band Smash Mouth
• Olivia de Havilland (1916–2020), Oscar-winning actress
• Dan Janjigian (born 1972), actor and bobsledder
• Eesha Khare (born 1995), inventor
• Ernest Konnyu (born 1937), former Republican Congressman
• Anil Kumar (born 1958), management consultant
• Sam Liccardo (born 1970), U.S. representative and mayor of San Jose
• Beth Lisick (born 1968), artist and author
• Patrick Marleau (born 1979), former San Jose Sharks player
• Abijah McCall, orchardist and inventor of the Fresno Scraper
• Mekenna Melvin (born 1985), actress
• Pranav Mistry, (born 1981), Indian-born computer scientist and inventor
• Joe Murray (born 1961), Emmy-winning animator, creator of Rocko's Modern Life and Camp Lazlo.
• Anil Raj (1984–2019), humanitarian activist
• James Rumbaugh (born 1947), computer scientist
• Dan Rusanowsky (born 1960), radio broadcaster
• Vincent Sheu (born 1990), Rubik's Cube speedsolver
• Ed Solomon (born 1960), screenwriter (Men in Black)
• Steven Spielberg (born 1946), filmmaker (graduated from Saratoga High)
• Mark Suciu (born 1992), professional skateboarder
• Vienna Teng (born 1978), singer
• Joe Thornton (born 1979), former San Jose Sharks captain
• Lance Guest (born 1960), actor
• Kerri Walsh (born 1978), Gold Medal-winning Olympian (beach volleyballer)
• Andy Weir (2021–2023), science fiction author and programmer
• James Williamson (born 1949), electronics engineer and guitarist of the Stooges
• Andrew Hong (born 2004), American chess grandmaster

See also

In Spanish: Saratoga (California) para niños