Milpitas

About Milpitas

Known as the "Crossroads of Silicon Valley," Milpitas is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay. During its early years, Milpitas was a popular stopping point for those traveling between San Jose and Oakland, and the city grew into a bustling agricultural and small-business community.

Though the city has a lively and diverse economy that provides thousands of jobs, Milpitas is home to many people who commute to the nearby Silicon Valley area. The city offers easy access to both the tech hub and the Bay Area via Interstates 880 and 680 and a light rail system. Milpitas also boasts more than two dozen community parks, as well as recreational activities for residents of all ages.

Things to Do in Milpitas

You could always make the drive into San Francisco for shopping, dining and entertainment, but Milpitas offers plenty of options within its city limits. The city is known for an active arts and culture scene, largely supported by the Milpitas Alliance for the Arts. The organization funds a variety of local arts efforts, including providing a number of plays and performing arts for you to enjoy.

If you're looking for shopping, Milpitas is the perfect place. It's home to the Great Mall of the Bay Area, which is the largest enclosed shopping mall in the region. With hundreds of stores, the mall offers a variety of options for every taste and budget.

Every year, the city hosts the Celebrate Milpitas Festival. Local performers provide live entertainment and a number of vendors sell food, crafts and gifts.

Jobs in Milpitas

Milpitas is home to several large employers that specialize in information technology, electronics manufacturing and medical device manufacturing. IT services provider Cisco Systems and medical device manufacturer LifeScan are the city's two largest companies, providing thousands of local jobs. The city's other top employers include SanDisk, Seagate Technology, Maxtor Corporation, KLA-Tencor Corporation, LSI Logic Corporation and Solectron Corporation.

The greater Milpitas metropolitan area is home to numerous large industries. The biggest in the area include professional and business services, education and health services, manufacturing, trade and transportation. If you're planning to join the local job market, it's good to know that the industries experiencing the fastest growth include construction, professional and business services, information technology, and education and health services.

Milpitas Schools

The Milpitas Unified School District manages the public elementary, middle and high schools in the area. There are also a few private schools in the area, with both secular and faith-based options available.

Resources for Moving to Milpitas

Here are a few handy resources for planning your move to Milpitas:

• Utilities: Pacific Gas and Electric is the city's main energy supplier. The city's public works department facilitates public water services.
• Garbage and Recycling: You can expect regular collection of your trash, recyclables and compostables.
• Transportation: Light rail and bus services connect most major points in Milpitas, also providing convenient access to the surrounding Bay Area. You can take advantage of early-morning express routes, perfect for the daily commute.

Milpitas Housing

Like many commuter cities in the Bay Area, the median home price in Milpitas is very high compared to the state and national averages. You can also expect rent to be far more expensive here than in other parts of the country.