Essay Sample on Exploring San Jose: Neighborhood Analysis of A Silicon Valley City

Introduction

Neighborhood analysis is the process of identifying the vital installations, economy, demography and social parameters which can be used to establish the overall living conditions and opportunities within a neighborhood. In this case, the analysis targets San Jose which is a densely populated city in the Silicon Valley which is surrounded by hills. The city of San Jose has a deep history and heritage which spans from architectural marvels to cultural installations which makes it one of the most unique and beautiful cities in California. This neighborhood analysis will focus on assessing the living conditions, racial distribution, population, economic status, and the cost of living in San Jose.

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Analysis of San Jose: County of Santa Clara

At times, we make assumptions that everyone has a place they call home, but living in San Jose, California, County of Santa Clara might not automatically mean that each individual has a place to live. Unfortunately, people living in Silicon Valley exhibits life as expensive, and thus not many can afford to own property that keeps them safe and warm from dangerous effects of the summer or the winter. For many, this struggle lasts for an extended period, while in others, it takes a shorter time. Surprisingly, the area I live in is known to be prosperous but still has a majority of homeless people. There have been efforts to eradicate homelessness, yet this problem still persists. For instance, Downtown San Jose (where the Vivente 1 apartments- I currently live in), are located, the issue of homelessness is clearly seen.

Cost of Living and Median Earnings

San Jose is one of the most beautiful cities to work and live in California. The city offers a premium life and facilities which have been instrumental in attracting high-end estates and investment properties. As a result, San Jose which is a city that features a relatively young population with the median age being 36.4 is one of the most expensive cities to live or visit in California and the United States. The cost of living in San Jose, California, is estimated to be 145% which is higher than the United States' National Average. In 2020, the cost of living has risen to 2.9%, recording much increase in housing, food, and transportation. The median rate for renting a 2-bedroom apartment is $2621, and that of a 1-bedroom apartment is $2091; thus, this shows a substantial part of the cost of living (DADS, 2020).

Vivente 1 apartment located at 2400 Enborg Ln in San Jose consists of twenty-nine one and two bedrooms units. It is quite an affordable housing development that offers enduring independent living services and opportunities for individuals with special needs. In 2017, the median household income was reported to be $117, 474, by the Census ACS 1-year survey. This makes the income $57, 138 greater than the national household income (DADS, 2020). Houses are expensive in San Jose, unlike most cities in the United States with a median home price being $1,003,100 and a median income of $83,787. This gap shows that the majority of the dwellers in San Jose have good jobs and education. However, the unemployment rate is 2.7% with a comfort index of 8.8/10, which paints it amongst the cities with high comfort and premium life. The city has been experiencing a positive employment growth rate which is posed to improve the standards of living of the residents.

Racial and Ethnic Make-up of the Area/ Life Expectancy

San Jose is one of the most culturally diverse cities in Silicon Valley, which features people from different racial backgrounds and culture. San Jose constitutes of rich cultural history and a diverse ethnic make-up that is reflected in its total population. According to the 2015 census findings, among the 100 major metros, San Jose appeared to be the most diverse population with 35% whites, 28% Hispanic, 31% Asian, 2% Black, and 3% two or more races(Bay Area Census. 2020). In most homes in San Jose, English is the most spoken language. San Jose has the most extended life expectancy level among all the Metro areas in the U.S.U.S. A child born in the Santa Clara Metropolitan area can live on an average of 82.7 years (Silicon Valley Indicators. 2020). The high life expectancy in San Jose is explained by the high-end healthcare system and the local's lifestyle, which significantly influences the overall health of the locals.

Occupational Characteristics of the Area

San Jose is among the largest cities in the nine County bay area, it ranks #10 in the largest cities in the United States and third-largest in California (DADS, 2020). Although it is one of the big cities in the U.S.U.S. with numerous job opportunities, the majority of employers are still not ready to hire homeless individuals who also live in poverty. In 2017, it was reported that 8.4% of San Jose residents have an income that is below the poverty level, which is estimated to be 58.0% less than 13% of the whole state of California (Employment Development Department. 2020). Also, the rental rate was calculated to be 73.3% among poor residents.

Poverty Figure

According to the best-paying job descriptions in San Jose, individuals are required to have some kind of higher education. Unfortunately, most people living with poverty lack such type of knowledge and thus many employees cannot accept them in their workplaces. Unemployment attributes to the high cost of living. For instance, individuals with no stable or no job cannot manage to afford the apartment rent, and those with jobs might also not provide decent apartments to live in. In San Jose, in public schools, parents spend $10,142 per student with the average expenditure education expenditure in the U.S.U.S. being $12,383. This shows that education costs less in San Jose compared to the national average.

References

A Portrait of California 2014-2015 - Measure of America: A Program of the Social Science Research Council. (2020). Retrieved 28 February 2020, from http://measureofamerica.org/california2014-15/

Bay Area Census. (2020). Retrieved 28 February 2020, from http://www.bayareacensus.ca.gov/ (DADS), D. (2020). American FactFinder. Retrieved 28 February 2020, from https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml

Employment Development Department. (2020). Retrieved 28 February 2020, from https://www.edd.ca.gov/ (2020). Retrieved 28 February 2020, from https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2014/calfacts/calfacts-2014.asp

Silicon Valley Indicators | Presented by the Silicon Valley Institute for Regional Studies. (2020). Retrieved 28 February 2020, from https://siliconvalleyindicators.org/