Communities
Even with a population approaching 1 million, San Jose remains among the safest places to live in the United States. The FBI ranks cities based on six crime statistics and San Jose earns excellent marks. San Jose is the county seat of Santa Clara County, and noted as one of the fasted growing cities in the United States.
The various communities are connected by a series of freeways, but San Jose also boasts a public transit system that includes trains, buses, para-transit and taxi service.
With the sprawling city covering 175 square miles, there are more than two dozen individual communities generally recognized in San Jose. Here are some of the more distinct communities.
Downtown
This is the city’s business district, though it may look a bit different from most downtown districts of large cities. Due to the proximity of the airport, there are height restrictions and buildings are generally limited to about 15 stores. Over the recent years, there has been an aggressive campaign to renovate portions of the downtown area.
Japantown
Also located in Central San Jose, this is where many Japanese settled following World War II. You’ll find plenty of Japanese culture here, including handmade tofu and year-round farmers markets.
Little Portugal
Located in San Jose’s east side, this community holds many of the cultural aspects that prompted the community name.
East San Jose, or King and Story
The intersection of King and Story streets was once a notorious part of San Jose, known for gang activities and sometimes referred to as the “ghetto” side of town. Efforts to revitalize the area have made great improvements and visitors will find a variety of attractions in this area, including the Mexican Heritage Plaza and Kelly Park. Many of the areas in this part of the city have specific cultural backgrounds, including Latino, Vietnamese and Cambodians.
Coyote Valley
Located in South San Jose, this area was one of the last to hold on to agricultural enterprises. Some farming still goes on here, though the push for development will probably end that soon.