San Jose is one of the most livable cities in the country. Don’t take a native’s word for it — if you’re young and looking for a place to live, then come to SJ. We’re full of tech, progressive ideas and the best Mexican food and burgers in this part of the country.
But it’s not all roses and kale shakes in the capital of Silicon Valley. As much fun as it might be to live here, for some, SJ life might be a drag. So before you drive a moving van across the country or sign off on your lease, here are some reasons why you shouldn’t move to San Jose.
It’s ridiculously expensive here.
Living among techies doesn’t come without a price. Of the 10 most expensive large cities in America, San Jose ranks sixth. The average monthly rent payment will set you back $1,738, and the average home costs $805,000. For the price of a mansion in other parts of the country, you’ll get a modest two- to three-bedroom home. Prime real estate needs a prime income too: the average household income needed to buy a home in the area is $216,181.
Traffic sucks.
You knew that of course — you’re moving to California, for goodness sake!
But just how much traffic sucks in San Jose might still shock you. San Jose is the fifth-most congested city in the country. It isn’t unusual for commutes to reach well over the hour-and-a-half mark, one way.
If you have a commute that lasts under 40 minutes, consider yourself lucky any tech giants haven’t found land next to your route to set up shop — yet. My tip: Set your radio to Fernando and Greg on 99.7. You’re welcome.
There’s construction everywhere. All the time.
Ongoing construction is typical of any big city: It’s a mark of how far your city has come, and how bustling your local economy is. But when your entire economy is based on The Next Big Tech Company, then things might get a bit frustrating.
Tech giants like Apple and Facebook have taken over what were once lush tree orchards and placed entire neighborhoods into perpetual construction. The makers of your iPhone have also built an entire spaceship nearby, and SJSU students learn to live with the whirr of a Caterpillar plowing down their campus.
And that’s not the worst of it: Google and the City of San Jose recently came to a closed-door agreement to allow the search engine to construct yet another campus. This time, it will be right in the middle of San Jose, clogging up freeways and displacing lower-income residents.
What does that mean? Longer commutes and more expensive housing.
Bedtime is at 10 pm.
This isn’t New York or SF: San Jose doesn’t have too much in terms of late-night entertainment or nightlife, save for a few bars on First Street, and of course In-N-Out. If you’re looking for a fun night out past 1 am, then you’re better off trekking up north to San Francisco. That means aside from La Victoria Taqueria, there aren’t too many fun things open till 3 am in SJ (Which, come to think of it, sounds really tasty right now …).
There are many reasons why you shouldn’t come here. Don’t let them scare you though. There are also tons of reasons why you should make the move to SJ, from food to fun times. But just like Indiana Jones taught us, one must choose wisely.
