South San Jose NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDE

Generally called the "South Side” by residents, South San Jose can best be described as suburban sprawl with a scenic background of rolling hills. Peaceful and somewhat sleepy, South San Jose is mostly populated by families, students, and retirees who have lived here since orchards covered most of the surrounding area.

South San Jose can be broken down into seven different neighborhoods: Almaden, Blossom Valley, Coyote Valley, Edenvale, Santa Teresa, Seven Trees, and Silver Creek Valley. The main difference between these neighborhoods tends to be home prices and neighborhood feel due to the varying incomes of residents.

Almaden Valley is where most of the upscale homes are, nestled at the base of the Almaden hills near Quiksilver Park. Santa Teresa has a very similar feel, although it's more middle class and lot sizes tend to be smaller in Santa Teresa. There’s also more space in Almaden Valley, whereas Santa Teresa tends to be more densely populated.

Coyote Creek and Silver Creek Valley are more associated with East San Jose than South San Jose, although officially within the south side area. Both are fairly upscale areas, with homes tending to be quite large and expensive.

Seven Trees and Blossom Valley are not as affluent as the other neighborhoods. You'll find slightly more affordable housing options in Seven Trees.

You’ll definitely want a car to get around South San Jose since it’s a large swath of land and public transit is limited to buses. The good news is there's little real traffic apart from the rush hour commute to the freeways. 

There’s plenty of stuff to do here, although it may not seem so at first glance. Strip mall properties line the main streets near the residential areas, where most amenities such as restaurants and grocery stores lie. The area along Blossom Hill Road is a perfect example of this: retail and commercial buildings line the entirety of the area, with tons of shopping options that will satisfy most needs.

There are dozens of parks throughout the neighborhood, off-leash areas for dogs, multiple golf courses, bike trails, and more to keep you active on the weekends.

This is one of the best suburbs to live in San Jose. The commute is slightly worse than in other parts of San Jose, but it’s a small price to pay for such a peaceful and family-friendly area.

South San Jose is bordered on the north by Downtown San Jose, on the east by East San Jose, on the south by Coyote and the Santa Cruz Mountains, and on the west by Los Gatos.