14 miles West of San Jose on Santa Clara Valley’s west side sits Saratoga, a mid-sized city in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is bordered by Cupertion, San Jose, Campbell and Los Gatos. Saratoga is one of California’s most expensive suburbs, and the 8th wealthiest city in the United States!
The city got its name in 1865, after springs similar to those in Saratoga Springs, NY were discovered. After a huge post-WWII boom saw the city quickly urbanized, Saratoga was incorporated in 1956.
Today the city of Saratoga is well known for maintaining its small town feel, countless high-end restaurants and fine wineries, affluent quality of life, and has been home to many famous names, including Mark Suciu, Bob Pease, and Steven Spielberg!
Table of Contents
Saratoga CA Population & Demographics
Saratoga’s population is 31,051, with a population density of 2,400 per sq mi over an area 12.78 sq mi large.
Saratoga’s median age is 50.2 years, with a gender split of 49.6% men and 50.4% women. 47.7% of people in Saratoga CA are Asian, 44.8% white, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% black or African American, and 0.4% American Indian or Alaska Native. 3.6% identify as two or more races.
Saratoga is an affluent city with a median household income of $119,677, putting it 59% higher than the median average for California, which is $75,235.
With a crime rate 91% lower than other California communities, and only a one in 130 chance of becoming a victim of crime, Saratoga is a very safe place to live and frequently ranked as one of the country’s top 100 safest cities. The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office West Valley Patrol Division serves Saratoga, with 586 sworn personnel.
Saratoga’s Cost of Living
So how much does it cost to live in Saratoga? A Bloomberg Businessweek article in 2011 named Saratoga zip code 95070 the 18th wealthiest in the whole country, while an American Community Survey in 2018 named Saratoga the United States’ 8th wealthiest city.
Saratoga Everyday Expenses
- Utilities: $172.50
- Gallon of milk: $3.77
- Loaf of bread: $2.83
- Domestic beer: $6
- Gallon of gasoline: $3.57
See more Saratoga expenses at Numbeo.
Saratoga’s housing market is incredibly competitive, with a median house price of $3.4M – a 12.4% increase on the previous year, and far more expensive than the $376,286 median for the country as a whole. The typical Saratoga home sells after only 19 days on the market, and around 8 – 18% above list price.
Alternatively, the average one bedroom apartment in Saratoga costs $1,995 per month. Rent prices in the city have seen a significant drop however, with a year-over-year decline of 34%.
Saratoga Neighborhoods — Which is the one for Me?
Saratoga is definitely one of the most sought after parts of the Silicon Valley/Bay area, and here are a few notable neighborhoods to check out:
Parker Ranch is one such neighborhood, with homes of all kinds of sizes, ages and styles. Most of these start around $3.5M, so luxury is definitely the optimal word here.
There’s also Saratoga Oaks and Saratoga Parkside, bordering Cupertino in Silicon Valley and the South Bay area, and perfectly situated between downtown Saratoga and the foothills that lead to the coast.
If you want to be close to the action though, there’s Downtown Saratoga (also known as Saratoga Village). Here you’ll find great attractions like Wildwood Park (including Saratoga Creek), and an endless array of upscale shopping and dining.
For more info on Saratoga neighborhoods, why not check this handy map!
Saratoga is 47 miles from San Francisco, which is only a 50 minute drive straight up US-101..
Saratoga Weather & Climate
LIke most of California, Saratoga’s weather and climate is great pretty much all year round.
April to November are Saratoga’s most comfortable months, with June to October being the hottest. Highs in the late 60s and low 70s are the norm, with lows not usually dropping below the mid 50s.
Rain wise, Saratoga typically gets around 30 inches throughout any given year, with October to April being the wettest.
Saratoga summers are long, fairly arid, and clear for the most part. It’s a pretty comfortable climate, with relatively short and mild winters – no snow!.
Great Things to do in Saratoga
Whether you’re after some great sightseeing, educational museums, boutique shopping, fine dining, or even free things or fun things to do with kids, you’ll definitely find some great days out in Saratoga!
Villa Montalvo
View this post on Instagram
If gorgeous gardens in a tranquil environment sound like the perfect day out, then the 166 acres of Villa Montalvo are for you. The villa and its grounds have been a hub for Northern California’s political, artistic and social life since 1912, and is a teeming center for the arts to this day.
15400 Montalvo Road, Saratoga, CA, 95070 (408) 355-2375
For other great Saratoga outdoor attractions, check out Hakone Estate and Gardens, Los Gatos Creek Trail, Fremont Older Preserve, and Sanborne County Park
Paul Masson Mountain Winery
Any wine aficionado will know the name Paul Masson, and while wine production stopped for a few decades in the 1950s and it became a music venue, production started back up again in 2004. Today, it continues to be both a working winery and live concert venue.
14831 Pierce Rd, Saratoga, CA 95070 (408) 741-2822
For some more amazing Saratoga wineries, be sure to check out House Family Vinyards and Cooper-Garrod Estate Vinyards
Some additional attractions in Saratoga CA include:
Saratoga Restaurants
Here are some of Saratoga’s most popular restaurants:
Hero Ranch Kitchen
EMBED https://www.instagram.com/p/CYvCCFSrGfI/
Putting a priority on community, family tradition, and a ‘farm-to-fork’ mentality, Hero Ranch Kitchen offers casual dining and everything from the simple to the extravagant. Next door you’ll find their sister restaurant Flowers Saratoga, which offers a similarly homey and relaxed feel.
14583 Big Basin Way, Saratoga, CA 95070 (669) 267-3183
The Basin
“Good food, good health, and good wine”, that’s The Basin’s motto. And with a huge focus on locally sourced and organically produced foods, they’ve been achieving exactly that for two decades.
14572 Big Basin Way, Saratoga, CA 95070 (408) 867-196
Hachi Ju Hachi
If authentic Japanese cuisine is your thing, look no further than Hachi Ju Hachi. With a passion for excellence and traditional Japanese culinary techniques, Hachi Ju Hachi is downtown Saratoga’s premier destination for sushi and traditional Japanese home cooking.
14480 Big Basin Way, Saratoga, CA 95070 (408) 647-2258
Bella Saratoga
Is Italian food the best food in the world? Bella Saratoga think so, and this romantic ristorante in the heart of Saratoga Village isn’t proving them wrong any time soon.
14503 Big Basin Way, Saratoga, CA 95070 (408) 741-5115
Additional Saratoga Restaurants Include:
- Tamra Mediterranean Grill
- Anchors Fish & Chips and Seafood Grill
- Yum Yum Donuts
- La Superior Panadería y Taquería
Jobs in Saratoga
The average salary in Saratoga is $970,000 a year, according to Payscale, with a cost of living 190% higher than the US average. Some of the most popular occupations in the city include Physical Therapists, Senior Software Engineers, Software Engineers, and Electrical Workers.
Amazon is Saratoga’s biggest employer, along with Lockheed Martin and West Valley College. Being part of Silicon Valley, companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, and IBM are also big employers to the area too, along with many other tech giants.
For all the most up to date job listings in the area, check out the latest Indeed job listings in Saratoga.
Saratoga Schools
The Saratoga Union School District serves the primary and middle schools of Saratoga, as well as small parts of neighboring Monte Sereno and Los Gatos. Two of these schools, Redwood Middle School and Argonaut Elementary School, have been recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools.
For grade 9 onwards the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District takes over, with Los Gatos High School and Saratoga High School under their belt. Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District is consistently recognized as the best school district in California, so no worries about your kids’ education here!
Don’t forget, students (and anyone else) can also take advantage of Saratoga Library!
Saratoga Statistics & Information
- County: Santa Clara
- Saratoga area ZIP codes: 95070 – 95071
- Phone area codes: 408/669
- Time zone: UTC-8 (Pacific)
- Elevation: 423ft (129m)
- Saratoga total area: 12.78 sq mi (33.10 km2)
Saratoga California Map
Find even more great things to do with this Saratoga, California map!
Living in Saratoga
- Saratoga is 91% safer than the California average. It’s even 84 on the country’s top 100 safest places to live list!
- It’s also the 8th wealthiest city in the whole country!
- Never worry about what to drink again, with some of the nation’s greatest wineries right on your doorstep!
- Rest easy in the knowledge that your kids will be attending some of the greatest schools in the country.
Saratoga CA Homes for Sale
Find your new Saratoga home by clicking here!
When it comes time to start moving to Saratoga, look no further than AMS Relocation. Get in touch with our expert team of Saratoga CA movers, and we’ll get you well on the road to living in your new Saratoga home in no time!
