County of Santa Clara Overview

From its agricultural past to its high-tech present, Santa Clara County has been the land of opportunity for its residents, from the native Ohlone to the county’s current mix reflecting decades of immigration from around the world. The most populous county in northern California is also its most prosperous, with a population that enjoys the third-highest GDP per capita in the world (according to the Brookings Institution). That wealth can be seen in the posh, verdant suburbs that ring the Santa Clara Valley and the concrete jungle of industrial parks that stretch from Mountain View to South San Jose. But there’s a flip side to this affluence: rising prices in the housing market have led to increased rates in homelessness among low-income residents.