California Real Estate & Relocation Guide

Mountain View, California

Population: 72,200

Located in Santa Clara County

Mountain View maintains a strong and diversified local economy. Numerous high technology electronics companies, including several in the Fortune 500, as well as bio-technology firms are located in Mountain View. With only 4% of Santa Clara County's population, Mountain View is home to 11% of the county's top firms. Five of California's fastest growing companies are headquartered in Mountain View. Business success stories are not limited to the electronics industry. Mountain View enjoys a lively mix of retail stores, executive offices, research and development firms, and professional services.

Mountain View's transportation network includes highways, rail systems, and air service. Interstate 280, US 101, and state highways 82, 85, and 237 cross Mountain View and offer a quick connection to all parts of the Bay Area. Commute alternatives include County Transit bus and CalTrain rail services. Mountain View has been selected for the next extension of Light Rail from San Jose and Santa Clara. This will provide new opportunities for commuters in the South Bay Area. Mountain View is served by two major international airports. San Francisco International Airport is less than 30 miles away. San Jose International, 10 miles from Mountain View, is a national hub for several airlines. The airport serves a steadily growing 6 million passengers annually.

Mountain View maintains a consistently moderate Mediterranean climate year round. Rand McNally ranks Mountain View's climate the eighth most desirable of 329 metropolitan areas. In 1989, the average high in July was 79 degrees Fahrenheit and the average low was 53 degrees Fahrenheit. The month of December in 1989 ranged from an average high of 60 degrees Fahrenheit to an average low of 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

Recreation: Shoreline Park in Mountain View, a 644-acre regional recreational area, features a network of trails through the baylands, an 18 hole championship golf course, and a saltwater lake for sailing and windsurfing.

Entertainment: Shoreline Amphitheater is the region's premiere outdoor entertainment center. The 20,000 seat venue draws hundreds of thousands each year for performances. Performers have included: Julio Iglesias, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Bette Middler and the San Francisco Symphony.

Cultural Arts: Mountain View's new Center for the Performing Arts offers cultural activities of a wide variety: theatre, music, performance art, dance, and film. Three hundred performances are planned annually for the theatre's three stages. Local and professional, as well as national and international touring companies are booked for each of the Center's seasons.

Special Events: Mountain View is a city of celebrations with numerous cultural and recreational events happening each year. These events include: The Annual Art & Wine Festival, Summer Concert Series, Spring Parade, Small Brewers' Festival, Mountain View Street A Faire, and Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Once covered in orchards and vineyards, Mountain View began as a stagecoach stop and an agricultural center for the lush Santa Clara Valley. The town was incorporated in 1902 with a population of fewer than 1,000 people. After World War II, The City's population exploded with the growth of the electronic and aerospace industries. Today, Mountain View is a modern, high-tech city operating under a council/manager form of government, with a 7-member City Council. While Mountain View is keeping pace with new ideas and innovations, the City is also committed to the traditional values of strong neighborhoods and citizen involvement.

Mountain View is made up of a variety of distinct, locally organized neighborhood and homeowners associations that help identify our community's needs and shape the City's future. The mission of the Mountain View city government is to provide quality services and facilities that meet the needs of a caring and diverse community in a financially responsible manner. In recent years, the City of Mountain View has developed some of the finest recreation facilities the Bay Area has to offer.

The City's extensive City park system not only provides an outstanding array of neighborhood parks, but includes an innovative regional park created from reclaimed landfill. Shoreline-at-Mountain View Park, built along San Francisco Bay, features an 18-hole golf course, a sailing lake and a wild life interpretive trail. The Civic Center, built around downtown's Pioneer Park, has one of the finest theater facilities in Northern California as well as a new, 60,000 square foot state-of-the-art library.

One of Mountain View's greatest assets is its people. The resident population of Mountain View is approximately 72,200. The daytime population grows to more than 100,000. More than half the population is between 20 and 44, while nearly 25% of our population is in the 25 to 34 year age bracket. The median age is 32.8 years old.