Where do most college grads live in Silicon Valley?
I'm starting to think about where I might want to be after college, especially if I end up working in tech. For people who are recent college grads in Silicon Valley, what neighborhoods or cities are most popular? Is it hard to afford to live near the big tech campuses?
I don't know much about the area besides San Jose and Palo Alto being mentioned a lot. Are there particular spots people in their early 20s tend to cluster, maybe places with good nightlife or easy commutes? Would love to hear from alums or anyone who knows the scene.
I don't know much about the area besides San Jose and Palo Alto being mentioned a lot. Are there particular spots people in their early 20s tend to cluster, maybe places with good nightlife or easy commutes? Would love to hear from alums or anyone who knows the scene.
6 months ago
•
20 views
Kathy Jayanth
• 6 months ago
Advisor
Most recent college grads in tech tend to live in the South Bay—cities like Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, and San Jose—since that’s where many of the big tech offices are located.
South Bay (Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, San Jose):
These spots are the most common choices for grads working at Google, Meta, Apple, and similar companies. Living here makes your commute easier, but rent is very high—often $2,500–$3,500 for a one-bedroom. San Jose offers more options and is slightly more affordable, but the trade-off is that the social scene isn’t as lively as San Francisco or Oakland.
San Francisco:
If your job is in the city, living in SF is amazing—tons of nightlife, restaurants, and a younger social vibe. Even if you work in the South Bay, some grads still choose SF for the lifestyle and reverse commute down the peninsula a few days a week. Surprisingly, depending on the neighborhood, you can sometimes find rents similar to or even cheaper than parts of the South Bay.
East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley, etc.):
This is the budget-friendly choice. Rents can be half of what you’d pay in SF or the South Bay, and the apartments are often larger and newer. The East Bay also has a fantastic food and music scene—many locals argue it’s even better than San Francisco. The downside is the commute to South Bay jobs (Menlo Park, Mountain View, Cupertino) can be long, but if you’re only in the office 2–3 days a week, it’s manageable.
Bottom line:
Most grads cluster in the South Bay for convenience to work.
If you want more nightlife and city energy, look at San Francisco.
If affordability and culture matter most, the East Bay is worth considering.
It really comes down to what you value more: short commutes, social life, or affordability.
South Bay (Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, San Jose):
These spots are the most common choices for grads working at Google, Meta, Apple, and similar companies. Living here makes your commute easier, but rent is very high—often $2,500–$3,500 for a one-bedroom. San Jose offers more options and is slightly more affordable, but the trade-off is that the social scene isn’t as lively as San Francisco or Oakland.
San Francisco:
If your job is in the city, living in SF is amazing—tons of nightlife, restaurants, and a younger social vibe. Even if you work in the South Bay, some grads still choose SF for the lifestyle and reverse commute down the peninsula a few days a week. Surprisingly, depending on the neighborhood, you can sometimes find rents similar to or even cheaper than parts of the South Bay.
East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley, etc.):
This is the budget-friendly choice. Rents can be half of what you’d pay in SF or the South Bay, and the apartments are often larger and newer. The East Bay also has a fantastic food and music scene—many locals argue it’s even better than San Francisco. The downside is the commute to South Bay jobs (Menlo Park, Mountain View, Cupertino) can be long, but if you’re only in the office 2–3 days a week, it’s manageable.
Bottom line:
Most grads cluster in the South Bay for convenience to work.
If you want more nightlife and city energy, look at San Francisco.
If affordability and culture matter most, the East Bay is worth considering.
It really comes down to what you value more: short commutes, social life, or affordability.
Kathy Jayanth
Berkeley, CA
UC Berkeley | Economics & Slavic Studies
Experience
5 years
Rating