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Weather in Milpitas, California

Monument Peak and Summitpoint homes in the snow in March

Summary of the general climate and historical weather patterns for the area. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to reliable weather resources linked below.

General Climate in Milpitas, California

Mediterranean Climate: Milpitas experiences a Mediterranean climate characterized by mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers.
Temperature: Average highs in summer (June-August) range from 75°F to 85°F (24°C to 29°C), while winter temperatures (December-February) typically range from 45°F to 60°F (7°C to 15°C).
Rainfall: Most rainfall occurs during the winter months, with an average annual precipitation of around 15 inches (38 cm). Summers are generally dry.
Microclimates: Due to its location in the San Francisco Bay Area, Milpitas can experience microclimates, with cooler temperatures and fog influenced by the nearby bay.

Historical Trends

Droughts: California, including Milpitas, has experienced periodic droughts, particularly in recent decades, leading to water conservation efforts.
Heatwaves: Increasing temperatures and heatwaves have been observed in the region, consistent with broader climate change trends.
Wildfire Smoke: While not directly in Milpitas, wildfire smoke from Northern California can affect air quality during the late summer and fall.

For real-time updates, check these resources or local news outlets.

Forecasts

The Weather Channel
Hourly forecast for the Milpitas area, with other links to maps, travel conditions, gardening and allergy tips, advisories for those flying or boating. You may change settings.

Spare the Air
Click here to see if it’s a good idea or not to light a fire in your fireplace tonight. Runs from November 1 through February.

Wunderground: Milpitas 5-day Forecast
Also conditions at area airports, large and small.

Current

Office of Emergency Services
Latest news and updates from Cal OES.

Rainfall Maps from DWR/CNRFC
San Francisco Bay 1 Hr, 6 Hr, 24 Hr

US National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area/Monterey California
Facebook posts do not always reflect the most current information. For current official info, visit: Local Forecast Office for San Francisco Bay Area/Monterey, CA.

Climate

Confronting Climate Change in California
As we enter the 21st century, a powerful new agent — global climate change — will increasingly interact with the human pressures that continue to stress California’s natural environments. From the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Monthly Averages for Milpitas
July is the average warmest month. The highest recorded temperature was 109°F in 2000. On average, the coolest month is December. The lowest recorded temperature was 19°F in 1990. The maximum average precipitation occurs in January.

Which City Has The Most Unpredictable Weather?
Not Milpitas! San Francisco’s weather patterns are unusual as compared to the rest of the country (September has historically been San Francisco’s warmest month, for instance). But they’re predictably unusual, at least on a day-to-day (if not necessarily hour-to-hour) basis. And San Francisco, like the rest of the West Coast, rarely gets severe weather. In other words, it is fairly easy for the weather forecast you see on TV to be correct.

Drought in San Francisco Bay Area

NBC Bay Area Drought Watch
In January of 2014, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency for the state of California, in what could be the driest year on record in the history of the state. See how those conditions are now, years in the future.

Inside Bay Area Drought
News, water saving tips, maps and data, on how drought is affecting the Bay Area.

Historic

The Santa Clara Valley Water District has historical flood reports for Santa Clara County. The NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Past Weather Tool also has historical weather data for the area.
Storm events
October 24–25, 2021: An atmospheric river brought historic rainfall to the Bay Area, leading to flood warnings and flash flood watches
Historical flood reports
The Santa Clara Valley Water District has historical flood reports for 1982, 1983, 1986, 1995, 1996–97, 1998, 2009, 2012, and 2017
Climate change
Climate change is increasing the potential for extreme rainfall and snowfall in Santa Clara County
Warmer air can hold more water vapor, which can lead to more intense and frequent heat waves
Historical weather data
The NCEI Past Weather Tool allows users to search for historical temperature, precipitation, snowfall, and snow depth data for weather stations in the United States and other countries

Selected Santa Clara County and All County-based Events. Unusual weather-related events in Santa Clara County, including excessive heat, wind storms, tornadoes, flash floods, etc. Worse weather event in Milpitas was a thunderstorm with high winds in January 2010. Worse thing that happened was a plane had to be diverted from SFO to Oakland Airport. Some people lost power for awhile, and some trees blew down. No one died. No one was injured, and there was no property damage. So, basically, you have nothing to fear from weather events in Milpitas.

Sunnyvale Tornado 1998
On May 4 1998, a rare pair of tornadoes touched down in the San Francisco Bay area near the city of Sunnyvale. Both tornadoes cuased F1 to weak F2 damage. The tornadoes occurred from a left-moving anticyclonically-rotating low-topped supercell. The tornadoes were each reported to be rotating anti-cyclonically (clockwise) as well, making for an extremely rare event.

Images

CBS Dopler Weather for Mipitas
Zoom in on Animated Maps or Live Doppler.

Mt Hamilton HamCams
We’ve added a second, fixed Hamcam (Hamcam #2) to provide the popular and useful western view, thus freeing the original Hamcam (Hamcam #1) to roam the mountain top at our whim.

Night Sky

Night Sky Chart
Clear enough to see the stars tonight? Here’s what constellations, bright stars and planets you’d see tonight.

Winter Storms

Winter Storm Tips
Pacific Gas and Electric Company has recently unveiled the Safety Corner, a new section of the company’s web site dedicated to providing customers important information about storm preparation and safety.

Stink in Milpitas-Smell Map

The Silicon Valley odor problem seems incomprehensible. Learn about the history and current issues of the stink from Newby Island Landfill.

When I was a youngster 60 or so years ago, we had a song we would sing as we drove from Oakland to Santa Cruz for a day at the Beach-Boardwalk. We’d drive our parents nuts with the repetitive drone of “doo-do-n-do-doo” over and over again, and then shouting out the name of each city we went through for the whole hour+ drive. Each had a specific hand gesture, and I don’t remember most of them any longer, but for Milpitas we’d make the gesture of rolling up the car windows with window cranks (Remember those?) while really rolling up the windows as fast as we could. No air conditioned cars back in those days! Windows down the whole way…except through Milpitas. The stink was so bad back in the 50’s and 60’s and…so on. Back then the explanation was the rotten fruit and fruit peels from the canneries around here.

So why, 60 years later, does Milpitas still stink?

Milpitas has a history of odor problems that are related to industrial activities, landfills, and waste processing facilities in the surrounding areas. The smell that occurs when there are odor issues in Milpitas can come from many different sources, including sewage treatment plants, landfills, garbage dumps, petrochemical plants, and other industrial facilities. The exact source of the bad air smell can be difficult to pinpoint, and it may also be due to natural factors such as atmospheric conditions or wind patterns. Milpitas has worked to address the odor issues by regulating the industrial facilities and working with neighboring cities and counties to find solutions that reduce the odors.

Milpitas Smell Map

Milpitas Odor Info
The number one thing you can do is call the BAAQMD odor hotline (1-800-334-ODOR (6367)) every time you smell it, see the reporting page. Subscribe to a BAAQMD email list. The City of Milpitas is trying to do several things to help with the odor issue. However, Milpitas has no jurisdiction on The Newby Island Landfill OR the San Jose Waste Water Treatment Plant.

Why Does the Dump Near Milpitas Smell So Bad?

The unpleasant smell near Milpitas, often attributed to the Newby Island Landfill and the nearby wastewater treatment plant, is caused by the decomposition of organic waste. When organic materials like food scraps and other biodegradable waste break down, they release gases such as methane and hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide, in particular, has a characteristic rotten egg smell and is highly noticeable even at low concentrations.

Factors That Exacerbate the Smell:

Weather Conditions: Temperature inversions, where a layer of warm air traps cooler air near the ground, can prevent the dispersion of odors, making them more concentrated and noticeable.
Wind Direction: The direction and speed of the wind can carry the odors from the landfill and treatment plant towards populated areas like Milpitas.
Proximity: Milpitas is relatively close to these facilities, making it more susceptible to the odors they produce.

Efforts to Mitigate the Smell:

Efforts have been made to reduce the smell, including covering the waste with soil or other materials to reduce gas emissions and using odor-neutralizing agents. However, completely eliminating the odor is challenging due to the nature of the waste decomposition process.

According to the Milpitas Odor Control Action Plan, potential sources of odors in the Milpitas area include:

A child explains the Silicon Valley odor problem to us adults in this Milpitas Odor Info video. Learn about the history and current issues surrounding Newby Island Landfill Expansion in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Politics and Lawsuits

Dateline June 12, 2018. Republic Services and other facilities throughout California lobbied and killed AB 1975 (the odor taskforce bill). Opposition worked it hard this year and got facilities throughout the state to send letters and call their assembly members. Not enough votes to get the bill off the Assembly floor. It is very disappointing that other state assemblymen would go against a harmless bill that merely mandates the participation of odor nuisance offenders in a local task force. Kansen Chu’s staff will continue working with the air districts and local enforcement agency to see if something else can be done outside of legislation in the meantime. (Kansen Chu is no longer our state assembly member, and I don’t know if Alex Lee or Bob Wieckowski (our State Senator) has taken up the problem.)

Milpitas landfill reaches $210K settlement with Air District over pollution violations
September 1, 2022. CBS News
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District announced a settlement Thursday over numerous violations at the Newby Island Landfill in Milpitas. Browning-Ferris Industries of California Inc., and International Disposal Corp. of California agreed to pay $210,000 to settle with the air quality district. The settlement covers 30 notices of violation from 2014 to 2020 for non-compliance with air quality regulations at the landfill.

City Hall Phone Numbers to Talk to Someone

BAAQMD 3/20/2017 discussion of the San Jose/Milpitas odor issues
Watch Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty grilled BAAQMD staff. He has gotten a lot of complaints from his constituents. He spoke out against San Jose’s bad decision and BAAQMD’s inaction. He called out the poor facilities siting near resident and that San Jose clearly stuck it to Milpitas and Fremont. He suggested San Jose should have used the existing ACE rail tracks to send waste to Altamont Landfill (in rural Livermore with no odor complaints) instead of processing waste within urban areas.

Milpitas, Calif., Opts to Continue Litigation Over Landfill Expansion Decision
The Milpitas City Council voted to continue litigation against the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery for not considering odor complaints in approving a landfill expansion.
Waste360 Staff | Jun 16, 2017

In November 2016, after putting off its decision for several months, Milpitas selected Garden City Sanitation Inc. as its new hauler, replacing longtime collector Republic Services.

OPINION: We Must Get Rid of The Smell
By Eric Shapiro, in Opinion on July 23, 2018.
In my mind, often, I say the word “Smellpitas.” Sometimes, while complaining, I say it out loud. And a dear colleague tells me “Milstinkas” is out there, in good, solid circulation. What exactly’s going on here? And how has it been allowed to sustain for so many years?

“They” keep telling us, “The number one thing you can do is call the BAAQMD odor hotline every time you smell it.” So the City put up this webpage with a form that allows you to complain about a bad odor. You will need to have location services turned on so they can map exactly where you reported the smell.

Report odor to 1-800-334-6367 or click here.

We tried to limit expansion

Should a South Bay landfill on the border of San Jose and Milpitas be allowed to expand? Neighbors say no, and with a decision later this month, many neighbors are escalating grass-roots efforts to stop the expansion. NBC Bay Area’s Marianne Favro reports with a closer look at their last-ditch efforts to curb the unbearable smell. (Published Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015)

Home Buyers Beware!

The south end of town is spared the smell. Anywhere south of Calaveras Blvd. to the San Jose border. The older neighborhoods with yards are on the hill side (east side) of Milpitas and have names like Parktown (homes clustered around parks), and Milford. The southwest side of town, where BART is going in and Light Rail already exists, has lots of brand new condo-style homes. If you are very rich, living in a mansion in the hills is an option, but you will need to worry about wildfires, landslides, rattlesnakes, and coyotes eating pets. Oh, and wells going dry, and less than optimal sewage systems.

Where is the Newby Island Landfill, and What is Near it?

Note that the San Jose/Santa Clara waste water treatment plant is also in the same area. The future plans for this facility includes major odor mitigation strategies like covering the sludge drying area. However, this will take many years to fund and implement.

See also ~ Recycling & Garbage

Guides to Silicon Valley Civic Networks

Before Google Local, small cities relied on such guides to Silicon Valley and else where. The project was called civic networking, and GoMilpitas was one of these very early civic network sites. Many civic networks still exist, each giving a unique view of their local scene in a way Google cannot.

Civic Networks: Building Community on the Net
By Scott London

About Civic Networking

Zeise’s site is a one-woman operation that’s truly a grass-roots effort. Zeise, who believes a community guide can’t be done properly unless its creator lives in the town it covers, attends Chamber of Commerce meetings and watches city council meetings on television. by Deborah Kong, Mercury News. Read whole article.

The primary aim of this site, GoMilpitas.com, is not to make a significant profit, just enough to pay its bills. The ads pay the bills…just. The whole point of this site is to encourage all of us to work with each other, to connect to make purchases or exchange ideas with each other, and to make Milpitas a truly great small city. No local concern is ever charged for a link on this site, but some businesses may wish to appear on multiple pages, and we are set up to place their ads at a reasonable price.

GoMilpitas.com is under extreme competition from search engines like Google Local and review sites like Yelp, both of which have done their best to kill community networks where locals can determine what the most useful resources are in their towns. This is why I encourage you all to use the links you find on this site to explore resources that interest you in Milpitas. Use this page to look for things in other nearby cities. Support community networks everywhere rather than Google or Yelp. Tell the businesses you connect to that you found their resource on GoMilpitas.com, and drop a plug to advertise on the site so it can stay vibrant.

The Community Network Movement
Realizing that communication and information are increasingly dependent on networked digital information, community activists all over the world often in collaboration with government agencies, non-profits, or businesses are developing community computer network systems.

Central Silicon Valley Civic Networks
The Penninsula (San Mateo County)
South End
South Alameda County
Monterey Bay Area
California Community Websites
California Community Networks

Central Silicon Valley Civic Networks

Campbell
City site has many features of a good community website.

Cupertino
Mayor Sandra James says the entire community works together to provide the kind of community everyone desires. “Partnerships are what we [in Cupertino] are all about.”

Explore Milpitas
An attempt to rebuild GoMilpitas.com from scratch. Looks pretty, but lacks significant content.

East Palo Alto
For most of its history, East Palo Alto was part of unincorporated San Mateo County. As such, it did not have an official boundary until it incorporated in 1983.

Los Gatos, California, USA
Helpful information for travelers and visitors is available, including maps of the area, pictures of the town, and lists of businesses with contact information. Interesting facts have been collected to provide you with “inside information.” You can even check the weather!

Palo Alto Online
Things to do and places to go in lovely Palo Alto.

San José
City government’s website.

San Jose Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber is the largest business organization serving the Silicon Valley.

San Jose.com
San Jose retains the small town heart of its orchard days when, it has been said, the only chips contemplated were left behind by wandering cattle. Metro’s website.

San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau
Complete information on attractions, visitor travel and upcoming events in San Jose, California.

San Jose Downtown Association
The heart of Silicon Valley is experiencing a renaissance of culture and commerce. The 11th largest city in the United States has a world-class downtown. Come see for yourself.

Santa Clara
Whether you are new to Santa Clara, or a long time resident or business, our Web site is designed to help you learn about services provided by the City, and where you can obtain additional details.

Sunnyvale
Known as the “Heart of Silicon Valley,” Sunnyvale combines the advantages of an attractive suburban setting, a diverse population, metropolitan cultural opportunities, and a dynamic high-technology industrial foundation.

The Penninsula (San Mateo County)

Coastside 365
Half Moon Bay Coastside’s directory including El Granada, Moss Beach, Montara, San Gregorio, La Honda & Pescadero.

Los Altos
Tree lined streets and a small village atmosphere characterize Los Altos which is located in the heart of world famous Silicon Valley. Just 40 miles south of San Francisco, Los Altos is a residential community served by seven small retail areas. The seven square mile city is developed with small businesses, schools, libraries and churches.

Los Altos Hills
The Town of Los Altos Hills is located in the Northern portion of California’s Santa Clara County, situated between San Francisco and San Jose, just Southwest of Stanford University (Palo Alto, California).

Millbrae
The City of Millbrae is located on the Peninsula, 15 miles south of San Francisco. Chamber Site.

Montara
Surfers’ paradise located just north of Half Moon Bay on the coast just south of San Francisco.

Portola Valley
Home to 4400 people living in 1500 households, Portola Valley, California sits in a green and golden valley, astride one of the most dangerous earthquake faults in the world.

San Francisco Peninsula
Gorgeous natural scenery, attractions, showplace homes and colorful fields and gardens offer a feast for the eyes. All this, plus fine dining, entertainment, shopping and accommodations to fit every budget, make San Mateo County the place for a memorable California meeting or vacation.

San Mateo
City services and events. Official city site.

San Mateo County
Our purpose in County government is to protect and enhance the health, safety, welfare and natural resources of the community.

South Skyline Association
The purpose of the South Skyline Association is to foster a sense of community spirit, to keep residents and property owners informed of public agency actions or other items of concern in the South Skyline sphere of influence.

South End

Gilroy Visitors Site
Gilroy, California is famous as the Garlic Capital of the World, hosting the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. Gilroy gives visitors a friendly, small town character with affordable places to stay, great restaurants, wineries, breweries, world-class shopping at Gilroy Premium Outlets factory stores, attractions and recreational opportunities for the whole family.

Hollister
Somethings almost always shaking in Hollister, but this lively community site makes you want to move in anyways. San Benito County.

Morgan Hill
With a population of 33,000, Morgan Hill is located just south of Silicon Valley. Combining great country living with well-known manufacturing and research firms, Morgan Hill prides itself as the “Small town that’s big on business”. Here is the Chamber Site.

South Alameda County

Livermore / Pleasanton & Tri-Valley
eLivermore.com / ePleasanton.org is a community service of Holy Cross Lutheran Church providing information and links to the Livermore and Tri-Valley areas.

Newark
Newark is located in Silicon Valley on the east side of San Francisco Bay. Part of one of the most dynamic urban areas in the world, Newark has maintained a strong and proud spirit rooted in community values.

Sunol.net
Disclamer: This web site is non-commercial and the sole property of Derek Johnson. Nobody pays me to put anything in it. I’ll add what I want, whenever I feel like it (or get around to it, whichever comes last). I disclaim any knowlege of what I am talking about.

Monterey Bay Area

Monterey – Explore
Once a hub of industry, the centerpiece of Monterey–Cannery Row–has been famously revitalized into a complex of world-class restaurants, hip boutiques, and trendy bars.

Santa Cruz City
Located on the sunny side of the beautiful Monterey Bay, 74 miles south of San Francisco. On this site, you will find information about City government, City departments, services, and programs.

Santa Cruz County
Many members of the Santa Cruz area have their own websites as part of “cruzio.com.”

Santa Cruz County
Official county website. Explore our majestic redwood forests and vibrant cityscapes. Taste our fresh cuisine and fine wines. Experience our rich history, acclaimed arts, and year-round events for everyone. In Santa Cruz County, our beaches are just the beginning!

California Community Websites

Berkeley Parents Civic Network
This web site contains thousands of pages of recommendations and advice from the Berkeley Parents Network, a parent-to-parent advice newsletter for the community of parents in the Berkeley, California area. Not limited to just Berkeley.

Davis Community Civic Network
Community resources for this college town in the Sacramento Valley.

East County Live
Civic network that serves Antioch, Pittsburg, Oakley, Brentwood, Byron and Discovery Bay.

Los Banos
Now a Facebook group with regular postings.

Napa Valley
Visit wine country. Covers Calistoga, St.Helena, Oakville/Rutherford, Yountville, Napa and Outlying Areas.

Petaluma Visitors
Locate things to do, and particpate in their many discussion boards. Vote on hot topics!

Point Richmond Online
Neighborhood site to bring a community together.

California Community Networks

There are a good number of free and low cost community networks in California.

KCBXnet formerly SLO Net
SLONET Regional Information Network – San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara counties in California. Site has excellent internet use training course materials available.

Mendocino Community Network
A civic network owned and operated by the Mendocino Unified School District for the purpose of supporting our District’s Internet Node and to benefit our local and global communities. MCN price for residential basic DSL service is now just $14.99 for the first six months. Service now available in the Sacramento, Monterey, Salinas, Chico, Chowchilla, Stockton and LA areas! In the fall DSL is coming to the Kelseyville/Upperlake area.

Napa Net
Offers internet services to residents of Napa, California, including DSL services and virus-free email.

Silicon Valley Public Access Link
A non-profit computer network which makes on-line information accessible to people living in the Silicon Valley regardless of financial status and educational level.

Silicon Valley Unwired
Ten years ago, Milpitas’ free municipal wireless Internet system was a novel idea involving state-of-the-art technology that sought to provide greater web access to the community. A decade later, Milpitas’ citywide Wi-Fi system and its attendant equipment is still in place but now sits mostly unused.

SonicNet
A low-cost ISP as well as a comunity information website for those in Sonoma, California.

Computer History

Apple II History
This project began as a description of how the Apple II evolved into a IIGS, and some of the standards that emerged along the way. It has grown into a history of Apple Computer, with an emphasis on the place of the Apple II in that history. By Steven Weyhrich.

Atari Games Museum
The following pictures were taken in May of 2003, when Midway decided to close their Milpitas facility. The Milpitas facility was the old ‘Atari Games’ building. I was able to get some pictures, before everything was moved out of the building.

Chief Yahoos:David Filo and Jerry Yang
This interview was done over two meetings in Palo Alto, California, USA in May 1995. Jerry grew up in San Jose and went to Stanford for his bachelors. At the time of the interview they are both in Stanford’s Electrical Engineering program doing electronic computer-aided design research.

Computer History Museum
Timeline of computing history, browse by topic, or send them information about computing history. Located in Mt. View.

Don Hoefler
The journalist credited with coining the phrase: “Silicon Valley.”

Folklore: The Father Of The Macintosh
Andy Hertzfeld’s book in blog format. Read about the origins of Apple and the Macintosh computer.

GoMilpitas Way Back
This site has archived my home page and some internal pages since 1999. If you’d like to see news headlines and such, take a look here.

Apple I replica creation: back to the garage
By Tom Owad. A Google book preview.

History of Computing Industrial Era 1976 – 1979
The Third Generation of computers starts approximately in this era. These computers are characterized by mainly electronic models but now fully programmable. From The History of Computing Foundation.

Homebrew Computer Club
That summer in 1975 at the Homebrew Club the Intel 8080 formed the center of the universe. The Altair was built around the 8080 and its early popularity spawned a cottage industry of small companies that either made machines that would run programs written for the Altair or made attachments that would plug into the various kinds of micro computers.

IBM’s Early History
In 1890 the U.S. Census Bureau knew its traditional methods of counting would not be adequate for measuring the population, so it sponsored a contest to find a more efficient means of tabulating census data.

IBM Take a look back
IBM has more than 100 years of experience with diversity, inclusion and equality in the workplace. We encourage each generation to thrive because of their unique differences, not despite them. Journey back in time and discover why diversity is in our DNA.

An Illustrated History of Computers
The first computers were people! That is, electronic computers (and the earlier mechanical computers) were given this name because they performed the work that had previously been assigned to people. By John Kopplin.

Intel Museum
So you have “Intel Inside.” What exactly DO you have inside your computer?

The Jargon Dictionary
A comprehensive compendium of hacker slang illuminating many aspects of hackish tradition, folklore, and humor.

Lawrence Livermore Labs History
The single event that triggered the establishment of Lawrence Livermore was detonation of the first Russian atomic bomb in 1949.

Memoir of a Homebrew Computer Club Member
Posted on a bulletin board in the PALY terminal room (containing 6 noisy KSR-33 teletypes in the Palo Alto High School math-science office) was a notice that a computer group meeting would be held at the home of Gordon French. By Bob Lash.

National Semiconductor History 1959 1960’s
National Semiconductor started by making silicon mesa transistors for industrial and military uses. The company grew quickly after 1967 under CEO Charlie Sporck and new management, moving headquarters from Danbury, Connecticut, to Santa Clara, California in the heart of today’s Silicon Valley.

Pong Story
The video game history started in a strange and complicated way and it is important to avoid confusions with what happened in the 1950s and 1960s. The real video game history started with Ralph Baer as early as 1951.

The Promise: An Educator’s History of the Internet
An investigation into the history of the Internet and the promise for its use in the K-12 classroom.

Silicon Genesis
A unique collection of oral history interviews with pioneers of the semiconductor industry.

Steve Paul Jobs
Like the Bhagwan, driving around Rancho Rajneesh each day in another Rolls-Royce, Jobs kept his troops fascinated and productive. The joke going around said that Jobs had a ‘reality distortion field’ surrounding him. He’d say something, and the kids in the Macintosh division would find themselves replying ‘Drink poison Kool-Aid? Yeah, that makes sense’. – Robert X. Cringely, 1992.

Steve Wozniak, Still Fathering the Computer Revolution
He’s been called the Wizard of Woz. It was he who single-handedly designed an entire personal computer, the Apple I. It was he who designed the Apple II and wrote the software to make it run. Site has more good Woz sites, including Steve’s own website.

Ethnic History & Culture

“This [country] will in a few years become a…colony; instead of [their] learning our language, we must learn theirs, or live as in a foreign country.”
– Advice to German immigrants from Benjamin Franklin, publisher of die Philadelphische Zeitung, the first German newspaper in America, 1751.

Immigrants speaking other languages have been arriving in Santa Clara County for about 2 centuries contributing to our diverse ethnic history. Eventually they learn English, and begin to call themselves hyphenated-Americans, and become part of this wonderful melting pot. But is being a hyphenated-American a good thing? Does it imply not being 100% American?

Our Ethnic Heritage

Knowledge of Immigrant Nationalities of Santa Clara County
Unless we all start from the premise that we are innocently ignorant of the background and conditions of the rich cultures in our midst, and are challenged to rise to new levels of human understanding and humane relations, we suffer the possibility of engaging in insensitive or even discriminatory behaviors.

Silicon Valley Cultures Project
A fifteen year ethnographic study of the cultures living and working in the hi-tech communities of Silicon Valley.

Black Heritage

Black History Community Resources
KQED has long list of resources in the Bay Area to assist you in studying Black History.

A History of Black Americans in California
Although Afro-American people were comparatively few in number before World War II, they were settled throughout the state and made significant contributions to its development and growth. National Park Service.

Two Years a Slave in the Santa Clara Valley: Sampson Gleaves and Plim Jackson
The manumission papers of Sampson Gleaves and Plim Jackson, preserved today at History San Jose, are rare in California, and provide clear evidence of African-American slavery in the Gold Rush state.

Chinese

Angel Island: Immigrant Journeys of Chinese-Americans
Between 1910 and 1940, there were as many as 175,000 Chinese immigrants detained and processed at Angel Island, San Francisco Bay, California. Unlike Ellis Island in New York’s harbor, Angel Island is a visible reminder of a shameful period in U.S. immigration history.

Asian-Nation
Your one-stop information source on the historical, political, demographic, and cultural issues that make up today’s diverse Asian American community. You can almost think of Asian-Nation as an online version of “Asian Americans 101.”

Pacific Link: The KQED Asian Education Initiative
A complete study of the role of Asian immigrants in the history of California. From KQED.

Chinese Historical & Cultural Project
Based in Santa Clara County, California, it was founded in 1987 as a non-profit organization to promote and preserve Chinese American and Chinese history and culture through community outreach activities.

A History of Chinese Americans in California
Amid the increased numbers of Chinese immigrants in recent years, it should be remembered that not all Chinese Americans are recent arrivals.

Filipino

The colonial context of Filipino American immigrants’ psychological experiences
In Santa Clara County, 60% of randomly surveyed Filipinos cited economic problems as the main reason they left the Philippines. Fifty three percent also reported a desire to reunite with family. Similarly, 65% of public benefits recipients cited family reunification as the main reason they left their home country. The Filipino community is scattered in the suburbs of San Jose, Milpitas, Santa Clara, and Sunnyvale. While most speak English, many do not consider it their first nor most frequently used language.

Germans & Swiss

Die Deutschen in Kalifornien: Germans in Urban California, 1850-1860
A scholarly thesis by Carole Cosgrove Terry. The society that the European and American newcomers created in urban California was a combination of individual, ethnically-centered but unstructured cultural communities where the German-Californians were an influential and important segment of the citizenry.

Johann August Sutter
General Sutter, as he was generally known, was forced to flee his creditors in Switzerland at the age of 30. Ten years later, in California, he was the “ruler of the Saccramento Valley, founder of New Helvetia, a small sovereign.” After the discovery of gold on his land, he lost everything.

The WWI Home Front: War Hysteria & the Persecution of German-Americans
Anglo-Saxons had their own definition of what was “American”, and anything that did not conform was an undesirable deviation, perhaps even dangerous. And they were having trouble understanding why German-Americans would not willingly give up their German culture.

Hispanic

Early History of Santa Clara County
Although Mexico broke with the Spanish crown in 1821, it was not until May 10, 1825, that San Jose acknowledged Mexican rule. On May 13, 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico. Captain Thomas Fallon, leading 19 men, entered San Jose on July 14, 1846, and raised the United States flag over the town hall.

A History of Mexican Americans in California
The roots of the Chicano experience stretched back some three centuries to 1519 when Spaniards and their Indian allies carried out the conquest of the Aztec Empire in central Mexico and established what they called “New Spain.” National Park Service.

Irish

California and Bay Area Irish History: The Murphy Family
Martin and his family, Irish immigrants whose search for religious and educational freedom led them to California, were the first English speaking family to settle in Santa Clara Valley in 1849. From his home, Martin introduced the area’s first orchards and modern farm equipment and helped to establish the state’s first schools. In Milpitas we have a park named “Murphy.” The Shaughessy-Murphy Milk Shed still exists at the sewage pump facility near Coyote Creek.

The Irish in California
It is fashionable today, in some circles, to ignore, or at least minimize, the contributions of anyone from Europe. My intent is to point out, in a small way, how important the Irish were to the development of this state.

Japanese

History of Japantown, San Jose
Japanese, new to the country, eventually chose to build their wooden buildings next to Chinatown. Because the Chinese had already settled there, the environment was more familiar to them.

A History of Japanese Americans in California
How the National Park Service selects sites to show the history and contributions of Japanese in our state. A site both to find history and directions to historical sites.

Japanese American Museum of San Jose
Step into the past and help us honor our community’s stories of sacrifice, hardship and resilience. We invite you to come and engage with the firsthand experiences of Japanese Americans who experienced the racial tension and hysteria of WWII.

Japantown, San Jose
San Jose’s Japantown (Nihonmachi) developed from where the immigrant Japanese first settled in Santa Clara Valley. More than a century following its humble beginnings, it remains one of the last three historical Japantowns in the United States.

Native Americans

Indigenous People (Indians) of Silicon Valley
History of the Ohlone Indians who inhabited the south San Francisco Bay region of California.

Census Data for Milpitas

If you’ve come to this page to see if your family or business would thrive in Milpitas, you are in the right place to find census data for Milpitas.

Money magazine lists Milpitas among nation’s top 50 small cities
In 2014 Milpitas is was named the 29th best small city in the USA to live in. There is a lot of Silicon Valley money in Milpitas. Tech giants like Solectron Corp, Infineon Technologies, KLA, and Lumentum are big employers. The city is centralized and convenient to other cities. It’s also a magnet for a well-educated diverse population.

California Demographics
The Demographic Research Unit of the California Department of Finance is designated as the single official source of demographic data for State planning and budgeting.

California Demographic Research Unit Reports
Population growth estimates and projections. Historic immigration patterns.

The Demographic Research Unit (DRU) of the California Department of Finance

Estimates – Official population estimates of the state, counties and cities produced by the Demographic Research Unit for state planning and budgeting.
Projections – Forecasts of population, births and public school enrollment at the state and county level produced by the Demographic Research Unit.
State Census Data Center – Demographic, social, economic, migration, and housing data from the decennial censuses, the American Community Survey, the Current Population Survey, and other special and periodic surveys.
DRU Data Hub – DRU’s interactive data portal for exploring, sharing, and visualizing data. It includes maps, dashboards, and other applications featuring a range of demographic, housing and socioeconomic data.

E-1 Population Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State — January 1, 2023 and 2024
From the Department of Finance, so should be best data available online, as the State depends on these numbers for distributions of funds.
Released in May each year.
Total Population of Milpitas January 1, 2024: 81,773. (Note: this and the USDOC population report are very different!)
Table columns can be sorted.

Year	Population	% Change
2024	81,773	1.00%
2023	81,635	1.01%
2022	80,862	0.72%
2021	80,287	1.04%
2020	77,180	1.27%
2019	76,211	1.64%
2018	74,980	0.88%
2017	74,327	-1.59%
2016	75,528	1.87%
2015	74,140	6.06%
2014	69,903	3.03%
2013	67,845	1.47%
2012	66,864	0.34%
2011	66,637	-0.03%
2010	66,659	-5.87%
2009	70,817	2.01%
2008	69,419	4.43%
2007	66,472	1.83%
2006	65,276	0.43%
2005	64,998	0.05%
2004	64,964	-0.06%
2003	65,000	1.88%
2002	63,800	1.43%
2001	62,900	-3.61%
2000	65,254	1.48%
1999	64,300	2.72%
2024	81,773	0.16%
2023	81,635	0.12%
1998	62,600
1990	50,686
1980	37,820
1970	26,561
1960	6,572

U.S. Department of Commerce – U.S. Census Bureau
Quick Facts for Milpitas, California. See whole file for more data.
Population Estimates, July 1, 2023, (V2022): 77,321.
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2018-2022: $1,155,000
Foreign born persons, percent, 2018-2022: 53.7%
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2018-2022: 26.6 minutes
Median household income (in 2022 dollars), 2018-2022: $166,769
Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2018-2022: 68.0%
Households with a broadband Internet subscription, percent, 2018-2022: 96.6%

Milpitas Household Income Statistics from World Population Review
Milpitas is a city located in Santa Clara County California.

Milpitas has a 2024 population of 75,349. Milpitas is currently declining at a rate of -1.56% annually and its population has decreased by -5.96% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 80,127 in 2020.

The average household income in Milpitas is $195,424 with a poverty rate of 5.9%. The median age in Milpitasis 36.1 years: 35.5 years for males, and 37.3 years for females.

Milpitas Demographics
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Milpitas was:

Asian: 69.88%
White: 13.31%
Other race: 7.21%
Two or more races: 6.82%
Black or African American: 2.2%
Native American: 0.46%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.13%

Milpitas, CA vs Palo Alto, CA vs Mountain View
Compare Cities Overview. This census link has many more comparisons you might like to see. Add our own cities to compare.
– Median household income in Milpitas is $166,769. Palo Alto is $214,118. Mountain View is 174,156.
– Persons age 65+ in Milpitas is 12.2%, in Palo Alto 19.3% and in Mountain View 11.4%
– Largest Racial Group in Milpitas is Asian, in Palo Alto White, and in Mountain View White.
– Unemployment Rate in Milpitas is 5.3%, and in Palo Alto 3.5%. Both lower than US Rate of 6.0%.
– Minority owned employer firms (2017) in Milpitas is 1,130, in Palo Alto 804, and in Mountain View 628.
– Population per square mile: Milpitas (13.48 sq mi) – 6, 066, Palo Alto (24.10 sq mi) – 2,820, and
Mountain View (11.96 sq mi) – 7,235.
If you are looking for a balanced community, Milpitas is great!

Joint Venture’s Silicon Valley Index
A nationally recognized publication that has been telling the Silicon Valley story since 1995. Released every January, the indicators measure the strength of our economy and the health of our community-highlighting challenges and providing an analytical foundation for leadership and decision making.

Milpitas Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports
The fiscal year of the City of Milpitas ends on June 30. After completion of an extensive external audit process, the annual comprehensive financial report (ACFR) is published.

Silicon Valley Indicators: Live Update
Find the Silicon Valley Population up to the minute numbers. When I last looked, we had a little under 3 million people.
One birth every 19 minutes
One death every 33 minutes
Gain one international immigrant every 65 minutes
Lose one domestic migrant every 12 hours
Net gain of one person every 4 hours (or 6 people per day)

See also Population Growth of Milpitas From 2023-2024
Also growth in Santa Clara County and all its cities.

Pioneer Era – 1800s in Silicon Valley

In the 1800s the Mexicans, the Gold Rush, the Civil War, and the Transcontental Railroad transformed the Bay Area from a bunch of sleepy cattle ranches to a booming economy.

Family Chronicles and Biographies of Milpitas Pioneer Families

History of Local Pioneers in the 1800s

Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum
Mining operations in New Almaden first began in 1845 under the claim of Mexican Cavalry Officer Captain Andres Castillero. Castillero discovered that the red rock used by the local Ohlone Indians to paint them and the walls of the Santa Clara Mission was cinnabar, an ore containing mercury. The valuable mercury was needed to process silver in Mexican silver mines.

Alum Rock Park History
California’s first and oldest park. The park which was founded in 1872, was simply referred to as the “reservation.” The name Alum Rock was derived from a huge rock that was believed to contain a high percentage of alum.

Alviso Adobe Park History
The first story of the Alviso Adobe, which is located near the intersection of Piedmont Road and Calaveras Road, was built some time in 1835 by José Maria de Jesus Alviso, who had been granted title to the land on which it stands by the governor of Alta California, José Castro, on September 23, 1835.

Ardenwood Farm
In 1849 George Washington Patterson joined the stream of young men leaving the Midwest for California’s gold fields. His dreams left little room for failure, but after a year and a half of mining he was ill and broke. And so he turned to work he knew well — farming.

The Bear Flag Revolt
With Fremont’s “army” nearby, and belief in the rumor that Castro was gathering forces to expel the Americans, the local settlers became emboldened enough to steal some horses meant for Castro’s army, then to storm Vallejo’s “fort” at Sonoma June 14, 1846.

California As We Saw It
Exploring the California Gold Rush. By Gary F. Kurutz, Curator of Special Collections, California State Library.

California during the Civil War: 10 Facts
While no battles took place on Californian soil, the state has a rich Civil War history. Learn more about the state of California during the Civil War with these ten facts.

Discovery of Gold in California
It was in the first part of January, 1848, when the gold was discovered at Coloma, where John Sutter was then building a saw-mill. A first-hand account.

Fallon House
Restored to how homes looked during the Civil War era in California, you can easily see this home and the Peralta Adobe next door in one trip.

Frémont in the Conquest of California
In the autumn of 1845 Frémont came on his second exploring expedition to California.

Gold Rush – American Experience on PBS
See if you have what it takes to strike it rich in the gold rush! Choose a character and try to strike it rich in our online role-playing game.

Gold Rush Chronicles
Here before you, in a leather-bound book on an old wooden table, is a history of the great California Gold Rush. Discover the colorful stories that lie unfurled on these pages and unlock a taste of that famous era. Learn how the Gold Rush affected the world not so long ago.

Guadalupe River Park
Local historians have always been aware that a settlement known as the Woolen Mills Chinatown was located near Taylor Street between 1887 and 1902.

History of the Donner Party – C. F. McGlashan
The far-famed Donner Party were, in a peculiar sense, pioneer martyrs of California. Before the discovery of gold, before the highway across the continent was fairly marked out, while untold dangers lurked by the wayside, and unnumbered foes awaited the emigrants, the Donner Party started for California.

Felton Homes and History
Felton had its start in 1843 when Isaac Graham transferred his limber mill from the Zayante land grant to the San Lorenzo River at Fall Creek. Local Felton wiki.

Historic Niles
The community of Niles is rich in history and has gained recognition as a truly unique spot in the San Francisco Bay Area.

History of the University of California
The University of California became a “public trust” in 1879 as part of a larger revision of California’s Constitution approved by California voters. Download full text.

History in the Vines: Fremont’s Wine Legacy
From the Spanish-Mission era up to Prohibition, south Fremont (then called the Washington Township), had once been one of the first and most productive wine regions in California.

The Houghton Donner House
156 E. St. John Street, San Jose, and right in the way of the Civic Center expansion, is a late -Victorian Italianate style and was home to two historically important San Joseans, early mayor Sherman Houghton and his wife, Donner Party survivor Eliza Donner Houghton. “Suspicious” fire burns historic Donner Houghton house to the ground in July 2007. More on the Donner Blog./P>

How California Came to be Admitted
The first Legislature assembled on December 15th for temporary organization in San Jose, the new seat of government. Of more significance, doubtless, was the fact that on the following Thursday, December 20, 1849, the State government of California was formally established. By Rockwell D. Hunt, Ph. D

Joseph D. Grant County Park
In 1839, a 15,000-acre Mexican Land Grant was awarded to Jose de Jesus Bernal and was named Rancho Canada de Pala. Jose de Jesus and his two brothers built adobes around a spring-fed pond on a ridge overlooking the Santa Clara Valley.

Juana Briones
A long-living ranchera acquired a large spread in Santa Clara Valley and shared it with others.

Lighthouses of the United States: Northern California
These early lights, like the Point Pinos Light and the Battery Point Light were built in a what was then a typical New England style. Ironically, there are no examples of this style surviving in New England, so the only place to see these traditional New England lighthouses is in California.Laguna Schoolhouse, Milpitas, CA (1865-1943)

Mexican California
Under Mexican rule governors were encouraged to make more grants for individual ranchos, and these grants were to be outright.

Mexican Years: 1822 to 1846
The early 19th century saw growing discontent in New Spain’s society. Revolts started in 1810 and extended through 1821, when a revolution led to formation of the Mexican Republic.

Mt. View History
In 1851, the Castro family built their first home and, later, donated land to the railroad, creating Mountain View’s first flag stop.

Peralta Family and the Rancho San Antonio
The Peralta Family had a huge rancho that encompassed most of the East Bay from present day El Cerrito down to San Leandro.

Santa Clara Valley Mill & Lumber Company – 1870’s
The demand for firewood and building lumber by the citizens and towns of the Santa Clara Valley produced a road over the summit from Saratoga to the San Lorenzo Valley in 1870.

A short history on wine making in California
The story of wine in California begins with the story of the Spanish in California. Vineyard planting in the state began with the Spanish Franciscan Missionaries starting with California’s first mission: Mission San Diego de Alcalá in 1769. Just as palm trees were planted so there would be palm fronds for Palm Sunday, vineyards were planted so there would be wine for communion. That first variety, planted by Father Junípero Serra, became so ubiquitous that it became known as the Mission grape and was the preeminent variety until 1880.

Stanford History
The first parcel, bought in 1876, was 650 acres along San Francisquito Creek. Purchase of adjoining parcels ran the total to 8,180 acres, the whole of which was given to the University in the 1885 Grant of Endowment with the stipulation that it never be sold.

William T. Sherman and Early California History
Sherman arrives in California and describes the Monterey area in 1847. Additional links tell of his experiences during the Gold Rush.

The Winchester Mystery House Story
Not long after Sarah returned to her family and home, another tragedy struck. William, now heir to the Winchester empire, was struck down with pulmonary tuberculosis. He died on March 7, 1881. As a result of his death, Sarah inherited over $20 million dollars, an incredible sum, especially in those days. She also received 48.9 percent of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company and an income of about $1000 per day, which was not taxable until 1913.

California History Overview

Milpitas once had an encampment of Ohlone Indians. Two adobe rancheros still stand from the early days of the Spanish. An early motto was “As goes Milpitas, so goes the State!” For centuries, Milpitas has often taken the lead in new ways of living and governance. If you want to live in the City of the Future, with a lively part in California history, too, come live in Milpitas.

About Milpitas

The Milpitas Historical Society
General meeting is the second Wednesday of each month, 7 PM, in the assembly room of the Milpitas Community Library.

A History of Main Street: A Trip Through Historic Milpitas
A live presentation with Host: Bill Hare, President and Speaker: Joseph Ehardt, Research Docent, Educational Outreach Program. This special presentation was held on Saturday, December 19, 2020, on Facebook and Zoom.

Milpitas: A look back
Outline of Milpitas History from the Mercury News story published on Aug. 27, 2006.

Portuguese Pioneers in Milpitas
Settlers from the Azores, a group of islands west of Portugal, began coming to California in Gold Rush times, and later for the economic opportunities. As they encouraged families and friends to join them, they became an important element in California and in the Santa Clara Valley as hard-working farmers and land owners.

About California

California History and Culture – State Symbols
Here’s where you find all that information for that state report, like state bird or flower.

California History
A major collection of documents from and about California’s rich history. The documents range from books, maps, newspapers, and periodicals, to pictorial materials (including daguerreotypes, lithographs, stereographs, and paintings) and ephemera (such as posters, programs, pamphlets, and sheet music).

California History Online
Lovely California Historical Society website includes geographic information, California natives, early explorers, to modern times.

California as I Saw It: First-Person Narratives of California’s Early Years, 1849 to 1900
The collection covers the dramatic decades between the Gold Rush and the turn of the twentieth century. It captures the pioneer experience; encounters between Anglo-Americans and the diverse peoples who had preceded them; the transformation of the land by mining, ranching, agriculture, and urban development; the often-turbulent growth of communities and cities; and California’s emergence as both a state and a place of uniquely American dreams.

Heyday Books
Publishing books about California history, culture, and literature.

Mark Hylkema: California during the Spanish and Mexican Colonial Periods
Mark begins with the first Spanish explorers conquering the Aztecs, and tells about the Portolá expedition in 1769, when California suddenly went from prehistory to history, like “the flip of a switch.”

Santa Clara County Historical Landmarks
My mother used to call these hunks of stone with metal plaques “Hysterical Landmarks” because so often there is nothing left at the site but the stone! But you’ll find one at the garage where H-P got started and where Noyce invented his first semiconductor. None in Milpitas…hmmmm.

Historical Figures in Early California

Cabrillo
On June 27, 1542, an explorer under Spanish command, named Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, left the port of Navidad on the Pacific Coast of what is now Mexico and headed north.

Juan Bautista de Anza
Juan Bautista de Anza was the first European to establish an overland route from Mexico, through the Sonoran Desert, to the Pacific coast of California. New World Spanish explorers had been seeking such a route through the Desert Southwest for more than two centuries.

Governors of California
A tribute to the individuals who have served as chief executive of the State of California from 1849 to present.

Notable People of Milpitas
The “Notable People” project adds to our knowledge about the history of Milpitas. For more information, please click on a link located on the right sidebar of the Historical Society’s page.

History of Russian America
So moved was Rezanov by the misery of the colonists that he purchased a vessel from Americans in Alaska and sailed to San Francisco Bay early in 1806 to purchase grain and, if possible, to establish trade relations with the Spanish in Upper California on a continuing basis.

Sir Francis Drake
The British explorer, Sir Francis Drake, sailed up the coast of California in 1579. Could he have discovered Milpitas?

Population Growth of Milpitas From 2023-2024

Milpitas has been growing at an unprecedented rate compared to other Santa Clara County Cites. We’ve been growing faster than all but one other nearby cities. The population estimate for Milpitas in 2024 is 81,773 people. Milpitas is the 117th largest city in California. It is a little smaller than Mountain View, and a little larger than Palo Alto. More people moved into Milpitas in the last year. We gained 0.17% of our previous population, 138 people.

This report provides revised population estimates as of January 1, 2023, and provisional population estimates as of January 1, 2024, for the state, counties, and cities and includes a calculation of annual percent change. These population estimates incorporate 2020 Census counts.

The Housing Unit Method (HUM) is used to estimate total and occupied housing units, household size, household population, and group quarters population. American Community Survey (ACS) data were used to distribute 2010 census housing units into our standard housing types (single detached units, single attached units, two to four units, five plus or apartment units, and mobile homes). Housing units are estimated by adding new construction and annexations and subtracting demolitions, and adjusting for units lost or gained by conversions. Annual housing unit change data are supplied by local jurisdictions and the U.S. Census Bureau. Occupied housing units are estimated by applying a derived civilian vacancy rate to the estimated civilian housing units. Vacancy rates are based on 2010 Census benchmark data, adjusted to incorporate the directional changes described by the latest available ACS data. Exact data on foreclosures or other housing market indicators are not reliably available to adjust vacancy rates and are not used.

From E-1 Population Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State–January 1, 2023 and 2024, Department of Finance. Check each January and May for updates.

For more information, contact the California State Census Data Center Network
Phone: (916) 323-4086
Released on May 1, 2023

Census Data for Milpitas
If you’ve come to this page to see if your family or business would thrive in Milpitas, you are in the right place to find census data for Milpitas.

In a nutshell, the population for Milpitas is 81,773, a increase of 138 people, or a 0.17% increase overall.

Best Place to Live: the Great Town of Milpitas, California

Maps of California, showing location of Santa Clara County, and the county showing location of Milpitas.

Why is Milpitas a Best Place to Live?

Milpitas is a fair sized, suburban city that is situated between San Jose and Fremont, but has retained that small town feel, making us a best place to live. City Council and School Board meetings are social events, and are currently online during Covid-19, so even if you live elsewhere, you can still attend. Politically, we tend to vote Democrat, but every nuance of progressive politics is evident.

Being in Northern California, it is cooler than the southern end of the state, yet because of the Silicon Valley mountains that block the worse weather, it tends to be “nice” year around so heating and cooling bills are trivial. Frost is rare, and it never snows in the valley. Heat is seldom unbearable. Prevailing winds are typically toward the eastern hills, so if grass fires start there, they tend to go away from the town. Landslides are not a concern.

Location of Our Great Town

Santa Clara County
aka Silicon Valley
SE San Francisco Bay Area
California, United States
37n26 (Latitude)
121w54 (Longitude)
13.6 square miles
Zip code is 95035
P.O. Box Zip code is 95036
Area Code is 408
(Some cell phones and faxes have 669 or 650 area codes.)
Time Zone: Pacific We do observe daylight savings time.

Highlights making Milpitas a Best Place to Live

ECONOMY
California Labor Force & Unemployment Rates by County
Updated monthly at the time of the official EDD Press Release for Santa Clara County

Change in 2024

COST OF LIVING
Milpitas, California’s cost of living is 110% higher than the national average. Compare Milpitas’s Cost of Living to where you live now.

WEATHER & CLIMATE

Milpitas is the best place to be in August, July and September our most pleasant months, while December and January are the least comfortable months when you might need an umbrella. February is often surprisingly warm. Today’s Weather | Climate Averages. Milpitas is 20 ft (6 m) above sea level. The climate here is mild, and generally warm and temperate. The average temperature in Milpitas is 15.3 °C | 59.5 °F. In a year, the rainfall is 496 mm | 19.5 inch.

VOTING
Report of Registration as of March 11, 2022 Registration by County:
Santa Clara
1,266,750 Eligible
999,033 Total Registered
508,027 Democratic
165,468 Republican
24,799 American Independent
3,715 Green
Voting data and information for Milpitas.

POPULATION
Milpitas’s population is 81,773 people. From 2010 to 2024, it has had a population growth of 22.6%. Learn More about our growth.

TRANSPORTATION
Transportation expenses like bus fares and gas prices are 23% higher than the national average. Data older than June 13, 2020 about average commute time is outdated, as the BART station opened in Milpitas. This substantially shortens commute time to places along the BART routes. For example, a commuter can get from Milpitas to the Salesforce Plaza in San Francisco in 1:12h, including a 10 minute walk. Google Employees can catch Google Bus on Calaveras, just west of Hillview.

REAL ESTATE
The median home cost in Milpitas is $1,661,670 and median rent is $5,052/month. Highest Appreciating Milpitas Neighborhoods Since 2000: the best are Cielo Terra Serena Villa/Granada and Central Milpitas. Check out the homes in the area.

SCHOOLS
Milpitas Unified School District’s 2024-25 proposed budget will be adopted July 1, 2024. To see the right hand numbers you must download the pdf file. The General Fund Expenditures are $173,303,489.

MUSD’s Strategic Goal #1, Build a Culture of We, is about diversity, equity, and inclusion in our policies, practices, and especially, in our relationships with one another. Striving for this goal requires a commitment to learning about others, and ourselves, which is why we have established a Culture of We Equity Team this year to accelerate our growth.

General Climate in Milpitas, California

Historical Trends

Forecasts

Current

Climate

Drought in San Francisco Bay Area

Historic

Images

Night Sky

Winter Storms

So why, 60 years later, does Milpitas still stink?

Milpitas Smell Map

Why Does the Dump Near Milpitas Smell So Bad?

Factors That Exacerbate the Smell:

Efforts to Mitigate the Smell:

Politics and Lawsuits

We tried to limit expansion

Home Buyers Beware!

Where is the Newby Island Landfill, and What is Near it?

About Civic Networking

Central Silicon Valley Civic Networks

The Penninsula (San Mateo County)

South End

South Alameda County

Monterey Bay Area

California Community Websites

California Community Networks

Our Ethnic Heritage

Black Heritage

Chinese

Filipino

Germans & Swiss

Hispanic

Irish

Japanese

Native Americans

Read More About the California Pioneer Era

Family Chronicles and Biographies of Milpitas Pioneer Families

History of Local Pioneers in the 1800s

About Milpitas

About California

Historical Figures in Early California

Maps of California, showing location of Santa Clara County, and the county showing location of Milpitas.

Why is Milpitas a Best Place to Live?

Highlights making Milpitas a Best Place to Live

How to Make GoMilpitas into an app on your iPhone or iPad.

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