Blog > Moving to Silicon Valley: a city-by-city relocation guide
property nerd guide · buyers
Moving to Silicon Valley? Compare Palo Alto, Los Altos, Menlo Park, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Los Gatos and San José neighborhoods side by side by train lines, freeways, school districts, housing stock and downtowns.
By the Property Nerds® of the Boyenga Team at Compass · NextGenAgents™
the short version
Start with your commute and your school district, then pick the street
Silicon Valley is a string of cities that run into each other. City limits, ZIP codes and school district lines rarely match, so the best way to narrow a move is by how you'll get around and which district serves the address.
We've helped buyers settle here since 1996, and relocation questions usually come down to the same few trade-offs. This guide compares seven of the places we're asked about most. Each place name links to our full guide.
communities compared
with Caltrain stations
with VTA light rail
BART station
side by side
Seven places, compared
District names are a starting point. Lines don't follow city limits, so confirm every address with the district before you buy.
| Place | Rail and transit | Freeways | Public school districts | Housing stock | Downtown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto | Caltrain at Palo Alto (University Avenue) and California Avenue | US-101, I-280 | Palo Alto Unified | Early-1900s homes near downtown, larger homes in Crescent Park and Old Palo Alto, many Eichler tracts, condos near the two downtowns | University Avenue and California Avenue; Stanford Shopping Center nearby |
| Los Altos | No rail in town; Caltrain at San Antonio and Mountain View next door | I-280, Foothill Expressway, El Camino Real | Los Altos School District and Mountain View-Los Altos for most; Cupertino Union and Fremont Union in parts | Mostly single-family; the largest share built from 1940 to 1959; zones with 10,000 to 40,000 sq ft minimum lots | Six-block downtown on Main and State streets; Loyola Corners and Rancho centers |
| Menlo Park | Caltrain at Menlo Park station; free city shuttles | US-101, I-280 near Sand Hill Road, Dumbarton Bridge | Menlo Park City, Las Lomitas and others; Sequoia Union for high school | Early-1900s and 1920s homes, postwar ranch neighborhoods, townhomes and newer apartments | Santa Cruz Avenue; Allied Arts Guild nearby |
| Cupertino | No rail; Caltrain in Sunnyvale; VTA Rapid 523 and Route 23 on Stevens Creek | I-280 and Highway 85 cross here | Cupertino Union and Fremont Union for most; Santa Clara Unified in the northeast | Foothill lots in the west, suburban tracts, Fairgrove Eichlers, Rancho Rinconada ranch homes, townhomes on the boulevards | Stevens Creek Boulevard; Apple Park Visitor Center; Monta Vista village |
| Sunnyvale | Caltrain at Sunnyvale and Lawrence; VTA Orange Line light rail in the north | US-101, 237, 85, I-280 | Sunnyvale SD, Cupertino Union, Santa Clara Unified; Fremont Union for most high schoolers | 1920s bungalows, 1950s Eichlers, 1960s to 1980s ranch tracts, townhomes and condos in the north and downtown | Historic Murphy Avenue, a pedestrian street since 2023; Cityline |
| Los Gatos | No rail; light rail at Winchester in Campbell; Caltrain at San José Diridon; Highway 17 Express bus | Highway 17, Highway 85 | Los Gatos Union and others; Los Gatos-Saratoga or Campbell Union for high school | Victorian and Craftsman homes in historic districts near downtown, postwar subdivisions, hillside homes, townhomes on Los Gatos Boulevard | Santa Cruz Avenue and Main Street; National Register commercial district since 1991 |
| San José neighborhoods | Caltrain at Diridon and other stations; three VTA light rail lines; BART at Berryessa/North San José | US-101, I-280, I-680, I-880, 87, 85 | San José Unified, Union, Cambrian, Moreland, Cupertino Union and others by area | Early-1900s homes in Naglee Park and Hanchett Park, small-lot Willow Glen homes, foothill tracts in Almaden and Silver Creek | Lincoln Avenue in Willow Glen, The Alameda, Santana Row, downtown |
getting around
How the commute options differ
Caltrain towns
Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Sunnyvale have stations close to their downtowns, and Caltrain has run electric trains on its main line since September 2024. Check whether your train stops at your station, since not every train stops everywhere.
Light rail and BART
VTA's Orange Line crosses north Sunnyvale's office district. San José has three light rail lines and the Berryessa/North San José BART station, which opened in June 2020.
Freeway towns
Cupertino, Los Altos and Los Gatos have no rail inside town. I-280, Highway 85 and Highway 17 carry most trips, with buses such as VTA Rapid 523 and the Highway 17 Express.
Bikes and trails
Palo Alto's flat streets and Bryant Street bike boulevard suit bikes, and the Los Gatos Creek Trail links downtown Los Gatos with Campbell and San José.
schools
Search by school district, not by ZIP code
A Cupertino Union assignment doesn't mean a Cupertino address, and a Los Altos address can sit in more than one district. Each district runs its own address lookup, and our Silicon Valley schools hub links to all of them. We describe districts and boundaries; we don't rank schools. Visit, ask questions and decide what fits.
property nerd note
Drive your commute at the hour you'll actually do it before you commit to a city. A home a few miles closer on the map can be farther in practice if it sits on the wrong side of a freeway interchange or a rail crossing.
nextgenagents™
How the Boyenga Team helps
Remote-friendly tours
When you can't be here, we can walk homes and streets with you by video and point out what listing photos miss.
Address checks
We check every address against district lookups, zoning and hazard maps before you fall for it.
Local market data
As NextGenAgents™ we price from recent sales on the streets you're considering, not a citywide average.
talk to a property nerd
Planning a move to Silicon Valley?
Tell us where you'll work and what matters most. We'll help you narrow the map before you fly in.
faq
Relocating to Silicon Valley: FAQ
Which Silicon Valley cities have Caltrain?
Of the seven places in this guide, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Sunnyvale and San José have Caltrain stations. Los Altos, Cupertino and Los Gatos don't, though stations in neighboring cities are a short drive away.
Does a city name tell me which schools serve a home?
No. Several districts cross city lines. Always check the exact address with the district's own lookup tool before you buy.
Can I buy before I move?
Yes. Buyers can tour by video, review disclosure packets remotely and sign electronically. A local agent who checks the details in person makes that much easier.
Where can I see homes for sale in each city?
Each city guide linked above shows current listings, and you can also use our home search.
Sources: Caltrain (caltrain.com) · VTA (vta.org) · BART (bart.gov) · Santa Cruz METRO · school district websites · City of Cupertino General Plan · Town of Los Gatos · City of Los Altos and HCD Housing Element · National Park Service · U.S. Census Bureau. District lines change; confirm every address with the district. General information only.