buyrelocation labmoving to silicon valley
The Relocation Lab
Moving here for work? Find the cities near your employer’s campus, see how each connects by train and who powers the home, then map the deadlines and bills of your first year as a California homeowner.
Campus finderFirst-year calendarTaxesGetting aroundSchool lookup
- Caltrain, SF to San Joseunder 1 hrexpress electric trains since 2024
- register an out-of-state car20 daysafter you become a resident
- top state income tax rate13.3%on income over $1 million
- property tax1% + bondsassessed value rises 2% a year at most
campus finder
Where your office is, and what’s around it
Pick your employer to see our cities by straight-line distance from its headquarters, with the train lines and power provider in each.
Distances are approximate straight-line miles to a point near each city’s center, not drive or train times. Headquarters addresses are as filed with the SEC; many employers have other campuses too.
move-in calendar
Your first-year calendar
Enter your move-in date and city to see the deadlines and bills that come with a California home.
your first year
taxes
California taxes, the short version
- State income taxNine brackets from 1% to 12.3% for 2025, plus 1% on income over $1 million (now called the Behavioral Health Services Tax), for a top rate of 13.3%.
- Capital gainsCalifornia has no lower rate for capital gains; they’re taxed as ordinary income.
- The year you movePart-year residents file Form 540NR. Income received while you’re a resident is taxable; before that, only California-source income is.
- Property tax1% of assessed value plus local voter-approved bonds. The assessed value resets when you buy and can rise no more than 2% a year after that.
- Supplemental billsA purchase brings one or two supplemental bills, most mailed within about nine months; lenders usually don’t pay them from escrow.
- Homeowners’ exemption$7,000 off the assessed value of the home you live in on January 1, about $70 a year at the 1% rate.
Tax rules summarized October 16, 2026. Your CPA has the final word on your situation.
getting around
Getting around
From Caltrain, BART, VTA and the utilities, checked October 16, 2026.
caltrainSan Francisco to San Jose and Gilroy
Electric trains since 2024
Electric service between San Francisco and San Jose began September 21, 2024; express trips take under an hour.
- Adult one-way fares run $4.00 to $15.25 by zones traveled; new fares take effect January 1, 2027
- South of San Jose, diesel trains serve Gilroy on weekday commute hours, with a transfer at Diridon
bartMilpitas and North San Jose
BART reaches Silicon Valley
Milpitas and Berryessa/North San Jose stations opened June 13, 2020.
- Phase II adds about 6 miles and 4 stations: 28th Street/Little Portugal, Downtown San Jose, Diridon and Santa Clara
- A 2024 federal oversight report sets a 2039 baseline; VTA is aiming for 2037
vta light railSan Jose and neighbors
Three light rail lines
Orange (Mountain View to Alum Rock), Green (Old Ironsides to Winchester) and Blue (Baypointe to Santa Teresa).
- Connects with Caltrain at Mountain View and Diridon
electricitywho powers the home
Your power provider depends on the city
Most cities buy power through a community provider, with PG&E delivering it; Palo Alto and Santa Clara run their own utilities.
- San Jose Clean Energy (San Jose); Silicon Valley Clean Energy (12 cities); WestLight Energy, formerly Peninsula Clean Energy (San Mateo County); CleanPowerSF (San Francisco)
- City of Palo Alto Utilities; Silicon Valley Power (Santa Clara)
school lookup
Check school assignment by address
Public school assignment follows the address. These districts let you check one before you write an offer.
- Palo Alto Unified: School FinderEnter an address to see whether it’s inside the district and which schools serve it.
- Cupertino Union: School LocatorA preliminary assignment by address; the district confirms it at registration.
- San Jose Unified: Find your schoolEnter an address or click the map to find the neighborhood school.
- Every district we coverDistrict names, boundaries and links in one place.
sources
Where the facts come from
Checked October 16, 2026.
- SEC EDGAR company filingsHeadquarters addresses as filed.www.sec.gov/edgar/search/
- California DMV: new to CaliforniaVehicle registration and residency.www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-education-and-safety/special-interest-driver-guides/new-to-california/
- California DMV: Fast Facts FFDL 5Driver’s license within 10 days.www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/file/fast-facts-5-requirements-for-a-california-drivers-license/
- Franchise Tax Board: 2025 Form 540 bookletRates and the Behavioral Health Services Tax.www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2025/2025-540-booklet.html
- Franchise Tax Board: Publication 1031Part-year residents.www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2025/2025-1031-publication.pdf
- Board of Equalization: Publication 29Property tax basics.www.boe.ca.gov/proptaxes/pdf/pub29.pdf
- Board of Equalization: homeowners’ exemptionThe $7,000 exemption.www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/pub800-6.pdf
- Santa Clara County Tax Collector: FAQsSupplemental bills.dtac.sccgov.org/frequently-asked-questions-faqs/property-taxes-frequently-asked-questions-faqs
- Caltrain: electrified serviceStart date and express times.www.caltrain.com/news/caltrain-commences-fully-electrified-service
- Caltrain: faresZone fares.www.caltrain.com/fares
- VTA: BART Silicon Valley Phase IIRoute and stations.www.vta.org/projects/bart-sv/phase-ii
- Silicon Valley Clean Energy: service areaMember cities.www.svcleanenergy.org/service-area/
- WestLight EnergySan Mateo County provider.www.westlightenergy.org/
questions
Questions we hear
Which city is closest to my office?
Pick your employer in the campus finder. Distances are straight-line estimates; ask us for commute times at the hours you’ll actually travel.
When do I become a California resident?
The DMV treats you as a resident if you intend to live in California for six months or more in a year. Voting here, paying resident tuition or filing for the homeowners’ exemption also establish residency.
How soon do I need a California license and plates?
The DMV says to get a California driver’s license within 10 days of becoming a resident and to register an out-of-state car within 20 days.
How are property taxes different here?
Your tax is based on the price you pay rather than a yearly market reappraisal, and the assessed value can rise no more than 2% a year while you own the home.
Can you help before I move?
Yes. Tell us your timeline and priorities, and we’ll line up the homes, recent sales and neighborhood details before you arrive.
more to learn
Keep going
- Budget LabWhat your budget bought in up to three cities.
- Neighborhood guidesGuides to the neighborhoods we cover.
- Mortgage LabPoints, buydowns, ARMs and jumbo limits.
- Tech Equity HomebuyingTurn RSUs and options into a down payment.
- Market PulseHomes for sale and sale prices by city.
- Moving hereRelocation help for Silicon Valley.
General information, not tax or legal advice. Distances are approximate straight-line miles from each headquarters address to a point near each city’s center, not commute times. Employer addresses are as filed with the SEC. Checked October 16, 2026.
talk to a property nerd
Moving to Silicon Valley?
Tell us where you’ll work and what matters at home, and we’ll show you the cities, neighborhoods and homes that fit. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.
