Many people move to Silicon Valley to find work at one of the many tech companies that call San Jose home. 

Adobe, Netflix, and PayPal are among some of the big companies in San Jose, attracting some of the best talent in America to California. Yet this high-profile tech enclave means that home prices in San Jose are some of the highest in the nation and single-family homes routinely sell for millions of dollars in this slice of Silicon Valley. 

But not everyone wants to live in the heart of this busy tech hub, some people working in San Jose place roots in other Bay Area cities.  

Luckily, commuting to San Jose does not have to be a chore, so long as you choose the right route. That is why the team at Prevu Real Estate devised a guide of towns with short commutes to San Jose. 

San Carlos

People who want to find a home within reach of most San Francisco Bay Area cities should check out San Carlos. 

Located 25 miles north of San Jose, the commute time takes about 30-45 minutes to complete depending on what time of day you hit the road. San Carlos is perfect for Californians commuting throughout the Bay Area as they are near the Dumbarton Bridge to the South and the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge to the north. 

When traversing the West Bay cities, drivers can use the 280 to the west or the 101 to the east and drive south on either highway to head to San Jose in about 35 minutes, depending on the time of day. Folks living in San Carlos can also hop on the Bay Area Rapid Transit public transportation system (BART) and grab a train on the blue line to Reach San Jose Diridon Station within an hour. 

The station is right on El Camino Real, the main street for San Carlos and several other West Bay cities. Riders hopping off the BART can do their shopping before heading home for the day. 

Homes for sale in San Carlos, CA

Hayward

Across the Bay from San Carlos is the city of Hayward. 

This enclave embraces a diverse culture, eclectic arts, and unique culinary cuisine. Yet this East Bay city is also perfect for those commuting to their job in San Jose. Hayward is north of Fremont so commuters can take the 238 south to the 680 and head right into East San Jose. 

Drivers can also use the 880 along the shores of the Bay to drive to the city's heart. Folks can hop on the BART, which has two stations in Hayward to reach South Bay. The green and orange lines stop at the South Hayward station and another station near California State University. 

Hayward is excellent for drivers who need accessibility to Oakland, Berkeley, and Contra Costa county cities to the north via the 880. The San Mateo-Hayward Bridge enables the 92 to connect residents to San Mateo and San Francisco, as well as other West Bay cities like Belmont to the south. 

Homes for sale in Hayward, CA

Menlo Park 

Folks who spend most of their time in the South Bay yet still need an easy escape to the East Bay should check out homes in Menlo Park. 

This West Bay city is famously known for firms like Google, Oculus Rift, and Instagram, which started in Menlo Park. Meta and other large tech companies, like video game creator Roblox and machine learning company One Concern, call the city home today. 

Many Menlo Park residents end up working throughout the Bay Area because there are multiple ways to reach other Bay Area cities. For instance, drivers can hop on the 101 for a quick 20 to 30-minute drive to get to downtown San Jose. Commuters can also use the 280 on the western side of Menlo Park to trek south to beat the rush hour and long commutes on the 101 near Palo Alto.

One of the most popular ways for people to reach San Jose is via the BART station in Menlo Park, the oldest continually-operating train station in California. Living in Menlo Park means you can access East Bay cities like Fremont via the 84, which runs over the Dumbarton Bridge.

Homes for sale in Menlo Park, CA

Santa Cruz 

While plenty of San Francisco Bay Area cities offer easy commutes to San Jose, some buyers want something different. Some people like to feel the Pacific breeze as they leave home, and the perfect place to find it is Santa Cruz. 

Located about 40 minutes from San Jose, this oceanfront city is ideal for homeowners who want to be near Silicon Valley but not live amidst the hustle and bustle of the Bay. Commuters hop on the scenic 17 highway, which passes through Soquel Demonstration Forest, to reach San Jose. The travel time is a bit longer for the average commute, but the trade off is living near the ocean and a slightly lower cost of living compared to Silicon Valley cities like Santa Clara.

While there is no direct BART line from Santa Cruz, a bus takes riders to Diridon Station in San Jose from the Santa Cruz Metro Center in Downtown near the San Lorenzo River. While folks who own homes in Santa Cruz lose out on easy access to other parts of the Bay Area, the Pacific Coast Highway runs through the city, opening up easy travel to Southern California. 

Drivers can also hop on the PCH to head north towards San Francisco and get treated to some of California's most scenic driving routes. 

Homes for sale in Santa Cruz, CA

Fremont 

Some people want to be removed from city life when they return from the office, while other homeowners want to live in the center of the buzz for easy nights out on the town. 

Homebuyers looking for a happy medium of fast-paced city life balanced with a healthy touch of nature should check out homes in Fremont. This East Bay city is just north of San Jose, so commuting is a breeze. 

People living on the western side of Fremont, closer to the Bay, take the 880 south to get to work. Others, living on the city's eastern edges, closer to Central Park or the Mission Peak Regional Preserve, use the 680 to pass through Milpitas to reach San Jose. Fremont is ideal for the person looking to mix nature and city life. 

Weekend explorers can use the 680 to travel deeper into the eastern wilderness or take the Dumbarton Bridge across the Bay to reach the La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve. 

Homes for sale in Fremont, CA

Atherton 

Sometimes, even the suburbs are not secluded enough for some buyers who want large tracts of land between them and their neighbors. 

Californians who wish to return home to a compound after a day of work should consider moving to Atherton. This secluded enclave creates the northern border of Menlo Park and extends northward towards San Carlos. 

Drivers making their way along El Camino Real will notice the buildings melt away into idyllic trees as they pass from Menlo Park to Atherton. That is because Atherton has no commercial district, and the zoning requires homes to be set far back from the curb, creating a sense of solitude amidst the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley. 

Homeowners in Atherton can expect a 20 or so minute drive to downtown San Jose on either the 880 or the 101 highways. There is a BART station in Atherton off El Camino Real, but do not expect to find any convenience stores nearby. 

Shoppers have to travel north to Redwood City or Menlo Park to the south if they want to do any shopping after their daily commute. 

Homes for sale in Atherton, CA

Los Altos

Sometimes it is hard to draw the line between where commuter suburbs begin and the center of a city ends. But when you are driving along the 280 and see the Santa Cruz mountains rising high to the west, you know you are in Los Altos. 

Nestled between Mountain View to the east and Stanford University to the Northwest, this quiet community is just 20 minutes away from San Jose. The proximity means homes can be pretty pricey, but homebuyers can access some of California's most beautiful homes. There are even more luxurious homes in Los Altos Hills, where the elite of Silicon Valley put down their roots.

Yet, whether you are a middle-manager or a CEO, most drivers use the 280 or the 85 for a quick jaunt into San Jose via car. Unfortunately, there is no BART station in Los Altos, and a bus ride to San Jose can take up to an hour, depending on the number of stops it makes. 

Homes for sale in Los Altos, CA

Morgan Hill 

Many folks associate the coastal Bay cities with Silicon Valley, but a few hidden gems south of San Jose are part of the area. 

For instance, Morgan Hill, just 20 minutes from Downtown San Jose, is perfect for those who want to live near Silicon Valley's heart minus the Bay Area Cities hubbub. Drivers can use the 101 to reach San Jose or take Santa Teresa Boulevard north towards the 85 to get to the business districts of San Jose. 

Yet Morgan Hill is not just for drivers, as commuters can grab a bus or BART ride north at the Morgan Hill Station. Morgan Hill has a reputation as a resort destination, containing expansive green spaces like the Tilton Ranch Habitat Preserve. The area is famously known for its wine culture, and locals can grab a bottle of red from upscale wineries like the Guglielmo Winery after a day in San Jose.

Interested in buying a home in the Bay Area? Browse listings in your favorite town and see how much you can save with Prevu’s Smart Buyer Rebate.