Demographics
Demographics History
Milpitas, a Spanish name meaning “little corn fields,” was originally the home of the Castonoan Indians. The Indians lived in the valley for 3,000 years prior to the Spanish arriving in the 1500’s and later establishing the missions in Fremont (Mission San Jose) and Santa Clara.
Prior to the gold rush of the 1800’s, Milpitas had grown into a settlement of ranches. One of the largest, measuring 4,457.66 acres, was granted to Jose Maria Alviso and called Rancho Milpitas. Two of the families, the Alvisos and the Higueras, built adobes during the mid-1800’s that still stand today.
The population began to rise after World War II, when Western Pacific Railroad bought a 300-acre industrial park within the city and Ford Motor Company announced it would shift its manufacturing plant from Richmond to Milpitas.
When Milpitas was incorporated in January 26, 1954, the city had 825 residents. Milpitas now has over 18,000 households and a population of 65,000. The City of Milpitas has the highest ethnic population in all of Santa Clara County.
Following the computer boom of the 1980’s, Milpitas rapidly became a bustling high-tech center. Serving as the crossroads of Silicon Valley, Milpitas continues to draw high-tech expansion and support services into its 14.5 square miles.
In Milpitas, you’ll discover a quality of life unsurpassed in the Bay Area. You’ll find moderate climate, recreational opportunities, well-planned neighborhoods with access to parks, beautiful high-rise hotels and quality motels. Convenient shopping in a safe and friendly environment and well-planned industrial parks combined with a positive city government, makes Milpitas one of the model cities in the Bay Area.
Climate:
Milpitas enjoys warm sunshine, due to the protection of the Diablo and Santa Cruz mountain ranges. Yet because of Milpitas proximity to the San Francisco Bay, it also receives cool breezes to keep the temperature mild.
|
Average Temperature |
Rain |
Humidity |
|||||
|
Period |
Min |
Mean |
Max |
(Inches) |
4 AM |
Noon |
4 PM |
|
Jan |
41.7 |
49.2 |
57.2 |
2.70 |
90 |
60 |
66 |
|
April |
46.9 |
58.0 |
69.0 |
1.06 |
85 |
50 |
56 |
|
July |
55.4 |
68.2 |
81.1 |
T |
60 |
45 |
54 |
|
Oct |
50.7 |
62.4 |
74.1 |
0.56 |
70 |
45 |
58 |
|
Year |
48.4 |
59.4 |
70.4 |
13.11 |
76 |
50 |
56 |
ELEVATION: 20 feet above sea level PREVAILING WINDS: Direction: NW mean hourly: Speed 6.5 mph SOURCE: U.S. Weather Services
Location:
Milpitas is located 45 miles south of San Francisco, bordered by Fremont to the north and San Jose to the south. Milpitas is 14.5 square miles in area and considered by many to be the crossroads to Silicon Valley.
Milpitas is centrally located, convenient to the East Bay and the Peninsula as well as the Silicon Valley. The town is divided North-South by Interstates 880 and 680 and East-West by Highway 237. This accessible city is within 10 miles of the Mineta San Jose International Airport and 45 minutes from Oakland Airport and San Francisco International Airport.
|
Year Population % Change |
||
|
1998 |
62,600 |
|
|
1999 |
64,300 |
2.64% |
|
2000 |
65,254 |
1.46% |
|
2001 |
62,900 |
-3.74% |
|
2002 |
63,800 |
1.41% |
|
2003 |
65,000 |
1.85% |
|
2004 |
64,964 |
-0.62% |
|
2005 |
64,998 |
0.10% |
|
2006 |
65,276 |
0.08% |
|
2007 |
66,568 |
1.97% |
|
Ethnic Distribution |
||
|
Asian |
52.0% |
|
|
White |
24.5% |
|
|
Hispanic |
15.5% |
|
|
Black |
3.5% |
|
|
Other |
4.5% |
|
|
Characteristics of the Labor Force |
||
|
Civilian Labor Force |
911,500 |
875,300 |
|
Employment |
821,100 |
812,900 |
|
Unemployment |
82,700 |
62,400 |
|
Unemployment Rate |
9.1% |
7.1% |
|
California Unemployment Rate |
7.3% |
6.8% |
|
U.S. Unemployment Rate |
6.0% |
5.4% |