Located 8 miles from San Jose, Milpitas is a city built on convenience, known for its relatively low housing costs compared to the rest of the area. “The location makes it appealing, because you’re in the heart of Silicon Valley and you have two interstates to connect to other areas,” says Debbie Rossetto of Legacy Real Estate & Associates, who has nearly 20 years of experience in the area. “It’s also very culturally diverse and welcoming. It’s a type of community that appeals to a lot of different people.” Besides the proximity to tech jobs, people move here for highly-rated schools and home prices. The Great Mall is the area’s largest retail center, and the nearby Diablo Range mountains offer plenty of natural recreation space.
Cisco headquarters can be found in Milpitas.
The Great Mall is the largest outlet shopping center in Northern California.
The Great Mall features over 200 stores and restaurants.
I-680 runs through Milpitas, connecting it to key Bay Area destinations.
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Single-family homes and townhouses
The median price for a single-family home in Milpitas was $1.6 million as of January 2025, with townhouses having a median price tag of $1.3 million. This is a 5% increase from January 2024. “By Silicon Valley standards, Milpitas is actually reasonably priced,” says Maggie Guo of Compass Realty, who has 15 years of experience in the area. “The prices are more like what you’d see in Fresno compared to Cupertino or Los Gatos.” Ranch-style houses, Mediterranean-influenced modern builds and Craftsman bungalows are all available in Milpitas; most homes are from the 1960s and 70s and are clustered into neat subdivisions. Homes in the far southeastern portion of the city are multi-story builds with private driveways and multicar garages built in the late 1980s. These have higher price tags than some of the older, smaller homes throughout the rest of the city.
Milpitas blends innovation, culture, and suburban charm in Silicon Valley.
Modern apartments in Milpitas offer comfort and convenience.
Larger homes in Milpitas provide room to grow and relax.
Ranch-style homes in Milpitas blend comfort and convenience.
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Shopping at the Great Mall
Once the site of a Ford Motor Company assembly plant, the Great Mall of the Bay Area opened in 1994. Spanning 1.4 million square feet, it’s the largest outlet mall in California, with major big box stores like Kohl’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Each Sunday, the mall hosts the Milpitas Farmers’ Market where residents can purchase locally sourced produce and crafts; downtown, near Calaveras Boulevard, residents can find fine dining at steakhouses and seafood spots near pizzerias and old-school cafes. There are also plenty of international cuisines represented at Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino and Mexican establishments. The city is also home to the IBU Taproom, a local brewery, and Big Dog Vineyards. The under-development Milpitas Gateway-Main Street Specific Plan is designed to make the downtown area more walkable and to expand green space in the area.
The Great Mall has something for everyone, from fashion to food.
The Great Mall is perfect for bargain hunters and brand lovers.
Milpitas Farmers' Market is a create events for free on every Sunday.
Milpitas Shopping center is an excellent place to shop for all your home furnishing needs.
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Hiking at Ed R. Levin County Park
There are plenty of ways for Milpitas residents to get outside and enjoy the mild Bay Area weather. “There are tons of parks, but also hiking and golf are huge,” says Rossetto. The city is home to 30 parks; the largest is Ed R. Levin County Park, a 1,558-acre recreation space with a fishing pond, off-leash dog parks and miles of paved and unpaved trails for hiking, horseback riding and biking. The Milpitas Sports Center has baseball, football and soccer fields hosting youth and adult league games; the complex also has a skatepark and heated outdoor pools for swim lessons. Other parks throughout the city have disc golf courses and tennis and pickleball courts. Golfers can head out to either Bay View Golf Club or Spring Valley Golf Course, both public courses located in the city. Just a couple of miles east of the city is the Diablo Range, offering plenty of hiking and mountain biking trails.
Levin County Park in Milpitas is apart of the Santa Clara County Parks Commission.
Explore Ed Levin Park’s natural beauty and wildlife through your lens.
Enjoy a peaceful family walk through the scenic trails of Ed Levin Park.
Practice your swing at the Spring Valley Golf Course in Milpitas.
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Milpitas Unified School District has an A grade
Kids in the area attend the Milpitas Unified School District, which serves over 10,000 students. The district has an A Niche grade and is rated as the seventh-best district in Santa Clara County. Nine of the district’s ten elementary schools and both middle schools have at least an A-minus grade. Milpitas High School has an A rating and is noted for its strong STEM program. “The schools are good and getting better,” says Guo. “Many families move to Milpitas just to be in a strong school district.”
Thomas Russell Middle School has 795 students in grades 7-8 in 2024, according to Niche.com.
Alexander Rose Elementary ranks highly amongst school in the Milpitas area.
Buchser Middle School fosters a supportive environment for student growth and learning.
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Crime below national averages
According to the FBI, Milpitas has violent and property crime rates far below national and state averages. The Milpitas Police Department has a Citizen Volunteer Program, a Teen Academy and sponsors many Neighborhood Watch programs. “People feel a connection to the police department here and it genuinely feels like a safe place to live,” Guo says.
Access to Interstates 680 and 880
Interstates 680 and 880 intersect Milpitas; commuters use both roads to get to work and surrounding Bay Area cities. Locals can take either highway 8 miles south to San Jose, home to the nearest major airport. Interstate 880 provides access to Oakland 35 miles north, while Valley Transportation Authority’s bus routes take locals around Milpitas. Vehicle emissions from the interstates cause a low level of air quality in parts of Milpitas, and a landfill and sewage plant northwest of town has an unpleasant smell. “The smell has gotten better over the years, but it still is prevalent on certain days,” says Guo. Milpitas has mild weather year-round. Summer temperatures rarely tip above the low 80s, and most days in the winter have highs in the low 60s.
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