Santa Teresa vs Silver Creek
San Jose · San Jose — neighborhood comparison
The trade-off
Santa Teresa offers more transit access and access to South Bay employers; Silver Creek offers larger lots and newer housing stock, with comparable dining range. Silver Creek typically lists about $1.5M more.
Price & value
What it costs
Silver Creek runs about $1.47M more at the median.
Housing stock
What you're buying into
Housing stock is roughly comparable in era.
The majority of homes date to the 1950s-70s. Many have been updated over the years, but you'll still find original-condition homes. Lots tend to be generous compared to newer South Bay construction.
A healthy mix of updated mid-century homes and newer custom construction. Teardown-and-rebuild activity has produced many modern builds; neighborhoods vary in what share is original vs. new.
Schools
Assigned schools
School ratings are broadly similar.
- Santa Teresa Elementarypublic · K-5
- Bernal Intermediatepublic · 6-8
- Santa Teresa High Schoolpublic · 9-12
- Silver Oak Elementarypublic · K-5
- Bernal Intermediatepublic · 6-8
- Silver Creek High Schoolpublic · 9-12
Walkability & transit
Getting around
Broadly comparable day-to-day mobility.
Commute
Access to major employers
Rough rush-hour estimates. Real-world times vary by exact address and traffic — take the quiz to see workplace-specific estimates.
- ~70 min
North County tech hubs
Google, Apple, NVIDIA, Meta
- ~15 min
Downtown San Jose
SAP Center, SJSU
- 90+ min
San Francisco
via 101 or Caltrain
- 90+ min
North County tech hubs
Google, Apple, NVIDIA, Meta
- ~35 min
Downtown San Jose
SAP Center, SJSU
- 90+ min
San Francisco
via 101 or Caltrain
Vibe & character
What it feels like
Very different neighborhood characters.
A day here
A Saturday in Santa Teresa vs Silver Creek
Picture yourself in each — same day, different neighborhood.
The dogs know the park trail better than you do. You're out the door by 7 with both of them, up the Stile Ranch trail through the dry grass and serpentine rock, hawks above. You're back by 8:30, sweaty, the coffee pot already on from your partner.
Read the full day in Santa TeresaSaturday starts with your husband's 7am tee time at Silver Creek. You hear the garage go and you have the next three hours. Coffee on the back patio, the hills behind the house in that early haze before they turn brown for the day.
Read the full day in Silver CreekWhat to know
Honest caveats
Trade-offs buyers commonly discover after moving — worth weighing before you pick a side.
Long commutes to Peninsula and North County tech employers (45-60 min in rush hour). School district splits between Oak Grove and Morgan Hill — verify by address. Older housing stock often needs updates. Limited dining and nightlife within the immediate area. Some streets close to 101 have traffic noise. Wildfire awareness needed in foothill sections.
Significant HOA and country club fees ($1,000-$2,000+/month combined for some homes). Long commutes to North County or Peninsula tech employers. Limited inventory means difficult buying process. Recent market softness has hit luxury harder than mid-tier — some recent sales below 2022 peaks. Wildfire risk awareness in foothill sections. Country club lifestyle can feel exclusionary or insular.
Still deciding?