Up and Coming Neighborhoods
Up and Coming Neighborhoods in San Jose: Where Prices Rose Fastest in the Last 12 Months
Updated November 5, 2026
Reviewed by:
Head of Growth at TurboHome
Head Agent, California · CalDRE #01997822
The fastest-rising neighborhood in San Jose over the last 12 months was East Foothills, where the median price per square foot rose 14.5% to $871, against a citywide change of -3.1%. Silver Creek (+6.8%) and Willow Glen South / Lincoln Glen (+3.4%) were next. We ranked every San Jose neighborhood with at least 20 closings in our MLS feed in each of the last two years by the change in median price per square foot, then checked days on market and the share of homes selling above asking to separate real momentum from a few unusual sales. 1 of the top 8 still has a median price below the citywide median of $1,400,000.
TurboHome Market Analysis · San Jose, CA · Closings Nov 2025 to Oct 2026 vs a year earlier · Published November 2026
Key findings
- Top three: East Foothills (+14.5%, to $871 per square foot), Silver Creek (+6.8%) and Willow Glen South / Lincoln Glen (+3.4%).
- Citywide context: San Jose's median price per square foot fell 3.1%, from $903 a year earlier to $875.
- Still below the citywide median: Downtown San Jose ($900,000, -36%, though its price per square foot fell 2.7%) is priced below the $1,400,000 citywide median.
- Biggest drop in days on market: Willow Glen, from a median 11 days a year earlier to 9.
- Biggest jump in bidding: Willow Glen, where the share of homes sold above asking rose from 49% to 58%.
- Caution: Only 18 San Jose neighborhoods had 20 or more closings in both windows, so the table shows the top 8 and half of them are flat or down.
San Jose's 8 fastest-rising neighborhoods
Neighborhoods with at least 20 closings in our feed in both windows, ranked by the change in median price per square foot from November 2024 through October 2025 to November 2025 through October 2026. 18 San Jose neighborhoods qualified, so the table shows the top 8 rather than a top 10.
| Neighborhood | Closings | Median price per sq ft, Nov 2025 to Oct 2026 | A year earlier | Change | Median sale price | Vs citywide median | Median days on market, now (year earlier) | Share sold above asking, now (year earlier) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Foothills | 37 | $871 | $761 | +14.5% | $1,460,000 | +4% | 14 (13) | 51% (53%) |
| Silver Creek | 32 | $1,008 | $944 | +6.8% | $3,442,500 | +146% | 9 (8) | 56% (64%) |
| Willow Glen South / Lincoln Glen | 52 | $1,165 | $1,127 | +3.4% | $1,970,000 | +41% | 13 (9) | 60% (60%) |
| Willow Glen | 181 | $1,145 | $1,113 | +2.9% | $2,200,000 | +57% | 9 (11) | 58% (49%) |
| Shasta Hanchett Park | 32 | $1,028 | $1,018 | +1.0% | $2,025,000 | +45% | 12 (8) | 44% (60%) |
| Valley View / Reed | 30 | $1,143 | $1,132 | +0.9% | $1,590,000 | +14% | 11 (8) | 67% (67%) |
| Cory | 24 | $1,258 | $1,267 | -0.7% | $1,650,000 | +18% | 8 (8) | 63% (67%) |
| Downtown San Jose | 160 | $716 | $736 | -2.7% | $900,000 | -36% | 20 (20) | 30% (44%) |
The table ranks by price per square foot rather than median sale price because price per square foot is less sensitive to which homes happened to sell: a year with more large houses on the market can push the median price up even when nothing got more expensive. Days on market and the share sold above asking show whether buyers are actually competing for the neighborhood. When both improve along with the price, the momentum is real; when they do not, a few large or renovated sales may have moved the number.
Citywide context: how San Jose as a whole moved
| Metric | Nov 2025 to Oct 2026 | A year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| Closings analyzed | 2,756 | 3,169 |
| Median price per sq ft | $875 (-3.1%) | $903 |
| Median sale price | $1,400,000 | $1,450,000 |
| Median days on market | 13 | 12 |
| Share sold above asking | 52% | 59% |
The top neighborhoods are moving against a falling market: San Jose's median price per square foot fell 3.1% to $875, and 2 of the 8 neighborhoods in the table fell as well. Citywide, homes sold in a median 13 days against 12 a year earlier, and 52% sold above asking against 59%.
Rising and still below the citywide median
Downtown San Jose is the only neighborhood in the table below the $1,400,000 citywide median, at $900,000, but its price per square foot fell 2.7% and the share of homes selling above asking dropped from 44% to 30%, so it is a value play rather than a momentum play.
For a buyer who wants momentum, East Foothills is the closest thing to an entry point: its $1,460,000 median is 4% above the citywide figure, and its price per square foot rose 14.5% while the city fell 3.1%.
What is driving each neighborhood (local commentary)
San Jose is cooling citywide, with price per square foot down 3.1% and the share of homes selling above asking down from 59% to 52%, so any neighborhood that gained ground did it against the trend. East Foothills is the standout at 14.5% growth to $871 per square foot with a $1,460,000 median, almost exactly the citywide figure. Willow Glen is the steadiest large market: 181 closings, a median of 9 days on market and the share selling above asking up from 49% to 58%. Downtown San Jose is the opposite case: at $900,000 it is the only entry below the citywide median, but price per square foot slipped 2.7% and the share selling over asking fell from 44% to 30%, so it is a value play rather than a momentum play. Only 18 San Jose neighborhoods had 20 or more closings in both windows, so the table shows the top 8 and half of them are flat or down.
How to use this list if you are buying in San Jose
- Treat price per square foot growth as a screen, not a verdict. Visit the top three, East Foothills, Silver Creek and Willow Glen South / Lincoln Glen, and judge the streets, the homes and the commute for yourself.
- Check whether days on market fell along with the price rise. Rising prices with lengthening days on market usually means a few renovated sales moved the median. In San Jose, that applies to Willow Glen South / Lincoln Glen (9 to 13 days), Shasta Hanchett Park (8 to 12 days) and Valley View / Reed (8 to 11 days).
- Compare the neighborhood's median price with the citywide median. The citywide median sale price in San Jose was $1,400,000; a negative figure in the "vs citywide median" column means the neighborhood is still an entry point.
- Pull the last 12 months of closings on the specific streets you like before offering. Neighborhood medians blend very different blocks, and the sales on your street are the comps the seller's agent will use.
- Expect to compete where more than half of homes sell above asking. In this table that means East Foothills (51%), Silver Creek (56%), Willow Glen South / Lincoln Glen (60%), Willow Glen (58%), Valley View / Reed (67%) and Cory (63%). Use the share-sold-above-asking column to decide how aggressive the offer needs to be.
Methodology
We looked at closings of single family homes, condos and townhouses in San Jose from our MLS feed, closed November 2025 through October 2026, compared with closings from November 2024 through October 2025 (2,756 and 3,169 closings). Price per square foot is the closing price divided by living area; figures are medians. "Share sold above asking" is the share of closings where the sale price exceeded the final list price. Neighborhoods need at least 20 closings in each window to be ranked (18 San Jose neighborhoods qualified); neighborhoods with fewer closings are excluded, so some well-known areas do not appear. Sales under $50,000 or over $20,000,000 and price per square foot outside $50 to $5,000 are excluded. Only 18 San Jose neighborhoods had at least 20 closings in both windows, so the ranking shows the top 8 rather than a top 10, and the last two rows (Cory and Downtown San Jose) fell rather than rose. Published November 2026.
FAQ
What are the up and coming neighborhoods in San Jose?
Ranked by the change in median price per square foot over the last 12 months, the up and coming neighborhoods in San Jose are East Foothills (+14.5%, to $871), Silver Creek (+6.8%, to $1,008) and Willow Glen South / Lincoln Glen (+3.4%, to $1,165), against a citywide change of -3.1%.
Which San Jose neighborhoods are still affordable but rising?
Downtown San Jose is the only neighborhood in the table below the $1,400,000 citywide median, at $900,000, but its price per square foot fell 2.7% and the share of homes selling above asking dropped from 44% to 30%, so it is a value play rather than a momentum play.
Is San Jose as a whole getting more expensive?
No, not on a per square foot basis. San Jose's median price per square foot fell 3.1%, from $903 to $875, and the median sale price went from $1,450,000 to $1,400,000. Homes sold in a median 13 days against 12 a year earlier, and 52% sold above asking against 59%.
Which San Jose neighborhood is the most competitive right now?
Among the top 8, Valley View / Reed is the most competitive: 67% of homes sold above asking (67% a year earlier), with a median 11 days on market.
How did you rank the neighborhoods?
We ranked every San Jose neighborhood with at least 20 closings in our MLS feed in both November 2024 through October 2025 and November 2025 through October 2026 by the change in median price per square foot, which is the closing price divided by living area. We then checked median days on market and the share of homes sold above asking to separate real buyer competition from a few unusual sales.
Related guides
- Up and coming neighborhoods, by city
- Bay Area home buying guides
- Best San Jose neighborhoods for first-time buyers
- How much over asking to offer in San Jose
- HOA fees in San Jose
- Down payment on a house in San Jose
- Best time to buy a house in San Jose
- New construction vs resale homes in San Jose
- How long it takes to close in San Jose
- San Jose housing market
- Income needed to buy a home in San Jose
- California home buying guides
About the Author
Vinura Abeysundara
Vinura Abeysundara is a real estate and growth professional with experience scaling homebuying platforms across Canada and the United States. Formerly Head of Growth at Zown, he now works with TurboHome and writes about homebuyer savings, flat-fee real estate, commissions, and technology in real estate.
View Vinura on LinkedInAbout Kevin Kretzmer
Head Agent, California
Kevin Kretzmer leads TurboHome's California agent team and reviews California and national buyer guidance for practical brokerage accuracy.
View Kevin's profile