Milpitas is a city in Santa Clara County, California. It is also located within the Silicon Valley. Milpitas is divided into three sections by Interstates 680 and 880. To the west of I-880 is a largely industrial and commercial area. Between I-880 and its eastern counterpart freeway, I-680, is an industrial zone in the south and residential neighborhoods in the north.
Milpitas ranks first in the United States with the largest percent of residents employed in the computer and electronic products industry.
Milpitas' public schools are run by the Milpitas Unified School District (MUSD). The school district was originally Milpitas Elementary S.D. when it was started as a separate district in the 1950s. Formerly, James Lick High School in Alum Rock was the closest high school to Milpitas. Samuel Ayer High School (now the Milpitas Sports Center, Teen Center, Calaveras Hills HS., and Adult Education Center) on Calaveras Road was built as the only high school located in the city. In the late 1960s MUSD was formed and included Ayer High which had previously been part of East Side Union High School District. In the 1970s, Milpitas High School was built on Escuela Parkway and, due to declining enrollment, Samuel Ayer High School closed. Currently Milpitas High is one of the biggest high schools in the county.
Milpitas is home to the largest Bay Area enclosed shopping mall (in terms of land area), the Great Mall of the Bay Area.
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) runs light rail and local buses for public transportation.
As part of its Silicon Valley BART extension, BART began serving its new Milpitas BART station in 2019.
The nearest major airport to the city is the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), less than ten minutes away in San José.
