Town Hall · Santa Clara

Santa Clara, CA town hall & government

Santa Clara spent $1.6 billion in the year to June 30, 2024, about $12,680 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Santa Clara's government.

Local leadership

Who runs Santa Clara

From public records (Open States and Wikidata), which can lag behind an election. If a name is out of date, tell us: when two neighbors agree, it's hidden until the records catch up.

Town budget

Where Santa Clara's money goes

Spent
$1.6 billion
fiscal year to June 30, 2024
Per resident
$12,680
typical California cities: $2,964
Long-term debt
$402.2 million
$3,169 per resident
Water & other utilities
$608.7 million38%
Paid to other governments
$342.6 million21%
Parks & libraries
$132.6 million8%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$92.2 million6%
Administration & buildings
$88.2 million5%
Sewer & trash
$86.4 million5%
Police
$85.4 million5%
Fire
$71.1 million4%
Roads & transportation
$65.8 million4%
Interest on debt
$13.6 million1%
Housing & development
$10.4 million1%
Health & welfare
$2.6 million<1%
Other
$9.9 million1%

Where the money comes from

  • Utility sales 52%
  • Fees & charges 17%
  • Interest, fines & other 13%
  • Sales taxes 6%
  • Property taxes 6%
  • From other local governments 3%
  • Other taxes & licenses 1%
  • From the state 1%
  • From the federal government <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Santa Clara

Full-time staff
1,004
355 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$204,600
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
137
and 146 full-time firefighters
Water & other utilities
237 full-time25 part
Police
204 full-time75 part
Parks & libraries
97 full-time199 part
Fire
161 full-time2 part
Administration & buildings
136 full-time38 part
Roads & transportation
72 full-time3 part
Sewer & trash
16 full-time
Housing & development
7 full-time4 part
Other
74 full-time9 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Santa Clara Unified School District

Santa Clara's K–12 school district. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$29,282
California: $21,206
Students
14,236
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$1 billion
at year end

Where the district's money comes from California districts overall: 36% local, 52% state, 11% federal

  • Local 85%
  • State 13%
  • Federal 3%

Of the $29,282 per pupil, $17,482 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Also serving Santa Clara: Fremont Union High School District ($24,927 per pupil) · Campbell Union High School District ($19,636 per pupil) · Cupertino Union Elementary School District ($18,329 per pupil).

Property tax

What homeowners in Santa Clara pay

Typical tax bill
$9,234
a year · California typical $5,124
Effective rate
0.58%
of home value · California 0.70%
Typical home value
$1,582,600
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Santa Clara's government

🏛️ Official websitesantaclaraca.gov ↗

Town hall & decisions in Santa Clara →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Santa Clara

Santa Clara is represented in Congress by Senators Alex Padilla and Adam B. Schiff and Representative Ro Khanna. Gavin Newsom is governor.

All of Santa Clara's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Santa Clara

California · CA
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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01