Milpitas, California

Milpitas (Spanish for 'little milpas' or little cornfields) is a city in Santa Clara County, California, part of Silicon Valley and the broader San Francisco Bay Area. Located on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay, it is bordered by San Jose to the south, Fremont to the north, and the Coyote Creek and Calaveras Reservoir to the west. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 80,273. The city is located at the junction of Interstates 680 and 880 and is served by the Milpitas BART station.

Historically inhabited by the Ohlone people, the area served as a crossroads between Mission San José de Guadalupe in present-day Fremont and Mission Santa Clara de Asis in present-day Santa Clara. The city’s modern development began in the mid-20th century, driven by postwar suburbanization and its incorporation in 1954. Milpitas experienced rapid growth during the 1970s–1990s, fueled by Silicon Valley’s tech industry, and became a hub for manufacturing and corporate offices, hosting companies like Cisco Systems, KLA Corporation, and Flex Ltd.. Its diverse population includes significant Asian and Hispanic communities, reflecting broader Bay Area demographic trends.

Milpitas' economy is closely tied to the tech sector, though it also features retail landmarks such as the Great Mall of the Bay Area, one of Northern California’s largest outlet malls. Environmental challenges include odor issues linked to the adjacent Newby Island landfill and water pollution from street water runoff and industrial wastes. The city's infrastructure includes multiple public parks, trails, and access to regional transit systems, including VTA light rail and buses.