San Jose slips from top 10 largest U.S. cities as cost of living climbs, desirability tumbles

SAN JOSE HAS dropped down to the 12th most populated city nationwide following an exodus of residents during the peak of the pandemic — but it continues to rank as one of the top 15 best places to live in the country. Residents said there’s a disconnect.

The city’s population has dropped from 1,014,545 residents in April 2020 to 971,233 residents as of July 2022, more than 4 percent, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. A number of issues have caused this flight out of the city, such as the lack of affordable housing, the ability to work remote post-pandemic and the overall high cost of living in the region.