The Index of Silicon Valley published each year by Joint Venture Silicon Valley, a public-interest group which promotes the business environment here, has story ideas all over it.
Here are some highlights from this year:
- 48 percent of people living in Silicon Valley do not speak English at home.
- 51 percent of new foreign immigrants to Silicon Valley have college degrees or post-graduate degrees.
- 60 percent of the employees considered "highly skilled" working in Silicon Valley were not born in the United States.
- Silicon Valley accounts for 7 percent of California's population, but pays 16 percent of its taxes.
- The average Silicon Valley drives 14 percent less than they did in 2002.
- The number of Silicon Valley high schoolers able to hit state university requirements has dropped and so too have the number able to hit state college standards.
- The median Silicon Valley household income is roughly $85,000. Average Californian: about $60,000. Average American about $50,000.
- The median for computer hardware engineer is $118,000. The median software engineer makes $153,000.
- 21 of the 25 most popular jobs in Santa Clara county are in the field of science or engineering.
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