There is a lot to love about living in Saratoga. It’s widely considered one of the most desirable towns in California to live and work for a reason: it’s a beautiful historic community!
Throw in the fact that the people are wonderful, the weather is great, and the scenery is gorgeous and you’ve got a place we’re proud to call home.
There is a little more to Saratoga than “just” the fantastic people and great quality of life, though. Take a look at these 15 things you might not know about this amazing community:
1. Saratoga’s original name was McCarthysville. The town was formed around a toll, which was located at the present day intersection of Big Basin Way and 3rd St.
2. Other names for the town included Toll Town and Bank Mills. The name Saratoga was made official in 1865.
3. Legendary actress Joan Fontaine, who was twice nominated for an Academy Award for her roles in Alfred Hitchcock films (winning once), lived in Saratoga before hitting it big.
4. In 2009, Saratoga was named one of the top 20 most educated towns in the United States.
5. The town of Saratoga was made a California Historical Landmark in 1950.
6. Saratoga’s Hakone Gardens was a filming location for the Academy Award winning film Memoirs of a Geisha, released in 2005.
7. CNN/Money ranked Saratoga number 4 on its 2008 list of top earning towns.
8. The town was almost annexed into San Jose and became part of that town, but in 1956 there was a move to incorporate as an independent municipality. That move was a success, and now you have the Saratoga you know today.
9. These days, Saratoga has been a pricy place to live for a while now. In 2016, Coldwell Banker called Saratoga the most expensive housing market in the country, and way back in 2010 Bloomberg Businessweek named it the most expensive suburb in California.
10. It’s expensive, but people can afford it. CNN Money says that over 70 percent of Saratoga households bring in more than $100,000 a year, and in 2011 Bloomberg called it the 18th wealthiest zip code in the U.S.
11. Saratoga is a smart town, too. In 2009, Forbes listed the town as one of the top 20 best educated in the United States.
Pretty fantastic, right? And here you thought this was just another anonymous town.