San Benito Information

The State of California has traditionally been the home to several nostalgic cities, towns, and counties. Its periods of prosperity have been spread through different eras, dominated by different industries. Military, agriculture, and mining have seen their own periods of dominance in the state’s economy either during the Spanish era, agricultural era, and the gold rush era. While some of the industries have experienced a resurrection in recent years, some had merely been relegated to memories of a bygone era.

San Benito County has witnessed several industries dominate its economy. It was once a predominantly agricultural county, which found relative prosperity with mercury ore mining at the coastal ranges. With its mining industry now long gone, it has reverted back to the abundance of its fertile lands to reinforce its economy.

Located in the Coast Range Mountains of California south of San Jose, San Benito County is a part of the San Jose-Sunnyvale metropolitan area and has a total land area of 1,389 square miles. It was formed from the parts of Monterey County in 1874, with Hollister being the site of the county seat. The county’s first known inhabitants are the Mustun Ohlone Indians before it was claimed by Spanish settlers and was then named after Saint Benedict.

Agriculture and forest support activities, crop production, and specialty trade contractors constitute the county’s main industries. Other industries include education, health, and social services; manufacturing; and retail trade. Furniture and related products manufacturing is the fastest growing industry in the county at present, with a growth rate of 791.5% registered from 2001 to the present. Mercury ore extraction had been one of its industries, specifically located in the town of New Idria in the coastal ranges. However, unforeseen events led to the demise of its mining industry that eventually led to the abandonment of New Idria.

San Benito County is the home of the San Benito American Viticultural Area. Its climate is pleasantly moderate, making it extremely favorable for agriculture, recreation, and relaxation. Golf and hang gliding remains as the county residents’ most popular form of recreational activities, while the San Benito County Fair Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo is its top attraction.

San Benito Real Estate

Far from being a sleepy, rustic county, San Benito Real Estate has evidenced that the county has become one of the most favored relocation areas in the State of California. As housing costs have gone up in the Bay Area, commuters have begun moving to San Benito County. Aside from the proximity to the Bay Area, resettlers have favored San Benito County real estate because of its affordability and its dramatic backdrop – the rugged Diablo Mountains beautifully complementing the county’s native oak and grassland ranges.

With its unsurpassed quality of life, pleasant year-round climate, exciting recreational activities, amazing diversity of terrain, and proximity to the innumerable tourism, historical, educational, and cultural opportunities in the nearby San Francisco Bay Area, San Benito County offers a very attractive alternative for those who are in search for the serenity of countryside living.