Once covered by fruit trees and grapevines, Cupertino became Santa Clara County's 13th city in 1955 after experiencing a significant population boom after WWII. This city's high standard of living is reflected in the ever-developing balance of suburban residential and technical-industrial areas. Just 9 miles outside of the Norma Y. Mileta San Jose International Airport, and minutes away from San Jose and Santa Clara, Cupertino is accessible by highways 280, 85 and 101.
Because Cupertino has experienced such rapid development since it's founding, it never had the chance to designate a true downtown area. Instead, Stevens Creek Boulevard serves as Cupertino's 'main street,' decorated with various restaurants, offices and retail centers. The Cali Mill Plaza sits at the intersection of Stevens Creek Boulevard (which runs East to West across the city) and De Anza Boulevard (which runs North to South), serving as the closest equivalent to an urban downtown area. Included are two open-air shopping centers, restaurants, bakeries, and the Cupertino City Center's twin buildings. The Vallco Fashion Park serves as another social hub, with two floors of indoor shopping, as well as the Cupertino Ice Skating Center. A newly remodeled public library, the Quinlan Community Center and Cupertino YMCA provide year-round local activities and classes. The Career Action Center ensures that all residents are self-sufficient and employed, and a weekly farmer's market brings residents together to support local agriculture. Outdoors, the Fremont Older Open Space Preserve encompasses 739 acres of hiking and equestrian trails, and the McLellan Ranch Park preserves Cupertino's early 20th century farming history. The Pichetti Winery, one of the oldest in the state, is just one of the many wineries located around the outskirts of the city.
The two main neighborhoods of Cupertino are designated by their relation to De Anza Boulevard: East of the boulevard is the affluent Rancho Rinconada area, known for it's large, newly built houses and well-kept properties. Monta Vista lies to the West, comprised of smaller, more affordable homes. Cupertino Union School District earned an API score of 920 in 2005, with the Faria Elementary School standing out as the number one ranked elementary school in California. Monta Vista High School, one of Cupertino's three public high schools belonging to the Fremont Union District, earned an API of 924 and is ranked #57 out of the country's top 1,000 high schools. The De Anza College campus is a central part of the Cupertino educational community, with the Euphrat Museum of Art, Flint Center for the Performing Arts, and multiple athletic facilities open to the public.
50,546 residents live within Cupertino's 11-square-miles, earning an annual median household income of $100,411. 675 properties were sold last year, at a median of $500,000. Cupertino boasts the headquarters of such renowned companies as Apple Computers and Symantec (one of the foremost computer antivirus/security companies), as well local branches of IBM, HP, and Sun Microsystems. Actor Aaron Eckhart (from 'Any Given Sunday' and 'Erin Brokovich') and retired NBA star Kurt Rambis were both born in Cupertino.