Morgan Hill is celebrating it's centennial anniversary this year, with activities throughout the year recognizing the city's heritage as an early California settlement. Just 12 miles south of San Jose, Morgan Hill is bisected by highway 101, with highways 85, 280, and 880 providing convenient access to the rest of the California peninsula.
Situated just outside Silicon Valley, Morgan Hill has been a haven for commuters wanting access to a fast-paced technology community, as well as more affordable housing and a strong sense of community. Both older, larger properties and new housing developments can be found within the city. An authentic small-town feel is maintained by local resident pride, as well as city-commissioned projects like the San Martin Neighborhood Alliance: a non-profit organization geared to preserve Morgan Hills' unique communities. Most retail space can be found in the clean downtown area, yet residents also enjoy the closeness and variety of the Gilroy Outlets' 145 outlet stores. Popular community events include the new Poppy Jasper Film Festival, communal yoga classes, a free summer concert series, the Mushroom Mardi Gras, Taste of Morgan Hill and the new Morgan Hill amateur and professional Gran Prix road race. The Henry W. Coe State Park, the largest state park in Northern California, offers camping, hiking, and an immense sampling of wildlife within it's 86,000 acres of protected open space. Youth summer camps, health, educational and art classes, as well as the city's aquatic center can all be found at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center.
With a population of 33,556, the median household income in Morgan Hills is $81,958. 900 properties were sold inside the city's 12-square-miles last year, at a median price of $865,000. The Morgan Hill Unified School District serves 15 public schools, out of which the Nordstrom Elementary (with an API of 870) and the Charter School (with an API of 831) stand out for excellent performance. Live Oak High School and Ann Sobrato High School encourage their students to 'discover, learn, and develop,' and the Gavilan Community College provides excellent undergraduate education. Alien Technologies, a leading provider of customer service products and systems, is based in Morgan Hills. NFL star Ryan Neufield (Buffalo Bills), was born in Morgan Hills.