Silicon Valley Map & Korean Communities in the US West Coast

I never really cared about what cities were on the East or West Coast of America.

As I grew up, I learned something important: The East and West Coasts of America are as far apart as Korea and India. And just like that distance... their cultures and laws are different too.

The biggest state on the West Coast is California, and the biggest on the East Coast is New York.

California is home to the famous Silicon Valley. As you know, semiconductors are made from silicon. This is where many hardware and software companies are concentrated.

As everyone knows, Big Tech engineers and developers have base salaries exceeding $100,000. First-generation companies are located around San Francisco and San Jose, while second-generation companies have expanded from San Francisco all the way down to San Diego.

Korean Communities (Koreatowns) Distribution

Korean communities are mainly concentrated in LA County and Orange County. San Francisco and San Diego follow behind.

Housing Prices

Here's what housing costs look like: https://youtu.be/Dm2pOxIY6vk?si=ITdwoqokpYKWwCty

A 53-pyeong house (approximately 1,750 sq ft) with large front and back yards costs $955,000. This is a slightly reduced price after tremendous increases over the past few years.

For reference, the average apartment price in Seoul is...

Silicon Valley Overview

The name "Silicon Valley" came from semiconductor companies like Intel and AMD, founded by Stanford University graduate students, settling in this valley-rich area. The Bay Area literally refers to the region from San Francisco to San Jose that borders the bay.

Korean Community Characteristics in Silicon Valley

The Korean distribution in Silicon Valley shows different characteristics compared to LA's Koreatown:

Korean Distribution Features:

• There are relatively few Koreans in this region, and no proper Koreatown has been established
• While there is a Korean street in the Santa Clara area, it's not very large
• Major Korean corporations like Samsung, LG, and SK Hynix have established operations in Silicon Valley, but they're not clustered together like in LA's Koreatown

Major Korean Concentration Areas:

• Sunnyvale near San Jose has numerous Korean markets and Korean businesses forming a Korea Town
• Throughout most of the South Bay area, you can easily drive to a Korean market without much difficulty
• However, compared to LA where Koreans are the overwhelming majority, this area has higher proportions of Indians and Chinese

California's Major Koreatowns

Korean communities are mainly concentrated in LA County and Orange County, with San Francisco and San Diego following behind.

Real Estate Price Comparison

California Housing Prices:

• 53-pyeong house (with front and back yards): $955,000
• Price slightly declined after tremendous increases over several years

Seoul Apartment Prices (2025): Last year, Seoul's average apartment selling price rose 6.9% year-over-year to 38.613 million won per 3.3㎡, which is 99.4% of the previous peak in 2021 (38.855 million won).

Silicon Valley's Industrial Characteristics

As one venture capital representative in the area explained: "Silicon Valley is an environment where talent is everything, and talent attracts capital again, and because there's capital, people gather again - it's a region built on this virtuous cycle structure."

Unlike traditional Koreatowns, Silicon Valley has formed a corporate-centered Korean community that is distributed more sporadically compared to LA. With the presence of major Korean corporations and many IT professionals, it has formed a unique Korean community culture.