Scotts Valley is a small city in Santa Cruz County, California, set in the upland slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains about thirty miles south of downtown San Jose and six miles north of the city of Santa Cruz. The 2020 census counted 12,224 residents. The city's modern growth followed the rise of the Silicon Valley technology economy, and it developed a distinctive high-tech identity when firms such as Seagate Technology, Borland International, Victor Technology, and Watkins-Johnson established operations in the area during the 1980s. This tech presence, combined with the city's location midway between the Bay Area and the coast, shaped its profile as a residential community for engineers, executives, and families. Scotts Valley is known for its strong public schools, anchored by Scotts Valley High School and its International Baccalaureate program, which draws families seeking quality education in a smaller, safer setting than the larger valley cities. Downtown Scotts Valley clusters along Scotts Valley Drive, with shopping centers, restaurants, and services serving local needs, while residential neighborhoods climb the surrounding hillsides. The surrounding Santa Cruz Mountains provide a redwood-forested backdrop, with Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and the beaches of Santa Cruz within minutes. Highway 17 runs along the city's edge, and the Highway 17 Express bus connects Scotts Valley to San Jose's Diridon Station, linking the community to the broader Bay Area job market. The University of California, Santa Cruz, also maintains a center in the city. The result is a community that combines redwood scenery, quality schools, and a convenient Silicon Valley commute, and Scotts Valley retains a quiet, semi-rural feel despite its proximity to Silicon Valley.