The town centre is located at the altitude of 3,050 metres (10,000 feet) above sea level, which makes the average temperature 16 °C (61 °F), quite cold for tropical standards.

In January 2008, for the first time in recent history, snow fell on the Cotzic pass, which is the highest point in the entire municipality (3,700 metres/12,000 ft. above sea level) During the rainy season (mid-May to mid-November) the town is regularly subjected to white-out conditions and constant drizzle because of cloud accumulation.

This change became permanent in San José, and today the only language spoken is Spanish, with the exception of the very few outlying communities who still speak Mam.

Most San José families have one or more member working illegally in the United States, sending back money weekly or monthly.

The poorest families, those that cannot afford to pay for passage to the United States, usually send a male representative across the border to Chiapas, Mexico once a year, where they can find work picking coffee.

The municipality was settled by a group of people on 23 August 1848 as "San José", where in the 21st century there is a small settlement,[6] by an initiative of Ángel Roblero.

[6][a] After severe landslides forced the inhabitants to move to a different location, they chose a place called «Ixjoyon» (mam language meaning «land prosperous for potato»), where the main settlement has remained since.

However, this change was short-lived, as once Ubico was overthrown in 1945, new president el doctor Juan José Arévalo, On 21 June 1945 designated it as a municipality once again.