© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Sunnyvale.
About
Life in Sunnyvale
Living in Sunnyvale means joining a deeply established tech hub where the job market is genuinely strong—companies like LinkedIn, Juniper Networks, Intuitive Surgical, and Fortinet are headquartered here, alongside countless others in aerospace and defense, so career opportunities exist beyond just the obvious big-name players. The catch is immediate: housing is expensive. You're looking at a median home price around $1.8 million and median rent near $3,100 a month, which reflects the reality that Sunnyvale is the second-most populous city in Santa Clara County and sits squarely in Silicon Valley's core.
Sunnyvale at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.8%
Foreign-Born
50.2%
Broadband Internet
96.5%
of households
Population Growth
+0.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics50.2% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Sunnyvale: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Sunnyvale, the largest foreign-born group is from India (26.8%), and 16.1% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
19.5%
of residents
65 and Older
13.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.0%
of households
Married Couples
50.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.54
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 49% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Sunnyvale
In Sunnyvale, rent runs 49% above the CA average, and home values are 145% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
33.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
14.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
110.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$9,220
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
43.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1976
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $2,007,452 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.9 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Sunnyvale and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Sunnyvale is 1.9 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Sunnyvale Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area
Commute23 min avg
How Sunnyvale residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Sunnyvale, most residents drive alone to work (54%), and 71% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 mi
Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Medium hub5.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 25 mi
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Major hub26.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 43% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Sunnyvale runs 43% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
187.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,862.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Sunnyvale Police Department
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Santa Clara County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Santa Clara County, which includes Sunnyvale, the most common type is strong wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Flood | $10 |
| 2024 | 17 | Flood | $80 |
| 2023 | 15 | High Wind | $40 |
| 2022 | 11 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 19 | Strong Wind | $1,000 |
| 2020 | 24 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 45 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 25 | Flood | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
221 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Santa Clara County, county-wide
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2024)
Air quality in Santa Clara County, which includes Sunnyvale, is typically good — 201 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
201
per year
Moderate Days
161
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Santa Clara County, county-wide
Climate77°F summers, 43°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Sunnyvale has mild summers (avg high 77°F) and mild winters (avg low 43°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
68°/49°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
77°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
60°/43°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
13.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
9
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
2
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
66
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 42°F | 2.49" |
| Feb | 62°F | 45°F | 2.90" |
| Mar | 65°F | 47°F | 2.04" |
| Apr | 68°F | 49°F | 0.98" |
| May | 72°F | 53°F | 0.43" |
| Jun | 76°F | 56°F | 0.10" |
| Jul | 77°F | 59°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 77°F | 59°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 78°F | 57°F | 0.07" |
| Oct | 74°F | 53°F | 0.56" |
| Nov | 66°F | 46°F | 1.36" |
| Dec | 59°F | 42°F | 2.51" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Sunnyvale
Uninsured
2.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Sunnyvale's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
El Camino Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.1 mi away · Mountain View
Kaiser Foundation Hospital-santa Clara
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.8 mi away · Santa Clara
Kaiser Permanente Psychiatric Health Facility-sant
Psychiatric · ER available · 4.4 mi away · Santa Clara
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education20.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale's student/teacher ratio is 20.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 69.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
20
within city limits
Private Schools
14
within city limits
College Degree Rate
69.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Sunnyvale (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 27,601 students · in-state tuition $8,846 · 78% graduate · median earnings $83,493 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 15,264 students · in-state tuition $1,577 · 42% graduate · median earnings $62,175 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,554 students · in-state tuition $68,544 · 96% graduate · median earnings $125,340 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 7,105 students · in-state tuition $1,366 · 23% graduate · median earnings $52,460 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 7,099 students · in-state tuition $1,202 · 28% graduate · median earnings $61,853 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,552 students · in-state tuition $63,513 · 89% graduate · median earnings $117,193 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site, 30 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (30 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
30 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
37 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
37 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
37 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
38 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
41 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
42 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
45 mi awayPublic Libraries in Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale Public Library
665 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale
Cities Near Sunnyvale
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Sunnyvale?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Sunnyvale FAQ
Is Sunnyvale, California affordable?⌄
Sunnyvale's median rent is $3,039/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $186,170/year. Median home value is $1,801,800.
Is Sunnyvale, California safe?⌄
Sunnyvale's violent crime rate was 188 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1862 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Sunnyvale, California?⌄
Sunnyvale has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Sunnyvale, California?⌄
The cost of living in Sunnyvale is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $3,039/month and median household income is $186,170/year. The median home value is $1,801,800. About 34% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Sunnyvale, California?⌄
The average commute in Sunnyvale is 23 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from