City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Sunnyvale, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Sunnyvale - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

153,455
Residents
$181,862
Median income
$1,816,600
Median home
$2,912
Median rent (state)

Sunnyvale - the verdict

Sunnyvale ranks in the 97th percentile for household income and the 28th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

97th
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
97th
percentile, median rent
28th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Sunnyvale, CA

153,455 people live in Sunnyvale, California - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Sunnyvale households earn a median of $181,862 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.4%. Home values in Sunnyvale run a median of $1,816,600, and the median resident age is 35.1 years. About 69.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 69.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 209 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 69% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2153.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,912 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). Commute times here average 16.9 minutes, with 55.4% driving alone and 27.0% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

153,455 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$181,862 /yr

Poverty 3.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Sunnyvale compare to other US cities?

Sunnyvale measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 97% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 97% pricier than other cities
Safety 28% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: Sunnyvale ranks #266 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Sunnyvale against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Sunnyvale's strongest outlier among California cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Sunnyvale ranks #74 - the 94th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Sunnyvale only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#99 of 1,338
93rd percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#352 of 1,458
71st percentile in California
Median Home Value
#74 of 1,343
94th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#997 of 1,450
30th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#110 of 1,458
92nd percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

97thIncome percentile
28thSafety percentile

97th percentile nationally for median household income · 28th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sunnyvale's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sunnyvale's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 42 Avg. percentile National median
Sunnyvale's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Sunnyvale's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,816,600 1st percentile more affordable than 1% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Sunnyvale $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Sunnyvale, CA Sunnyvale, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sunnyvale, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Sunnyvale, CA median $181,862/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Sunnyvale, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Sunnyvale, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 69.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 69.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
153,455
Median Income
$181,862
Median Home Value
$1,816,600
Median Age
35.1
Poverty Rate
3.4%
Labor force participation
69.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
69.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2153.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
244.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1909.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
20
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
150,000 residents152,000 residents154,000 residents156,000 residents158,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 155,240 residents 156,577 residents ▲ +0.9%
Sunnyvale's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
209
housing units authorized
Single-Family
42
detached homes
Multifamily
167
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 677
2020 430
2021 1,400
2022 925
2023 558
2024 209

Permit volume decreased 69% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.9 minutes
Drive Alone
55.4%
Carpool
8.7%
Public Transit
4.3%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
27.0%
Other
3.2%

Based on 85,430 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Sunnyvale sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,912/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Roseville
152,438 people
Escondido
149,913 people
Pomona
148,391 people
Corona
158,839 people
Hayward
159,201 people
Salinas
161,993 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sunnyvale's 153,455 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hollywood, FL
152,935 people
Springfield, MA
154,751 people
Kansas City, KS
154,776 people
Charleston, SC
152,014 people
Bellevue, WA
151,199 people
Killeen, TX
156,144 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sunnyvale's $181,862 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Orono, MN
$181,875 median income
Union Hill-Novelty Hill, WA
$181,820 median income
Village of Grosse Pointe Shores, MI
$182,000 median income
Woodbury, NY
$181,667 median income
Gotha, FL
$181,645 median income
Briarcliffe Acres, SC
$182,083 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sunnyvale, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Sunnyvale, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 30.4% 49.4% 9.1% 9.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 16.7% White 30.4% Black or African American 1.5% Asian 49.4% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 9.1% Two or more races 9.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Sunnyvale compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Sunnyvale (this city) 153,455 $181,862
Roseville 152,438 $117,354
Escondido 149,913 $84,477
Pomona 148,391 $78,869
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sunnyvale, CA?

What is the population of Sunnyvale, CA? +

Sunnyvale, CA has a population of 153,455 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Sunnyvale, CA? +

Sunnyvale households earn a median of $181,862 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sunnyvale? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sunnyvale; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Sunnyvale, CA safe? +

Sunnyvale has a total crime rate of 2153.8 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Sunnyvale, CA? +

Homes in Sunnyvale carry a median value of $1,816,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.