Burlingame vs Sunnyvale
Burlingame, California versus Sunnyvale, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Sunnyvale edges out Burlingame on overall objective livability (53 vs 49 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Burlingame | Sunnyvale |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $166k | $175k |
| Cost of Living | $94k | $94k |
| Home Value | $2.0M | $1.7M |
| Monthly Rent | $3k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.50% | 0.48% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 22.25% | 20.88% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 4.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 51°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 64°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.6 in | 13.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 231 days | 231 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 230 days | 232 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 86.3 | 62.6 |
| Air Quality | 38 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 77.4 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 714/100k | 596/100k |
| Property Crime | 3496/100k | 2460/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 30,995 | 154,573 |
| Median Age | 40.9 | 35.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.60 | 0.64 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.11 | 1.09 |
| Political Leaning | D+59 | D+59 |
| White (%) | 52.0% | 27.5% |
| Black (%) | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 13.6% | 16.7% |
| Asian (%) | 28.0% | 49.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 11.5/20 | 14.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 3 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.6% | 95.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 173.25 | 73.43 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Burlingame or Sunnyvale more affordable?
- Sunnyvale has the lower cost of living: its index is $94k, compared with Burlingame's $94k and Sunnyvale's $94k. Median rent is $3k in Burlingame versus $3k in Sunnyvale.
- Is Burlingame or Sunnyvale safer?
- Sunnyvale has the lower violent crime rate. Burlingame reports 714/100k and Sunnyvale reports 596/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Burlingame or Sunnyvale?
- The median home value is $2.0M in Burlingame and $1.7M in Sunnyvale, so homes are more affordable in Sunnyvale.