Carmel-by-the-Sea vs Cupertino
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California versus Cupertino, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Carmel-by-the-Sea and Cupertino score about the same overall (56 vs 53 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Carmel-by-the-Sea | Cupertino |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $126k | $224k |
| Cost of Living | $106k | $106k |
| Home Value | $1.8M | $2.0M |
| Monthly Rent | $3k | $4k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $905 | $13k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.37% | 0.50% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.35% | 20.69% |
| Unemployment | 1.0% | 3.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 52°F | 51°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 62°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.4 in | 17.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 231 days | 231 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 199 days | 233 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 84.5 | 85.8 |
| Air Quality | 32 AQI | 38 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 55.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1113/100k | 270/100k |
| Property Crime | 1885/100k | 1331/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 3,239 | 59,763 |
| Median Age | 65.0 | 40.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.18 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.89 | 1.11 |
| Political Leaning | D+62 | D+62 |
| White (%) | 88.5% | 21.6% |
| Black (%) | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.8% | 3.1% |
| Asian (%) | 0.5% | 70.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.1% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 26 min |
| Walkability | 14.6/20 | 12.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 56 mi | 7 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.5% | 96.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 987.96 | 130.18 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
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 Carmel-by-the-Sea or Cupertino more affordable?
- Cupertino has the lower cost of living: its index is $106k, compared with Carmel-by-the-Sea's $106k and Cupertino's $106k. Median rent is $3k in Carmel-by-the-Sea versus $4k in Cupertino.
- Is Carmel-by-the-Sea or Cupertino safer?
- Cupertino has the lower violent crime rate. Carmel-by-the-Sea reports 1113/100k and Cupertino reports 270/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Carmel-by-the-Sea or Cupertino?
- The median home value is $1.8M in Carmel-by-the-Sea and $2.0M in Cupertino, so homes are more affordable in Carmel-by-the-Sea.