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San Bruno vs Sunnyvale

San Bruno, 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.

Overall livability

San Bruno

Solid · objective livability51/100

Sunnyvale

Solid · objective livability53/100

San Bruno and Sunnyvale score about the same overall (51 vs 53 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorSan BrunoSunnyvale
Affordability
Median Household Income$132k$175k
Cost of Living$94k$94k
Home Value$1.2M$1.7M
Monthly Rent$3k$3k
Monthly Owner Costs$3k$4k
Property Tax Rate0.50%0.48%
Income Tax13.30%13.30%
Sales Tax8.85%8.85%
Estimated total tax burden20.72%20.88%
Unemployment4.6%4.1%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)51°F51°F
Summer Temp (Jul)63°F68°F
Annual Precipitation27.1 in13.4 in
Annual Snowfall0.0 in0.0 in
Sunny Days231 days231 days
Summer Humidity53°F53°F
Comfortable Days230 days232 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk69.062.6
Air Quality38 AQI39 AQI
School Quality100.0100.0
Violent Crime644/100k596/100k
Property Crime2582/100k2460/100k
Community
Population43,218154,573
Median Age39.035.1
Racial Diversity0.720.64
Male/Female Ratio1.021.09
Political LeaningD+59D+59
White (%)29.2%27.5%
Black (%)1.0%1.2%
Hispanic (%)29.5%16.7%
Asian (%)32.2%49.4%
Other / Multiracial (%)8.1%5.3%
Getting Around
Commute Time26 min24 min
Walkability8.3/2014.8/20
Airport Distance3 mi6 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access93.2%95.7%
Amenities Nearby120.3273.43
Park & Nature AccessGoodModerate

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 San Bruno or Sunnyvale more affordable?
Sunnyvale has the lower cost of living: its index is $94k, compared with San Bruno's $94k and Sunnyvale's $94k. Median rent is $3k in San Bruno versus $3k in Sunnyvale.
Is San Bruno or Sunnyvale safer?
Sunnyvale has the lower violent crime rate. San Bruno reports 644/100k and Sunnyvale reports 596/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in San Bruno or Sunnyvale?
The median home value is $1.2M in San Bruno and $1.7M in Sunnyvale, so homes are more affordable in San Bruno.
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