South San Francisco vs Sunnyvale
South San Francisco, 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 South San Francisco on overall objective livability (53 vs 47 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | South San Francisco | Sunnyvale |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $127k | $175k |
| Cost of Living | $94k | $94k |
| Home Value | $1.1M | $1.7M |
| Monthly Rent | $3k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.60% | 0.48% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.51% | 20.88% |
| Unemployment | 2.4% | 4.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 51°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 63°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 | 93.7 | 62.6 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 71.7 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1253/100k | 596/100k |
| Property Crime | 2834/100k | 2460/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 65,596 | 154,573 |
| Median Age | 42.3 | 35.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.70 | 0.64 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.09 |
| Political Leaning | D+59 | D+59 |
| White (%) | 21.8% | 27.5% |
| Black (%) | 1.9% | 1.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 29.1% | 16.7% |
| Asian (%) | 42.9% | 49.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.3% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 11.6/20 | 14.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 3 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.4% | 95.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 89.33 | 73.43 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 South San Francisco or Sunnyvale more affordable?
- Sunnyvale has the lower cost of living: its index is $94k, compared with South San Francisco's $94k and Sunnyvale's $94k. Median rent is $3k in South San Francisco versus $3k in Sunnyvale.
- Is South San Francisco or Sunnyvale safer?
- Sunnyvale has the lower violent crime rate. South San Francisco reports 1253/100k and Sunnyvale reports 596/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in South San Francisco or Sunnyvale?
- The median home value is $1.1M in South San Francisco and $1.7M in Sunnyvale, so homes are more affordable in South San Francisco.