San Jose receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sunnyvale
San Jose
Opportunity
78 · Top 9%
vs69 · Top 25%
Growth
33 · Bottom 22%
vs65 · Top 25%
Climate
89 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 20%
vs25 · Bottom 20%
Housing affordability
51 · Bottom 11%
vs49 · Bottom 10%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
78 · Top 11%
vs69 · Top 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Sunnyvale | San Jose | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 154,236 | 990,138 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $186,170 | $146,427 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $101,185 | $65,945 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,992/sq mi | 5,564/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,801,800 | $1,233,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $3,039 | $2,669 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.8% | 55.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.3% | 47.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.8% | 8.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 103 | 4,891 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -20.8% | 239.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 13.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 29.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.2 | 38.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 19 | 243 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.10 | 21.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 23.9% | 45.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Sunnyvale
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
San Jose
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Sunnyvale, CA · San Jose, CA · How this is calculated: methodology