Population 152,070 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sunnyvale
Household size in Sunnyvale
| Period | Sunnyvale | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.57 | 2.97 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 3.05 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.75 | 3.07 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.60 | 2.96 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.00 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
At 2.60 people per household, Sunnyvale sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in the San Jose area as a whole, where it has 2.96 people. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.57, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Sunnyvale
| Period | Sunnyvale | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.0 | 36.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.1 | 37.6 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.1 | 38.5 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.6 | 39.4 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.6 | +2.8 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Sunnyvale is 37.6 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 37.0, a smaller shift than nationally. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Sunnyvale
| Period | Sunnyvale | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 10.4% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 9.0% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.5% of households in Sunnyvale, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Sunnyvale has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five California cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Sunnyvale
Renters in Sunnyvale
| Period | Sunnyvale | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.9% | 40.6% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 53.0% | 42.9% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 54.5% | 43.4% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 56.1% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +3.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Sunnyvale: 56.1% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About four in ten owners (39.9%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is up 5.2 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 64 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Sunnyvale
| Period | Sunnyvale | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 6.2% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 4.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 5.6% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 6.4% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | +0.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.6% of homes in Sunnyvale are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the San Jose area.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Sunnyvale
| Period | Sunnyvale | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1973 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1974 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1975 | 1975 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1977 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Sunnyvale was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1971 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Sunnyvale
| Period | Sunnyvale | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,556 | $1,524 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,737 | $1,670 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,678 | $2,389 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,105 | $2,873 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,550 | +$1,348 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Sunnyvale runs $3,105 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,550 a month since 2006–10, up 100%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 24.1% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Only 50 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have higher rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Sunnyvale
Bachelor's degrees in Sunnyvale
| Period | Sunnyvale | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.3% | 43.9% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 58.7% | 46.5% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 65.4% | 51.6% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 69.6% | 55.3% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.2 pts | +11.5 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Sunnyvale is highly educated: about seven in ten adults 25 and older (69.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 14.2 points, as it has nationally. Only 62 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Sunnyvale
| Period | Sunnyvale | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.7% | 85.5% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.6% | 86.4% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.6% | 88.1% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.5% | 89.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Sunnyvale: 94.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Sunnyvale
| Period | Sunnyvale | San Jose area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 4.4% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 4.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Sunnyvale is close to the national rate: 4.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.7 points, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Sunnyvale compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyvale | 2.60 | 37.6 | 6.5% | 56.1% | 5.6% | 1977 | $3,105 | 69.6% | 94.5% | 4.8% |
| Santa Clara | 2.57 | 36.3 | 5.1% | 58.4% | 6.7% | 1977 | $2,986 | 66.4% | 93.4% | 4.9% |
| Mountain View | 2.42 | 36.8 | 6.4% | 62.4% | 9.8% | 1977 | $3,009 | 74.6% | 95.0% | 3.7% |
| Cupertino | 2.80 | 42.2 | 4.5% | 40.7% | 6.4% | 1974 | $3,364 | 81.8% | 97.1% | 4.1% |
| Los Altos | 2.79 | 46.7 | 4.5% | 21.9% | 8.1% | 1967 | $3,499 | 86.7% | 98.7% | 4.8% |
| Alviso | 2.95 | 47.6 | 3.8% | 26.8% | 6.8% | 1999 | $2,104 | 38.5% | 78.2% | 5.3% |
| Los Altos Hills | 2.78 | 54.1 | 3.4% | 7.4% | 10.5% | 1975 | $3,488 | 83.8% | 98.9% | 3.4% |
| Saratoga | 2.84 | 51.3 | 2.4% | 14.4% | 6.5% | 1968 | $3,369 | 80.7% | 97.1% | 3.8% |
| Campbell | 2.60 | 40.5 | 10.7% | 48.5% | 7.0% | 1973 | $2,855 | 60.0% | 93.7% | 5.1% |
| Palo Alto | 2.64 | 44.2 | 6.1% | 45.5% | 10.9% | 1964 | $3,187 | 82.7% | 96.8% | 4.2% |
| Milpitas | 3.09 | 38.6 | 7.9% | 43.3% | 4.8% | 1988 | $3,083 | 60.7% | 90.0% | 3.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Ewa Beach, HI · Evansville, IN · Englewood, CO · Farmington Hills, MI · Evanston, IL · Enterprise, NV · Everett, WA · Fairfield, CA · Fairfax, VA · Escondido, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Sunnyvale. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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