Daly City CA vs Sunnyvale CA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Daly City, CA

California · Population: 102,560

  • Median HH Income$119,570
  • Median Home Price$1,134,511
  • Unemployment5.0%
  • Bachelor's+38.0%

Sunnyvale, CA

California · Population: 153,455

  • Median HH Income$181,862
  • Median Home Price$2,144,024
  • Unemployment4.1%
  • Bachelor's+69.2%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Daly City
102,560
Sunnyvale
153,455
Sunnyvale +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Daly City
N/A
Sunnyvale
N/A
Median Age
Daly City
41.7
Sunnyvale
35.1
Sunnyvale +
Foreign Born
Daly City
50.9%
Daly City +
Sunnyvale
49.4%
White
Daly City
16.4%
Sunnyvale
30.4%
Sunnyvale +
Black
Daly City
3.0%
Daly City +
Sunnyvale
1.5%
Asian
Daly City
58.8%
Daly City +
Sunnyvale
49.4%
Hispanic
Daly City
21.4%
Daly City +
Sunnyvale
16.7%
Spanish at Home
Daly City
N/A
Sunnyvale
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Daly City
$119,570
Sunnyvale
$181,862
Sunnyvale +
Per Capita Income
Daly City
$48,219
Sunnyvale
$95,752
Sunnyvale +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Daly City
$77,230
Sunnyvale
$77,230
Tie
Unemployment Rate
Daly City
5.0%
Sunnyvale
4.1%
Sunnyvale +
Poverty Rate
Daly City
7.2%
Sunnyvale
5.6%
Sunnyvale +
Bachelor's Degree+
Daly City
38.0%
Sunnyvale
69.2%
Sunnyvale +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Daly City
$1,134,511
Daly City +
Sunnyvale
$2,144,024
Homeownership Rate
Daly City
60.5%
Daly City +
Sunnyvale
43.8%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Daly City
503
Sunnyvale
503
Tie
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Daly City
2388
Sunnyvale
2388
Tie

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Daly City
20.0%
Sunnyvale
19.7%
Sunnyvale +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Daly City
12.0%
Sunnyvale
8.3%
Sunnyvale +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Daly City
13.3%
Sunnyvale
12.9%
Sunnyvale +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Daly City
7.9%
Sunnyvale
5.2%
Sunnyvale +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Daly City
12.5%
Daly City +
Sunnyvale
13.5%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Daly City
8.7%
Sunnyvale
6.7%
Sunnyvale +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Daly City
N/A
Sunnyvale
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Daly City
N/A
Sunnyvale
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Daly City
7.9 µg/m³
Sunnyvale
7.9 µg/m³
Tie
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Daly City
75.0%
Sunnyvale
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Daly City
31.9 min
Sunnyvale
25.3 min
Sunnyvale +

Which City is Right for You?

Sunnyvale leads in median household income at $181,862, while daly City offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $1,134,511. On public safety, Sunnyvale is safer with a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Daly City. Sunnyvale has a lower unemployment rate at 4.1%, and Sunnyvale has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Sunnyvale scores better with a lower obesity rate of 19.7%.

Compare More Cities

About Daly City & Sunnyvale