St. Charles MO 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)

St. Charles, MO

Missouri · Population: 71,542

  • Median HH Income$55,578
  • Median Home Price$144,200
  • Unemployment4.7%
  • Bachelor's+22.7%

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
St. Charles
71,542
Sunnyvale
153,455
Sunnyvale +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
St. Charles
N/A
Sunnyvale
N/A
Median Age
St. Charles
37.9
Sunnyvale
35.1
Sunnyvale +
Foreign Born
St. Charles
4.2%
Sunnyvale
49.4%
Sunnyvale +
White
St. Charles
80.4%
St. Charles +
Sunnyvale
30.4%
Black
St. Charles
6.7%
St. Charles +
Sunnyvale
1.5%
Asian
St. Charles
1.4%
Sunnyvale
49.4%
Sunnyvale +
Hispanic
St. Charles
7.7%
Sunnyvale
16.7%
Sunnyvale +
Spanish at Home
St. Charles
N/A
Sunnyvale
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
St. Charles
$55,578
Sunnyvale
$181,862
Sunnyvale +
Per Capita Income
St. Charles
$31,499
Sunnyvale
$95,752
Sunnyvale +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
St. Charles
$58,527
Sunnyvale
$77,230
Sunnyvale +
Unemployment Rate
St. Charles
4.7%
Sunnyvale
4.1%
Sunnyvale +
Poverty Rate
St. Charles
18.7%
Sunnyvale
5.6%
Sunnyvale +
Bachelor's Degree+
St. Charles
22.7%
Sunnyvale
69.2%
Sunnyvale +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
St. Charles
$144,200
St. Charles +
Sunnyvale
$2,144,024
Homeownership Rate
St. Charles
61.4%
St. Charles +
Sunnyvale
43.8%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
St. Charles
501
St. Charles +
Sunnyvale
503
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
St. Charles
2418
Sunnyvale
2388
Sunnyvale +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
St. Charles
35.9%
Sunnyvale
19.7%
Sunnyvale +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
St. Charles
10.4%
Sunnyvale
8.3%
Sunnyvale +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
St. Charles
16.0%
Sunnyvale
12.9%
Sunnyvale +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
St. Charles
7.1%
Sunnyvale
5.2%
Sunnyvale +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
St. Charles
18.4%
Sunnyvale
13.5%
Sunnyvale +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
St. Charles
12.5%
Sunnyvale
6.7%
Sunnyvale +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
St. Charles
N/A
Sunnyvale
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
St. Charles
N/A
Sunnyvale
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
St. Charles
9.3 µg/m³
Sunnyvale
7.9 µg/m³
Sunnyvale +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
St. Charles
55.0%
Sunnyvale
75.0%
Sunnyvale +

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
St. Charles
18.3 min
St. Charles +
Sunnyvale
25.3 min

Which City is Right for You?

Sunnyvale leads in median household income at $181,862, while st. Charles offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $144,200. On public safety, St. Charles is safer with a violent crime rate of 501 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Sunnyvale. 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 St. Charles & Sunnyvale