Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Sunnyvale, CA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Sunnyvale leads 13 of 22 categories
Sunnyvale
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$174,506 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
64 ✓ Safer
Population
154,573 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,421
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
140,545
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Sunnyvale, CA
Pros
Households earn $127,085 more per year on average
43% less violent crime than Waco
More college-educated — 68.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (244.5 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 95°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,680,700
Higher rents — median is $2,990/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Waco
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $1507k less ($174,100 vs $1,680,700)
Rent averages $1952/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,990)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunnyvale
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Sunnyvale by $127,085/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Sunnyvale
Median Income
$127,085
$174,506 vs $47,421/yr
Sunnyvale
Violent Crime
43% lower
244.5 vs 425.9 per 100k
Waco
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Median Home Value
$1507k less
$174,100 vs $1,680,700
Waco
Summer Heat
17.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.5°F vs 76.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Sunnyvale, CA | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,680,700⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,990⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $174,506 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.7% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 64 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (112) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.5:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 68.0% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 94.0% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cupertino Union | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.9°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.4" ✓ Drier | 38.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 154,573 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 35.1 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.4% | 47.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 12.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sunnyvale's cost of living index is 112.9 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Sunnyvale leads 13 of 22 categories. Sunnyvale wins 13 and Waco wins 9. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Sunnyvale to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,680,700 vs $174,100 median home), income ($174,506 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Sunnyvale, CA and Waco, TX are about 1,466 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.