Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Sunnyvale, CA
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 Sunnyvale leads 12 of 23 categories
Sunnyvale
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$174,506 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
64 ✓ Safer
Population
154,573
Wichita
Kansas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High
Population
395,951 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Sunnyvale, CA
Pros
Households earn $113,794 more per year on average
55% less violent crime than Wichita
More college-educated — 68.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (244.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (4.1%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,680,700
Higher rents — median is $2,990/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Wichita
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Wichita, KS
Pros
Homes cost $1514k less ($166,400 vs $1,680,700)
Rent averages $2075/mo less ($915 vs $2,990)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunnyvale
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Sunnyvale by $113,794/yr
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.1%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Sunnyvale
Median Income
$113,794
$174,506 vs $60,712/yr
Sunnyvale
Violent Crime
55% lower
244.5 vs 538.6 per 100k
Sunnyvale
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
4.1% vs 5.7% unemployment
Wichita
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Median Home Value
$1514k less
$166,400 vs $1,680,700
Wichita
Summer Heat
15.7°F warmer
July avg high 92.6°F vs 76.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Sunnyvale, CA | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,680,700⚠ High | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,990⚠ High | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $174,506 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.7% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 64 ✓ Safer | 142⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (112) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.5:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 68.0% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 94.0% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cupertino Union | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 43.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.9°F | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.4" ✓ Drier | 35.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 12.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 154,573 | 395,951 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.1 | 35.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.4% | 58.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | 24.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sunnyvale's cost of living index is 112.9 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sunnyvale leads 12 of 23 categories. Sunnyvale wins 12 and Wichita wins 11. 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 Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,680,700 vs $166,400 median home), income ($174,506 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Sunnyvale, CA and Wichita, KS are about 1,348 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.