Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Sunnyvale, CA
VS
Worcester, MA
🏆 Sunnyvale leads 13 of 21 categories
Sunnyvale
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$174,506 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
64
Population
154,573
Worcester
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,011
Violent Crime Index
4 ✓ Safer
Population
204,191 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Sunnyvale, CA
Pros
Households earn $111,495 more per year on average
More college-educated — 68.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (4.1%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (244.5 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 32°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,680,700
Higher rents — median is $2,990/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Worcester
Worcester, MA
Pros
Homes cost $1375k less ($305,600 vs $1,680,700)
Rent averages $1678/mo less ($1,312 vs $2,990)
93% less violent crime than Sunnyvale
Violent crime is well below the national average (16.5 vs 380/100k)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunnyvale
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Sunnyvale by $111,495/yr
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 4.1%)
Snowy winters — about 73" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Sunnyvale
Median Income
$111,495
$174,506 vs $63,011/yr
Sunnyvale
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
4.1% vs 6.6% unemployment
Worcester
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 103.8 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Worcester
Violent Crime
93% lower
16.5 vs 244.5 per 100k
Worcester
Median Home Value
$1375k less
$305,600 vs $1,680,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Sunnyvale, CA | Worcester, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High | 103.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,680,700⚠ High | $305,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,990⚠ High | $1,312 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $174,506 ✓ Higher | $63,011 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 24.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 24.7% ✓ Higher | 9.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 75 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 64 | 4 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (112) ✓ Better | B+ (106) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.5:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 68.0% ✓ Higher | 33.1% |
| High School or Higher | 94.0% ✓ Higher | 85.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cupertino Union | Worcester |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 32.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.9°F | 79.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.4" ✓ Drier | 48.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 72.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 154,573 | 204,191 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.1 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.4% ✓ Higher | 42.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% ✓ More | 19.5% |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 13.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sunnyvale's cost of living index is 112.9 vs Worcester's 103.8 (US average = 100).
Worcester is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Sunnyvale leads 13 of 21 categories. Sunnyvale wins 13 and Worcester wins 8. 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 Worcester or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,680,700 vs $305,600 median home), income ($174,506 vs $63,011), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Sunnyvale, CA and Worcester, MA are about 2,647 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.