Residential comparison · 13 facts
Cupertino, CA vs Palo Alto, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Cupertino needs about $81,000 in Palo Alto to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Palo Alto, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $89,000 in Cupertino.
A few differences
- Cupertino is higher on median household income ($234,707 vs $231,101).
Cupertino vs Palo Alto · facet by facet
| Facet | Cupertino, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $2,000,001 | $2,000,001 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,501/mo | $3,501/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 228 | 228 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $234,707 | $231,101 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Cupertino, CA · Palo Alto, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Cupertino cheaper than Palo Alto?
- Cupertino and Palo Alto display the same day-to-day cost index; the differences show up facet by facet in the table above.
- What household income in Palo Alto equals $85,000 in Cupertino?
- A household earning $85,000 in Cupertino needs about $81,000 in Palo Alto to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Palo Alto lifestyle costs about $89,000 in Cupertino.