Residential comparison · 13 facts
Cupertino, CA vs Salinas, 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 $64,000 in Salinas to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Salinas, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $106,000 in Cupertino.
A few differences
- Cupertino is higher on median household income ($234,707 vs $91,908).
- Salinas is lower on cost of living index (133 vs 228).
- Salinas is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,065/mo vs $3,501/mo).
Cupertino vs Salinas · facet by facet
| Facet | Cupertino, CA | Salinas, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $2,000,001 | $654,100 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,501/mo | $2,065/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 | 133 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $234,707 | $91,908 |
| 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 · Salinas, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Cupertino cheaper than Salinas?
- Salinas has the lower day-to-day cost index (133 vs 228 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Salinas equals $85,000 in Cupertino?
- A household earning $85,000 in Cupertino needs about $64,000 in Salinas to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Salinas lifestyle costs about $106,000 in Cupertino.