Is Sunnyvale Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Sunnyvale, California, is a geographical jewel in the crown of Silicon Valley.

Yahoo!, Google and LinkedIn are three of the big companies headquartered here, with Google being the top employer and Apple, Inc. coming in second.

This is a high-tech world in a high-end community with not a whole lot for tourists to do.

This is a bedroom community, only the bedroom comes attached to a 1.2 million dollar (on average) home.

As I searched for hotels in early 2022, I can say the hotel rates didn’t reflect the higher cost of living the community has, which is a bonus for travelers.

The downside is you are going to have to leave Sunnyvale if you want to find a bunch of fun things to do.

With San Jose to the east and Big Basin Redwood Park to the west, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Would you be surprised if I told you Sunnyvale doesn’t have a police department or fire department?

We’ll dive into that one a little bit later in this article.

Warnings & Dangers in Sunnyvale

OVERALL RISK: LOW

There's a low risk in Sunnyvale. One crime concern stands out above all others, but the majority of crime categories are low by California and national comparisons.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

There are plenty of travel options with low risk. Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) does NOT make it to Silicon Valley as of early 2022, but a plan is in the works. For now, it only goes to north San Jose. For now, there's the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) that goes between Palo Alto, through Sunnyvale, and around San Jose. You can safely get a taxi or rideshare here.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

Only three pickpockets were reported in 2020, a very low number. The part of theft numbers that should be an eye-opener is the number of car break-ins. More than half of the thefts reported were from cars or car accessories. So, while you might not get pickpocketed, your car might.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

Good news! You won't see any tornadoes here. Bad News. There's a 67% chance Sunnyvale and surrounding areas will get a 6.7 magnitude earthquake by 2037, according to the city's disaster plan. Sunnyvale is also located in or near a flood plain, depending on where you are, so heavy rains could cause flooding. While neither of these things is impacting the city day-to-day, there's still a chance and we're going to have to call it a medium risk and encourage you to read the safety plan.

MUGGING RISK: LOW

There's a one in 2554 chance of being a robbery victim. That's a low risk. This is a very residential area with not a lot of the blight you might see in other parts of the Bay area.

TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM

There's a medium risk here. Terrorists could take out a large section of the technology base in this country, and some military installations nearby. Then there's the risk of a high population that could be impacted. As concerning as it might be, Homeland Security works around the clock to keep the community safe from terrorists.

SCAMS RISK: LOW

There's a low risk of the common scams you might think of when being a tourist in a new area. Most of the scams here focus on the residents, and in the spirit of Silicon Valley, some pretty high-end, technical scams have been pulled off.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

There's a low risk for women traveling here. Nothing about women's safety stands out in the crime numbers. Be sure you check the neighboring cities, however, if you're leaving Sunnyvale for a night out on the town.

TAP WATER RISK: LOW

The tap water is safe to drink and has a low risk. The San Francisco area takes great steps to make exceptionally clean water. For those worried about PFAS, as can be found in some cities, Sunnyvale's water has none.

Safest Places to Visit in Sunnyvale

Ask anyone in Sunnyvale where to go and they’ll insist you check out Baylands Park.

This 175-acre space has trails for hiking or biking and connects to a wetlands area.

You can also join the San Francisco Bay Trail to connect to the 300-mile-long path along the shore.

Historic Murphy Avenue is a perfect spot for strolling through shops and cafes or bringing your favorite book to just relax.

The city is expanding this area as I write this, so there might be more to do by the time you get there.

You can visit the Moffett Field Historical Society Museum for a walk-through about how Moffett influenced the Northern California region.

NASA now owns the former airfield and set up the Ames Research Center here.

Oh, I probably should mention this now that we’re talking about it, but in the city’s emergency plan there’s a *small chance there could be an air disaster from this airfield.

You can read more about it in that emergency plan.

Don’t miss the opportunity to see Big Basin Redwoods State Park.

This is where you can see the Statue of Liberty of trees towering overhead with trunks so big your whole family can’t wrap around them.

This park also offers backroads trails, so you can get deep into the woods or hike to the shoreline if you’re physically fit.

Places to Avoid in Sunnyvale

Most visitors to this area will be driving by the headquarters of the big companies, and there’s no shame in doing that.

You can walk around the Google campus, but you cannot go inside.

Don’t even try.

Avoid going anywhere without double-checking that the car is locked with no valuables left inside.

Car break-ins are the one crime stat, backed up by Reddit residents of Sunnyvale, that should make you extra cautious.

We talked earlier about accessing the San Francisco Bay Trail from the park, and several residents say that area has a stench to it because the water treatment plant is nearby.

Safety Tips for Traveling to Sunnyvale

So... How Safe Is Sunnyvale Really?

Sunnyvale is one of the only cities in the country without separate fire and police departments.

The city has a Public Safety Department and all employees are trained to handle police, fire, and EMT situations.

The crime rate here is low.

The violent crime rate is 1/3 of the California average.

There’s a one in 663 chance of being a victim of a violent crime.

That’s one of the lowest you can find in the nation.

Even property crimes fall below the national average.

We’re not hiding a seedy underbelly here or getting any kind of compensation from the city of Sunnyvale to give you this information.

From crime numbers to local feedback, there’s just a great sense of safety in this part of the San Francisco Bay area.

How Does Sunnyvale Compare?

Useful Information

Visas

The Visas are handled at the airport and you won't need any other ID to get into Sunnyvale.

Currency

You'll use the U.S. Dollar here and, being in Silicon Valley, there are some cryptocurrency places you can visit. You really won't need cash here, unless you prefer to tip a taxi driver that way. One credit card should be good enough and it offers a lot of protection in the event of an unauthorized charge.

Weather

You're going to need to bring a jacket any time of year here. Winters are in the 50's for highs and 40s for lows. That warms up to the summer months, which are pretty mild itself, with highs in the mid-70s and lows in the 50s. The rainfall is far below the national average at just 15 inches a year.

Airports

The San Jose Airport is the closest option. It's just 15 minutes east. Oakland's airport is a 45-minute drive, but plan for traffic. San Francisco's airport is 40 minutes northwest and you don't have to cross the water to get to it.

Travel Insurance

You'll definitely want travel insurance for this trip as fog can quickly change the travel plans of the millions of people who use the Bay area airports throughout the year.

Sunnyvale Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Average High/Low Temperature

California - Safety by City