Hello, I moved from south San Jose to Sunnyvale and it’s definitely a lot cooler here we get more of a breeze . Also, crime seems to be way less than San Jose from my experience. I was used to hearing the police helicopters every night in San Jose and when I moved to Sunnyvale it was so quiet at night (as in I don’t hear the police helicopters at night) that it was hard to fall asleep lol ….. but I’m now used to it. I like it here in Sunnyvale better. Hope this helps a little.
back in 2018 when I was brewing a lot I sent off a sample for a water quality test and it was basically a homebrewer's dream, very low dissolved minerals.
Safe AF
Close to everywhere imo esp if you like visiting the Caltrain cities every so often
Maybe not the best on the young adult party people spectrum but not so bad if you are coming out of that stage
Moved to this area recently, it’s really nice and cute. Very quiet and we feel very safe. You will see signs that not everyone nearby is equally affluent, but it seems like a very nice neighborhood full of nice people.
North Sunnyvale where you will be gets the good water. South Sunnyvale gets a mix of groundwater and other sources. But lucky you will be getting Hetch Hetchy water.
Evenings cool down when the sun sets. Lived in Sunnyvale over 20 years and didn't need a/c except for a handful of days a year.
As noted by others, Sunnyvale is known for its safety, diversity, and culinary offerings, as well as the quality of its water. I have personally found a sense of contentment since relocating to Sunnyvale nearly ten years ago, and many of my acquaintances from the wider Bay Area have also chosen to settle here. While the area does offer a nightlife scene, it may not be as bustling as that of downtown Mountain View. For those seeking recreational activities, I recommend exploring Meetup for a variety of options like game nights, dance classes, comedy shows, and pool leagues.
Compared to nearby San Jose, the climate in Sunnyvale tends to be cooler. Personally, I have rarely needed to use my window air conditioning unit this year. When traveling to San Francisco, I suggest utilizing the underground parking lot below Philz Coffee rather than Caltrain parking for a free and secure option. In my experience, leaving my vehicle there for extended periods has not resulted in any issues.
Another significant benefit of living in Sunnyvale is that our police, firefighters, and EMTs are trained in all positions and respond very quickly.
I live a 10 minute bike ride from fair oaks park. It's a lovely neighborhood - speedys and st johns are my favorite super close restaurants and there is lots of stuff within biking distance that I love. Cheap af gas at fair oaks and ahwanee. Less than 15 minutes to bike to caltrain/downtown as well as VTA. Fair Oaks is busy but for cycling there are plenty of side streets. You'll need A/C likely still some days in the summer. We have a window A/C unit. Neighborhood is extremely safe
Sunnyvale is basically split into four sections. Each is unique in its own way.
1-north of the 101
2-between 101 and central
3-between central and el camino
4-south of el camino
Generalized as you move south more residential SFH bigger lots.
I have only turned on the AC 2x this year. Mostly because my husband prefers it. However, the classic Californian method of opening all the windows when it dips below the indoor temp at night and closing them up when it starts getting close to the indoor temp in the am works well. This is made possible by cool California nights - it’s been getting into the 50s at night even on the few 89-90degree days we’re had this summer. We didn’t even have AC until 1 year ago, and we only got it because my anxiety was too high about our baby.
Having said that, if you’re an out of towner who is used to keeping the indoors the same ideal temperature all the time, maybe you’ll struggle?
As for the rest of “how is it?”- we love it! We’re near the area you’re mentioning. Great community. Near all the right stuff. Definitely cooler than the actual South Bay (it matches Mountain View temps usually by 1 degree). Fair Oaks is for sure a busy street, but being off of it is no problem for noise/safety, as least what I’ve found.
We’ve been at Fair Oaks and Tasman since 2008 and we don’t really have any regrets. It’s quiet and within 20 minutes of most things we care about. There’s a small Grocery Outlet and a Chavez market nearby for your quick essentials and burrito needs.
I will tell you that the Lawrence Costco is a hot mess on the weekends. We go to Coleman in Santa Clara.
The area near that park is mid range Sunnyvale. The closer you get to 101, it becomes "rougher," which isn't that far really. Good Mexican food at Tres Potrillos nearby.
Sunnyvale is pretty nice. It’s relatively quiet other than either the occasional sirens or the planes flying into Moffett. Those can range from small private jets to AC-130’s that make me think I’m in a [COD match](https://youtu.be/tALx_NmCsC4?si=rnDO0OEC1-B4dGng) with how loud they are sometimes. But thankfully, those are pretty rare and don’t tend to fly in after 8-9 PM or so.
Huge fan. Use to live here. Grocery Outlet nearby and some nice eateries. Park nearby with tennis and basketball. Dogs everywhere. Indians and Chinese folks walking around in evenings. White people don’t live here anymore but yea.
I moved here from Berryessa about 5 years ago. Other than housing prices, I can't think of a single downside. Fair oaks seems busy, but flows well. I can jaywalk across the portion south of Central during commuting hours at a leisurely pace. Water quality seems better but will depend on exactly where you are because we get a mix of sources. Overall I think it's better than what we had but have not measured the hardness (haven't needed to). We do use AC but need it far less often than we did before (we didn't actually have AC then).
ETA: one downside is loud ass jets in/out of Moffet.
AC is pretty useful for a fair amount of the summer. Breeze off the bay is nice but when it's 90+ outside it can only do so much. At least the temp drops a lot at night but in a multi-day heat wave that may not be enough to get the temp down after baking all day.
Water quality usually really good but heard a lot people complaining about hard water over this past winter. Seems to have resolved, heard it has something to do with switching sources now and then.
Moffett jets get really loud (fighter jets doing training runs are the loudest) but it's not every day. Might be a few a day for a few days a month at most. Some of the helicopters there can be loud too. SJC has a curfew but sometimes planes arrive late or take off right at the cutoff (maybe 11?). Fair Oaks is definitely a busy road and 101 can be loud depending on how close you are.
Fair Oaks Ave is busy nearly all day. If there's ever a problem on 101; you'll know because 5 fire trucks will fly by. FOA has no reason being as many lanes as it is for going between neighborhoods.
Do you like military airplanes? You'll be seeing them in the day. C130s do training runs (take off and landing) over us. I personally love it. The F-35 lightnings do the same and you cannot miss them. Love it still.
The park use to have a homeless encampment back by the drainage ditch. The city did something for the group last year or so (housing assistance, etc?) but I've not see it come back. Instead there's an encampment down on the hills of central expressway.
Our water comes from the hetch hetchy which is why I'm told it's great.
There are a bunch of hole in the wall food places that are great. Don't be afraid to visit them:
\* Rene Rose FILIPINO KITCHEN
\* Chick n Fish
\* Halal Fried Chicken - HFC
\* Barn Thai
\* Hobees for breakfast.
\* Ruby's Taqueria
\* Chavez has a good meat counter and food counter in the back
\* Seto for Japanese food; and they have a fish and chips store next door
\* I'm missing so many more.
I lived over there for five years and only moved away recently. Snail neighborhood off Fair Oaks and Duane.
Fair Oaks is kind of busy, but it mellows out at night. I was two streets in from Fair Oaks, and road noise was never an issue. I found the whole area very walkable.
Water quality is excellent. It was around 4-5 grains hard the entire time I was there, which is way better than the 30 grains I’ve seen in some parts of San Jose.
It cools off nicely in the evenings, and tends to be a few degrees cooler generally since it’s so close to Baylands. You’ll still need AC, but I suspect you’ll use it a little less.
There are older homes near Fair Oaks Park as well as newer apartments, so it depends what side of Fair Oaks you're on. If you're in an older home that hasn't upgraded to HVAC the home may not have insulation and can get hot indoors. Otherwise, it's a great family-oriented area.
Sunnyvale is safe but addicts like to come there for easy pickings at 3am; mainly car break-ins and looking for tools. There's a good breeze coming off the bay but I think it's actually hotter there than most of SJ so you will want a/c. The neighborhoods around fair oaks tend to have a lot of renters. They're generally awful people for some reason. The brand new parks are nice. It's also a food dessert with the exception of McDonald's and Taj (Indian grocery).
You've moved to the bad part of Sunnyvale crime wise. Which is like 1000x better than any part of San Jose.
Most notable thing was a swat raid a couple years back. And the dealers would hang out around there 10+ years ago.
I live in Sunnyvale, not fair oaks, and some days the airplanes flying overhead landing in San Jose are absolutely horrible!!! One after another. If I knew this before I moved I would not have moved.
All of Sunnyvale roads are busy. It's trafficpocalypse. Otherwise it's nice.
Depending upon where you are on Fair Oaks, you might experience building-shaking low flyovers from military aircraft going to/from Moffett Airfield at least on a monthly basis.
It can get just as hot as San Jose.
One thing I didn’t think about when moving into Silicon Valley is that making all of those chips created a lot of toxic waste. There are several superfund sites in Sunnyvale, including one right next to the Lowe’s on Arques/Wolfe.
Otherwise, it’s a great place to live. Moderate weather, cute downtown, pretty easy commute to most of the big companies, very safe, diverse population.
Search for “Sunnyvale” at the EPA site here:
https://www.epa.gov/superfund/search-superfund-sites-where-you-live
KQED article about the one near Lowe’s (from 2017, so hopefully things have improved):
https://www.kqed.org/futureofyou/388730/silicon-valleys-toxic-past-haunts-sunnyvale-neighborhood
Hello, I moved from south San Jose to Sunnyvale and it’s definitely a lot cooler here we get more of a breeze . Also, crime seems to be way less than San Jose from my experience. I was used to hearing the police helicopters every night in San Jose and when I moved to Sunnyvale it was so quiet at night (as in I don’t hear the police helicopters at night) that it was hard to fall asleep lol ….. but I’m now used to it. I like it here in Sunnyvale better. Hope this helps a little.
Oh and the water quality is 100 times better than San Jose we drink from the sink no more bottled water
https://hydroflow-usa.com/california-water-hardness/ This data on total hardness from a 2022 water quality report supports this observation.
back in 2018 when I was brewing a lot I sent off a sample for a water quality test and it was basically a homebrewer's dream, very low dissolved minerals.
It depends on where you’re at. Were in the part of sunnyvale that is on well. And it’s the worst water out of 40 states I’ve lived in.
Safe AF Close to everywhere imo esp if you like visiting the Caltrain cities every so often Maybe not the best on the young adult party people spectrum but not so bad if you are coming out of that stage
Moved to this area recently, it’s really nice and cute. Very quiet and we feel very safe. You will see signs that not everyone nearby is equally affluent, but it seems like a very nice neighborhood full of nice people.
North Sunnyvale where you will be gets the good water. South Sunnyvale gets a mix of groundwater and other sources. But lucky you will be getting Hetch Hetchy water. Evenings cool down when the sun sets. Lived in Sunnyvale over 20 years and didn't need a/c except for a handful of days a year.
Sunnyvale is probably among the most upcoming and fastest developing suburbs in South Bay .
As noted by others, Sunnyvale is known for its safety, diversity, and culinary offerings, as well as the quality of its water. I have personally found a sense of contentment since relocating to Sunnyvale nearly ten years ago, and many of my acquaintances from the wider Bay Area have also chosen to settle here. While the area does offer a nightlife scene, it may not be as bustling as that of downtown Mountain View. For those seeking recreational activities, I recommend exploring Meetup for a variety of options like game nights, dance classes, comedy shows, and pool leagues. Compared to nearby San Jose, the climate in Sunnyvale tends to be cooler. Personally, I have rarely needed to use my window air conditioning unit this year. When traveling to San Francisco, I suggest utilizing the underground parking lot below Philz Coffee rather than Caltrain parking for a free and secure option. In my experience, leaving my vehicle there for extended periods has not resulted in any issues. Another significant benefit of living in Sunnyvale is that our police, firefighters, and EMTs are trained in all positions and respond very quickly.
I live a 10 minute bike ride from fair oaks park. It's a lovely neighborhood - speedys and st johns are my favorite super close restaurants and there is lots of stuff within biking distance that I love. Cheap af gas at fair oaks and ahwanee. Less than 15 minutes to bike to caltrain/downtown as well as VTA. Fair Oaks is busy but for cycling there are plenty of side streets. You'll need A/C likely still some days in the summer. We have a window A/C unit. Neighborhood is extremely safe
It’s great here.
Sunnyvale is basically split into four sections. Each is unique in its own way. 1-north of the 101 2-between 101 and central 3-between central and el camino 4-south of el camino Generalized as you move south more residential SFH bigger lots.
I have only turned on the AC 2x this year. Mostly because my husband prefers it. However, the classic Californian method of opening all the windows when it dips below the indoor temp at night and closing them up when it starts getting close to the indoor temp in the am works well. This is made possible by cool California nights - it’s been getting into the 50s at night even on the few 89-90degree days we’re had this summer. We didn’t even have AC until 1 year ago, and we only got it because my anxiety was too high about our baby. Having said that, if you’re an out of towner who is used to keeping the indoors the same ideal temperature all the time, maybe you’ll struggle? As for the rest of “how is it?”- we love it! We’re near the area you’re mentioning. Great community. Near all the right stuff. Definitely cooler than the actual South Bay (it matches Mountain View temps usually by 1 degree). Fair Oaks is for sure a busy street, but being off of it is no problem for noise/safety, as least what I’ve found.
Only true if you have enough windows to make it work. My last apartment had 1 window..
We’ve been at Fair Oaks and Tasman since 2008 and we don’t really have any regrets. It’s quiet and within 20 minutes of most things we care about. There’s a small Grocery Outlet and a Chavez market nearby for your quick essentials and burrito needs. I will tell you that the Lawrence Costco is a hot mess on the weekends. We go to Coleman in Santa Clara.
The area near that park is mid range Sunnyvale. The closer you get to 101, it becomes "rougher," which isn't that far really. Good Mexican food at Tres Potrillos nearby.
Sunnyvale is pretty nice. It’s relatively quiet other than either the occasional sirens or the planes flying into Moffett. Those can range from small private jets to AC-130’s that make me think I’m in a [COD match](https://youtu.be/tALx_NmCsC4?si=rnDO0OEC1-B4dGng) with how loud they are sometimes. But thankfully, those are pretty rare and don’t tend to fly in after 8-9 PM or so.
Huge fan. Use to live here. Grocery Outlet nearby and some nice eateries. Park nearby with tennis and basketball. Dogs everywhere. Indians and Chinese folks walking around in evenings. White people don’t live here anymore but yea.
I moved here from Berryessa about 5 years ago. Other than housing prices, I can't think of a single downside. Fair oaks seems busy, but flows well. I can jaywalk across the portion south of Central during commuting hours at a leisurely pace. Water quality seems better but will depend on exactly where you are because we get a mix of sources. Overall I think it's better than what we had but have not measured the hardness (haven't needed to). We do use AC but need it far less often than we did before (we didn't actually have AC then). ETA: one downside is loud ass jets in/out of Moffet.
AC is pretty useful for a fair amount of the summer. Breeze off the bay is nice but when it's 90+ outside it can only do so much. At least the temp drops a lot at night but in a multi-day heat wave that may not be enough to get the temp down after baking all day. Water quality usually really good but heard a lot people complaining about hard water over this past winter. Seems to have resolved, heard it has something to do with switching sources now and then. Moffett jets get really loud (fighter jets doing training runs are the loudest) but it's not every day. Might be a few a day for a few days a month at most. Some of the helicopters there can be loud too. SJC has a curfew but sometimes planes arrive late or take off right at the cutoff (maybe 11?). Fair Oaks is definitely a busy road and 101 can be loud depending on how close you are.
In CA, it's relatively safe. Crime is rising quite a bit though. Police are great here imo. Just wish there were 10x more police.
Fair Oaks Ave is busy nearly all day. If there's ever a problem on 101; you'll know because 5 fire trucks will fly by. FOA has no reason being as many lanes as it is for going between neighborhoods. Do you like military airplanes? You'll be seeing them in the day. C130s do training runs (take off and landing) over us. I personally love it. The F-35 lightnings do the same and you cannot miss them. Love it still. The park use to have a homeless encampment back by the drainage ditch. The city did something for the group last year or so (housing assistance, etc?) but I've not see it come back. Instead there's an encampment down on the hills of central expressway. Our water comes from the hetch hetchy which is why I'm told it's great. There are a bunch of hole in the wall food places that are great. Don't be afraid to visit them: \* Rene Rose FILIPINO KITCHEN \* Chick n Fish \* Halal Fried Chicken - HFC \* Barn Thai \* Hobees for breakfast. \* Ruby's Taqueria \* Chavez has a good meat counter and food counter in the back \* Seto for Japanese food; and they have a fish and chips store next door \* I'm missing so many more.
I lived over there for five years and only moved away recently. Snail neighborhood off Fair Oaks and Duane. Fair Oaks is kind of busy, but it mellows out at night. I was two streets in from Fair Oaks, and road noise was never an issue. I found the whole area very walkable. Water quality is excellent. It was around 4-5 grains hard the entire time I was there, which is way better than the 30 grains I’ve seen in some parts of San Jose. It cools off nicely in the evenings, and tends to be a few degrees cooler generally since it’s so close to Baylands. You’ll still need AC, but I suspect you’ll use it a little less.
There are older homes near Fair Oaks Park as well as newer apartments, so it depends what side of Fair Oaks you're on. If you're in an older home that hasn't upgraded to HVAC the home may not have insulation and can get hot indoors. Otherwise, it's a great family-oriented area.
Sunnyvale is safe but addicts like to come there for easy pickings at 3am; mainly car break-ins and looking for tools. There's a good breeze coming off the bay but I think it's actually hotter there than most of SJ so you will want a/c. The neighborhoods around fair oaks tend to have a lot of renters. They're generally awful people for some reason. The brand new parks are nice. It's also a food dessert with the exception of McDonald's and Taj (Indian grocery).
You've moved to the bad part of Sunnyvale crime wise. Which is like 1000x better than any part of San Jose. Most notable thing was a swat raid a couple years back. And the dealers would hang out around there 10+ years ago.
I live in Sunnyvale, not fair oaks, and some days the airplanes flying overhead landing in San Jose are absolutely horrible!!! One after another. If I knew this before I moved I would not have moved.
Which area in Sunnyvale?
All of Sunnyvale roads are busy. It's trafficpocalypse. Otherwise it's nice. Depending upon where you are on Fair Oaks, you might experience building-shaking low flyovers from military aircraft going to/from Moffett Airfield at least on a monthly basis. It can get just as hot as San Jose.
One thing I didn’t think about when moving into Silicon Valley is that making all of those chips created a lot of toxic waste. There are several superfund sites in Sunnyvale, including one right next to the Lowe’s on Arques/Wolfe. Otherwise, it’s a great place to live. Moderate weather, cute downtown, pretty easy commute to most of the big companies, very safe, diverse population. Search for “Sunnyvale” at the EPA site here: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/search-superfund-sites-where-you-live KQED article about the one near Lowe’s (from 2017, so hopefully things have improved): https://www.kqed.org/futureofyou/388730/silicon-valleys-toxic-past-haunts-sunnyvale-neighborhood