The $2.8 Million Zip Code

Here's the number that defines 94087: $2,800,000. That's the median home sale price according to Redfin's latest data—up 2.4% year-over-year in a market where most of America is seeing prices plateau.

But that number obscures the real story. Homes in this zip code sell in an average of 9 days. Not weeks. Days. This is a seller's market so tight that buyers routinely waive inspections and bid $200K over asking just to get a seat at the table. If you've ever wondered what pure demand economics looks like, it's a 1,800 square foot ranch home with original 1960s finishes going for seven figures.

Zillow's broader Sunnyvale data shows a slight dip (-0.4% YoY), suggesting the frenzy might be concentrated in specific pockets. 94087 sits adjacent to Cupertino's top-rated school districts, which explains much of the premium. Parents aren't buying houses here—they're buying zip codes.

Want to live in 94087 comfortably as a single person? You'll need to clear $157,000 in annual income. A family of four? $337,680.

Those aren't aspirational figures—they're the minimums calculated by cost-of-living researchers at BestPlaces for basic financial stability. That means saving for retirement, maintaining an emergency fund, and not living paycheck to paycheck. Anything below and you're making trade-offs most financial advisors would wince at.

The median household income in 94087 is $200,778 according to Census Bureau data. That's genuinely impressive—about 3x the national median. But it still falls $137,000 short of what a family of four needs for "comfortable" living. The math doesn't math, which is why dual-tech-income households dominate the demographics here. One Apple or Google salary isn't enough. You need two.

The overall cost of living index for 94087 is 223.8. The U.S. average is 100. California's average is 149.9. This zip code isn't just expensive by American standards—it's expensive by California standards, which is saying something.

But the real story is in the breakdown. Housing carries an index of 433.2—more than four times the national average. This single category pulls the entire index skyward. Everything else? Surprisingly reasonable by comparison.

The practical implication: if you can crack the housing nut—whether through buying early, inheriting, or lucking into rent control—the rest of life here is manageable. But housing is doing all the heavy lifting in making this area unaffordable. Fix that (somehow), and 94087 becomes merely expensive rather than prohibitive.

Here's what you're actually buying with that $2.8 million: access to some of the best public schools in America. Niche gives 94087 an A+ overall grade, with public schools also rated A+. Cherry Chase Elementary consistently ranks among the top in California.

The safety premium is real too. Violent crime rates run 14.6 compared to the national average of 22.7. Property crime sits at 21.8 versus 35.4 nationally. This is genuinely one of the safer communities in America—the kind of place where teenagers walk home after dark and parents don't panic.

Commute times average 24.1 minutes—actually below the U.S. average of 26.4 minutes. In the Bay Area, that's almost miraculous. The proximity to Apple Park, Google's Mountain View campus, and dozens of other tech employers means many residents can live genuinely close to work. That's a quality-of-life multiplier that's hard to quantify but easy to feel.

Sunnyvale approved 240 new homes at 777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road in May 2025—162 apartments and 80 townhomes. It's the kind of development that makes headlines and gives planners something to point to. But let's be honest: in a market this supply-constrained, 240 units is a rounding error.

Market forecasters at Sammamish Mortgage predict Silicon Valley will remain a seller's market through 2026. Supply stays tight. Demand stays high. Mortgage rates may ease slightly, which will actually make competition worse by bringing sidelined buyers back into the market.

The tech industry's health remains the ultimate variable. A prolonged downturn could cool prices, as it did briefly in 2022-2023. But betting against Silicon Valley's long-term trajectory has historically been a losing proposition. For now, the $2.8 million zip code remains exactly that—and anyone hoping for a correction should probably start looking at Fresno.