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Compare towns

Sunnyvale vs Helotes

255 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+30.9 pts in Sunnyvale) and trails (4.2× in Sunnyvale).

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Sunnyvale, TXHomes around $632KTexas · 8,336 people
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Helotes, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 9,630 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $990 more a month in Sunnyvale

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Sunnyvale$4,150/mo
Typical home $632K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.58% · or rent about $1,422/mo · Housing →
Helotes$3,160/mo
Typical home $466K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.84% · or rent about $2,500/mo · Housing →

The difference: $990 a month, about $11,800 a year, between Sunnyvale and Helotes.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Sunnyvale places higher on 13 of 22 TX lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
SunnyvaleHelotes
Snow a year0″0″
January low—41°F
July high—95°F
Growing season (days)—277d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)53rd66th
Outdoors & history
SunnyvaleHelotes
Trails7 mi2 mi
Conserved land2.1%0.6%
Settled—1880
National Register places—1
Archive photos—12
Community
SunnyvaleHelotes
Library hours a week43 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

255 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Sunnyvale ↔ Helotes255 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

SunnyvaleHelotes
People
Population 8,336Lowest 9,630Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +53.9%Highest TX: +15.9% +23%Lowest TX: +15.9%
Median age 43.3±2Highest 22% above TX 42.8±5Lowest 20% above TX
Sunnyvale and Helotes are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 28%±3.6Highest TX: 25% 19.2%±4Lowest TX: 25%
Age 65+ 18.6%±3.2 TX: 13.4% 18.6%±3.5 TX: 13.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 57.2%Highest TX: 33.8% 52.7%Lowest TX: 33.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.5%±1.3Lowest TX: 6.2% 8.2%±3Highest TX: 6.2%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $170,348±$12kHighest 117% above TX $132,675±$12kLowest 69% above TX
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $565,300±$33kHighest 99% above TX $399,000±$33kLowest 41% above TX
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,422±$543Lowest about the TX average $2,500±$447Highest 78% above TX
Property taxmedian, yearly $8,926Highest 111% above TX $7,356Lowest 74% above TX
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 79.9%±62Highest TX: 51.7% 48.5%±54Lowest TX: 51.7%
Sunnyvale and Helotes are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6%Highest TX: 13.8% 3.1%Lowest TX: 13.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 91.5%Lowest TX: 62.6% 97%Highest TX: 62.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2006 14 yrs newer than TX 2006 14 yrs newer than TX
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 33 minHighest 23% above TX 26 minLowest 4% below TX
Work from home 13.6%±3.9Lowest TX: 14.4% 21.2%±6.4Highest TX: 14.4%
Helotes and Sunnyvale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.3%Highest 1.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miHighest 11.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.26Highest 0.55Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Dallas (38%)San Antonio (60%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HelotesFew work in Sunnyvale
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.1%Highest 0.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 7.1 miHighest 1.7 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Highest 4Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 25.2Lowest 45.7Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #77 of 583 in TX#87 of 583 in TX
School district EDUCATION CENTER INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY · SUNNYVALE ISDNORTHSIDE ISD
High school in town Sunnyvale H SO'Connor H S
Students per teacherat that high school 14.4Lowest 17.1Highest
Texas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Sunnyvale neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sunnyvale’s Town Square.

Helotes neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Helotes Then and Now

1 neighbor in Helotes can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Sunnyvale and Helotes

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Bordering Sunnyvale

Towns like Sunnyvale

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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