ZIP 94086
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12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in ZIP 94086 usually run 1.7% below trend in January and 1.6% above it in July, about $136 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 94086 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in September 2016.
Rent in ZIP 94086 changed +9.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 819 California ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.2%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 94086 rose 8.1% while median household income rose 26.6% ($139,847 to $177,054). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 94086 is 21.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 23 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($177,054) is $4,426 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($3,870); a 3-bedroom is $5,110.
4th cheapest of 4 ZIP codes in Sunnyvale.
ZIP 94087, 2 miles away, rents for 10% less ($3,694/mo), about $5,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 94086. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Who lives here
ZIP 94086 (Sunnyvale, CA) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income above the national average, 68.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 94086 in Sunnyvale, CA has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in ZIP 94086 in Sunnyvale, CA paid around $2,987 a month. That figure now sits near $4,122, up 38.0% from the 2021 baseline. On the earnings side, the typical household in ZIP 94086 in Sunnyvale, CA now reports about $177,054, up from $162,017 in 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show ZIP 94086 in Sunnyvale, CA adding about 1,264 residents over the five-year window, up 2.6% on net. The renter share has risen from 67.8% to 69.5%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 70.5% to 68.2% across the same window. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and ZIP 94086 in Sunnyvale, CA reflects that arc in its own way.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 94086
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 94086 covers Sunnyvale, CA. The median rent here is $4,122/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $3,310/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $3,870/mo.
At 28% of local median household income ($177,054/yr), ZIP 94086 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 9.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 94086 compare to the rest of Sunnyvale?
At $4,122/mo, rent takes ~28% of ZIP 94086's median household income ($177,054/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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