What it's like to live in Sugar Land
Sugar Land is a mid-size city in Texas with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a highly educated workforce, and hospitals with strong quality ratings. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Sugar Land deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and hot summers.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Strong hospital ratings
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
How Sugar Land compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Sugar Land
Based on Sugar Land's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,914
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $78,280 a year
- 48% of Sugar Land renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$86,040
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $43,020
- Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 38% above US
$1,957/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $1,957 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices run above average, with a median around $430,200. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $430,200 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.0%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 78% below US
73 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1222/100k · Sugar Land Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 11% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.9 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 24% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 93°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 45°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
6 hospitals
There are 6 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 75% above US
63% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
26 public schools inside the boundary
There are 26 public schools inside the boundary and 15 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Big Thicket National Preserve (96 miles away).
Bottom line
Sugar Land's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,957/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (24% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Sugar Land
All Texas guides →Moving to Pecan Grove →
6 mi away · pop. 24,272
Rent $1,507/mo · Income $131,937
Compare with Sugar Land →Moving to Missouri City →
6 mi away · pop. 76,558
Rent $1,931/mo · Income $94,390
Compare with Sugar Land →Not sure Sugar Land is the one?
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