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Living in
Sugar Land.
About
Life in Sugar Land
This is a city built for families and professionals who don't mind suburban sprawl in exchange for solid schools, steady work, and a genuinely diverse community. Sugar Land has exploded since the 1980s—it grew over 40% in the last decade alone—and that rapid expansion means you're living in master-planned communities with manicured neighborhoods, golf courses, country clubs, and artificial lakes, all centered around the I-69/Highway 6 corridor about 20 miles southwest of Houston. The job market is real too—major employers like Imperial Sugar's headquarters, Schlumberger's North American operation, and tech/energy companies clustered in the Sugar Land Business Park mean you're not entirely dependent on Houston commuting, though many residents do head into the city for work (average commute is about 29 minutes).
Sugar Land at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Foreign-Born
35.7%
Broadband Internet
97.5%
of households
Population Growth
-3.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics35.7% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Sugar Land: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Sugar Land, the largest foreign-born group is from India (22.1%), and 12.9% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
22.9%
of residents
65 and Older
19.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
18.1%
of households
Married Couples
69.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.85
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 39% above TX average
Rent, home values, and income in Sugar Land
In Sugar Land, rent runs 39% above the TX average, and home values are 52% above the TX average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,320
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
80.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1994
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $440,014 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for TX
Unemployment in Sugar Land
Unemployment in Sugar Land is close to the TX average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Sugar Land Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute28.9 min avg
How Sugar Land residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Sugar Land, most residents drive alone to work (65%), and 52% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 22 mi
William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
Medium hub6.8M passengers boarded in 2025
- 31 mi
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Major hub23.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 78% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Sugar Land runs 78% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
73
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,221.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Sugar Land Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 2 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Fort Bend County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Fort Bend County, which includes Sugar Land, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 2 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2024 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2023 | 11 | Excessive Heat | None reported |
| 2022 | 8 | Drought | $100,000 |
| 2021 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.7M |
| 2020 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $49,200 |
| 2019 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $156,100 |
| 2018 | 3 | Flash Flood | $10,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Fort Bend County, county-wide
Air Quality62 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Harris County, TX (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 23 miles from Sugar Land) is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
62
Good Days
40
per year
Moderate Days
287
per year
Unhealthy Days
10
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Harris County, TX (23 mi away)
Climate93°F summers, 45°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Sugar Land has hot summers (avg high 93°F) and warm winters (avg low 45°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
81°/61°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
93°/75°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
82°/62°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
66°/45°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
54.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
116
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
7
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
77
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°F | 43°F | 3.94" |
| Feb | 68°F | 48°F | 3.03" |
| Mar | 74°F | 54°F | 3.64" |
| Apr | 81°F | 60°F | 3.62" |
| May | 87°F | 68°F | 4.30" |
| Jun | 92°F | 74°F | 5.67" |
| Jul | 94°F | 76°F | 3.76" |
| Aug | 94°F | 76°F | 4.95" |
| Sep | 90°F | 71°F | 5.30" |
| Oct | 83°F | 62°F | 5.21" |
| Nov | 73°F | 53°F | 4.42" |
| Dec | 66°F | 45°F | 3.27" |
Healthcare6 hospitals, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Sugar Land
Sugar Land has 6 hospitals, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
6
within city limits
Uninsured
8.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Houston Methodist Sugarland Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
St Luke's Sugar Land Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Sugar Land Surgical Hospital Llp
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Atrium Medical Center
Long-term · 4.6 mi away · Stafford
Oakbend Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.2 mi away · Richmond
HCA Houston Healthcare West
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.8 mi away · Houston
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Sugar Land
Sugar Land's student/teacher ratio is 16.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 63.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
26
within city limits
Private Schools
15
within city limits
College Degree Rate
63.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Sugar Land (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,886 students · in-state tuition $40,680 · 49% graduate · median earnings $60,634 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 609 students · in-state tuition $15,436 · 31% graduate · median earnings $38,538 (10 yrs after entry)
College of Biblical Studies-Houston
11.5 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 419 students · in-state tuition $10,180 · 14% graduate · median earnings $44,156 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 200 students · in-state tuition $16,544 · 64% graduate · median earnings $40,278 (10 yrs after entry)
Denver College of Nursing-Houston
13.1 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 135 students · median earnings $90,917 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Big Thicket National Preserve, 96 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Sugar Land
Sugar Land has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Big Thicket National Preserve (96 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Big Thicket National Preserve
National Preserve
96 mi awayPublic Libraries in Sugar Land
First Colony Branch Library
2121 Austin Pkwy, Sugar Land
Mamie George Branch Library
320 Dulles Ave, Stafford
Sugar Land Branch Library
550 Eldridge Rd, Sugar Land
University Branch Library
14010 University Blvd, Sugar Land
Cities Near Sugar Land
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Sugar Land?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Sugar Land FAQ
Is Sugar Land, Texas affordable?⌄
Sugar Land's median rent is $1,957/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $136,217/year. Median home value is $430,200.
Is Sugar Land, Texas safe?⌄
Sugar Land's violent crime rate was 73 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1222 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Sugar Land, Texas?⌄
Sugar Land has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Sugar Land, Texas?⌄
The cost of living in Sugar Land is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,957/month and median household income is $136,217/year. The median home value is $430,200. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Sugar Land, Texas?⌄
The average commute in Sugar Land is 29 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from