Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Albuquerque, NM
VS
Sugar Land, TX
🏆 Sugar Land leads 15 of 23 categories
Albuquerque
New Mexico
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$61,503
Violent Crime Index
311⚠ High
Population
562,551 ✓ Larger
Sugar Land
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$132,247 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
21 ✓ Safer
Population
110,077
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Albuquerque, NM
Pros
Rent averages $854/mo less ($1,014 vs $1,868)
Homes cost $142k less ($246,000 vs $387,900)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.0)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Sugar Land
Smaller class sizes — 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Sugar Land by $70,744/yr
Violent crime (1181.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4628.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
Households earn $70,744 more per year on average
93% less violent crime than Albuquerque
Violent crime is well below the national average (78.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.0%)
Milder winters — January highs near 64°F vs 52°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,868/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $387,900
Longer commutes — 30.0 min average each way
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Albuquerque
Key Differences at a Glance
Albuquerque
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 93.0 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
Albuquerque
Median Home Value
$142k less
$246,000 vs $387,900
Sugar Land
Median Income
$70,744
$132,247 vs $61,503/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
93% lower
78.0 vs 1181.8 per 100k
Sugar Land
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Albuquerque, NM | Sugar Land, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.0 ✓ Cheaper | 100.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $246,000 ✓ Lower | $387,900⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,014 ✓ Lower | $1,868⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $61,503 | $132,247 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter | 30.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.0% | 16.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 275⚠ High | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 311⚠ High | 21 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 220⚠ High | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.8% | 61.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% | 94.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALBUQUERQUE | FORT BEND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.9°F | 64.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.9°F ✓ Warmer | 94.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 7.9" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 562,551 ✓ Larger | 110,077 |
| Median Age | 38.0 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.7% | 81.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | 22.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.6% | 18.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Albuquerque's cost of living index is 93.0 vs Sugar Land's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Albuquerque is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 15 of 23 categories. Albuquerque wins 8 and Sugar Land wins 15. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Albuquerque to Sugar Land or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($246,000 vs $387,900 median home), income ($61,503 vs $132,247), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Albuquerque, NM and Sugar Land, TX are about 746 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.