Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Sugar Land, TX
🏆 Sugar Land leads 11 of 19 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Sugar Land
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$132,247 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
21
Population
110,077
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Homes cost $86k less ($302,400 vs $387,900)
Rent averages $238/mo less ($1,630 vs $1,868)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 64°F
Cons
Median income trails Sugar Land by $59,773/yr
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Sugar Land
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
Households earn $59,773 more per year on average
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (78.0 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 16.0:1 student-teacher ratio
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $387,900
Higher rents — median is $1,868/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Home Value
$86k less
$302,400 vs $387,900
Cape Coral
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.0% unemployment
Sugar Land
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Sugar Land
Median Income
$59,773
$132,247 vs $72,474/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Sugar Land, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 ✓ Lower | $387,900⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,868⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 | $132,247 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 30.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 16.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 39 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 21 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 66 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 16.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 61.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% | 94.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | FORT BEND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 64.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 54.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 110,077 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 42.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% | 81.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 22.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 18.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Sugar Land's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Sugar Land is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 11 of 19 categories. Cape Coral wins 8 and Sugar Land wins 11. 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 Cape Coral to Sugar Land or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $387,900 median home), income ($72,474 vs $132,247), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Sugar Land, TX are about 855 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.