Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Evansville, IN
VS
Sugar Land, TX
🏆 Sugar Land leads 16 of 23 categories
Evansville
Indiana
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,853
Violent Crime Index
317⚠ High
Population
116,906 ✓ Larger
Sugar Land
Texas
16
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.
Evansville, IN
Pros
Homes cost $267k less ($121,100 vs $387,900)
Rent averages $951/mo less ($917 vs $1,868)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Sugar Land
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.8)
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 94°F
Cons
Median income trails Sugar Land by $82,394/yr
Violent crime (1206.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3678.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 5.0%)
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
Households earn $82,394 more per year on average
94% less violent crime than Evansville
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (78.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.0%)
Milder winters — January highs near 64°F vs 42°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $387,900
Higher rents — median is $1,868/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Evansville
Longer commutes — 30.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Evansville
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 89.8 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
Evansville
Median Home Value
$267k less
$121,100 vs $387,900
Sugar Land
Median Income
$82,394
$132,247 vs $49,853/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
94% lower
78.0 vs 1206.2 per 100k
Sugar Land
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.7% unemployment
Sugar Land
Summer Heat
5.2°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 89.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Evansville, IN | Sugar Land, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.8 ✓ Cheaper | 100.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $121,100 ✓ Lower | $387,900⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $917 ✓ Lower | $1,868⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,853 | $132,247 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 30.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 4.2% | 16.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 261⚠ High | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 317⚠ High | 21 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.4% | 61.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.2% | 94.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp | FORT BEND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 64.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,906 ✓ Larger | 110,077 |
| Median Age | 38.1 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 81.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | 22.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.6% | 18.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Evansville's cost of living index is 89.8 vs Sugar Land's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Evansville is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 16 of 23 categories. Evansville wins 7 and Sugar Land wins 16. 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 Evansville to Sugar Land or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($121,100 vs $387,900 median home), income ($49,853 vs $132,247), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Evansville, IN and Sugar Land, TX are about 743 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.