Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Houston, TX
VS
Sunrise, FL
🏆 Houston leads 10 of 19 categories
Houston
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,440
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ Larger
Sunrise
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,001 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
96,510
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Houston, TX
Pros
Rent averages $611/mo less ($1,235 vs $1,846)
Homes cost $61k less ($235,000 vs $296,100)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunrise
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Sunrise by $5,561/yr
Sunrise, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 63°F
Households earn $5,561 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,846/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Houston
Key Differences at a Glance
Houston
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Houston
Median Home Value
$61k less
$235,000 vs $296,100
Sunrise
Median Income
$5,561
$66,001 vs $60,440/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Houston, TX | Sunrise, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $235,000 ✓ Lower | $296,100 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 ✓ Lower | $1,846⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,440 | $66,001 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.4 min | 27.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% | 10.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 263⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 302⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 204⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 79.6% | 91.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HOUSTON ISD | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.8°F | 76.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 93.2°F ✓ Warmer | 91.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.4" ✓ Drier | 67.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger | 96,510 |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.0% | 69.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.9% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 11.6% | 19.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Houston's cost of living index is 100.2 vs Sunrise's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Houston is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Houston leads 10 of 19 categories. Houston wins 10 and Sunrise wins 9. 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 Houston to Sunrise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($235,000 vs $296,100 median home), income ($60,440 vs $66,001), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Houston, TX and Sunrise, FL are about 955 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.