Head-to-Head · City Comparison
McAllen, TX
VS
Sugar Land, TX
🏆 Sugar Land leads 13 of 23 categories
McAllen
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,326
Violent Crime Index
39
Population
142,722 ✓ Larger
Sugar Land
Texas
13
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.
McAllen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $229k less ($158,700 vs $387,900)
Rent averages $913/mo less ($955 vs $1,868)
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Sugar Land
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.6)
Cons
Median income trails Sugar Land by $75,921/yr
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
Households earn $75,921 more per year on average
48% less violent crime than McAllen
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (78.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $387,900
Higher rents — median is $1,868/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than McAllen
Longer commutes — 30.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
McAllen
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Median Home Value
$229k less
$158,700 vs $387,900
McAllen
Summer Heat
3.3°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 94.2°F
Sugar Land
Median Income
$75,921
$132,247 vs $56,326/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
48% lower
78.0 vs 150.0 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | McAllen, TX | Sugar Land, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper | 100.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $158,700 ✓ Lower | $387,900⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $955 ✓ Lower | $1,868⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,326 | $132,247 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter | 30.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.5% | 16.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 59 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 | 21 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 87 | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% | 61.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.7% | 94.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MCALLEN ISD | FORT BEND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer | 64.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer | 94.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 27.4" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,722 ✓ Larger | 110,077 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.4% | 81.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.3% ✓ More | 22.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.1% | 18.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
McAllen's cost of living index is 85.6 vs Sugar Land's 100.2 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 13 of 23 categories. McAllen wins 10 and Sugar Land wins 13. 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 McAllen to Sugar Land or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,700 vs $387,900 median home), income ($56,326 vs $132,247), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
McAllen, TX and Sugar Land, TX are about 282 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.