Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Midland, TX
VS
Sugar Land, TX
🏆 Sugar Land leads 14 of 23 categories
Midland
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$90,448
Violent Crime Index
96
Population
132,490 ✓ Larger
Sugar Land
Texas
14
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.
Midland, TX
Pros
Homes cost $107k less ($280,700 vs $387,900)
Rent averages $468/mo less ($1,400 vs $1,868)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (3.2%)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.8)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Sugar Land
Cons
Median income trails Sugar Land by $41,799/yr
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
79% less violent crime than Midland
Households earn $41,799 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
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $387,900
Higher rents — median is $1,868/mo
Higher unemployment (5.0% vs 3.2%)
Longer commutes — 30.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Midland
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 94.8 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
Midland
Median Home Value
$107k less
$280,700 vs $387,900
Midland
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.0% unemployment
Sugar Land
Median Income
$41,799
$132,247 vs $90,448/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
79% lower
78.0 vs 364.9 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Midland, TX | Sugar Land, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.8 ✓ Cheaper | 100.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $280,700 ✓ Lower | $387,900⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,868⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $90,448 | $132,247 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter | 30.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 5.6% | 16.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 88 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 21 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 77 | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (83) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.8:1 | 16.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% | 61.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 84.9% | 94.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MIDLAND ISD | FORT BEND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.3°F | 64.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.3°F ✓ Warmer | 94.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.9" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 132,490 ✓ Larger | 110,077 |
| Median Age | 31.4 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.9% | 81.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.5% ✓ More | 22.6% |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 18.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Midland's cost of living index is 94.8 vs Sugar Land's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Midland is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 14 of 23 categories. Midland wins 9 and Sugar Land wins 14. 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 Midland to Sugar Land or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($280,700 vs $387,900 median home), income ($90,448 vs $132,247), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Midland, TX and Sugar Land, TX are about 420 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.