Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Mission Viejo, CA
VS
Sugar Land, TX
🏆 Sugar Land leads 12 of 22 categories
Mission Viejo
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,570 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
26
Population
93,233
Sugar Land
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$132,247
Violent Crime Index
21 ✓ Safer
Population
110,077 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Mission Viejo, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (99.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.4%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 80°F vs 94°F
Households earn $4,323 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $883,600
Higher rents — median is $2,622/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Sugar Land
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
Homes cost $496k less ($387,900 vs $883,600)
Rent averages $754/mo less ($1,868 vs $2,622)
Violent crime is well below the national average (78.0 vs 380/100k)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Mission Viejo
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 16.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Mission Viejo by $4,323/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Mission Viejo
Median Income
$4,323
$136,570 vs $132,247/yr
Mission Viejo
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.0% unemployment
Sugar Land
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
21% lower
78.0 vs 99.2 per 100k
Sugar Land
Median Home Value
$496k less
$387,900 vs $883,600
Sugar Land
Summer Heat
14.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 79.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Mission Viejo, CA | Sugar Land, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $883,600⚠ High | $387,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,622⚠ High | $1,868⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $136,570 ✓ Higher | $132,247 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min ✓ Shorter | 30.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 18.4% ✓ Higher | 16.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 38 ✓ Safer | 39 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 26 | 21 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 66 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.7:1 | 16.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 51.2% | 61.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% | 94.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Saddleback Valley Unified | FORT BEND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.4°F ✓ Warmer | 64.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 79.5°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.2" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 93,233 | 110,077 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 46.0 ✓ Older | 42.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.5% | 81.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 22.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 22.1% ✓ More | 18.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Mission Viejo's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Sugar Land's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Sugar Land is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 12 of 22 categories. Mission Viejo wins 10 and Sugar Land wins 12. 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 Mission Viejo to Sugar Land or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($883,600 vs $387,900 median home), income ($136,570 vs $132,247), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Mission Viejo, CA and Sugar Land, TX are about 1,323 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.