Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Mount Pleasant, SC
VS
Sugar Land, TX
🏆 Sugar Land leads 16 of 23 categories
Mount Pleasant
South Carolina
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$115,167
Violent Crime Index
34
Population
90,945
Sugar Land
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$132,247 ✓ Higher
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.
Mount Pleasant, SC
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (128.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (3.2%)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 65.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $608,600
Median income trails Sugar Land by $17,080/yr
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Sugar Land
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
Homes cost $221k less ($387,900 vs $608,600)
39% less violent crime than Mount Pleasant
Violent crime is well below the national average (78.0 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $17,080 more per year on average
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Mount Pleasant
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.0% vs 3.2%)
Longer commutes — 30.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Mount Pleasant
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.0% unemployment
Sugar Land
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 105.9 (100 = US avg)
Sugar Land
Median Income
$17,080
$132,247 vs $115,167/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
39% lower
78.0 vs 128.4 per 100k
Sugar Land
Median Home Value
$221k less
$387,900 vs $608,600
Sugar Land
Summer Heat
3.1°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 91.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Mount Pleasant, SC | Sugar Land, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.9⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $608,600⚠ High | $387,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,901⚠ High | $1,868⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $115,167 | $132,247 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 30.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 19.7% ✓ Higher | 16.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 43 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 34 | 21 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 66 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.4% ✓ Higher | 61.3% |
| High School or Higher | 97.7% ✓ Higher | 94.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | FORT BEND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.2°F | 64.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.1°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.3" | 54.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,945 | 110,077 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.4 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.5% | 81.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 22.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% | 18.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Mount Pleasant's cost of living index is 105.9 vs Sugar Land's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Sugar Land is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 16 of 23 categories. Mount Pleasant 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 Mount Pleasant to Sugar Land or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($608,600 vs $387,900 median home), income ($115,167 vs $132,247), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Mount Pleasant, SC and Sugar Land, TX are about 957 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.