Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Palm Bay, FL
VS
Sugar Land, TX
🏆 Sugar Land leads 15 of 22 categories
Palm Bay
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$62,538
Violent Crime Index
91
Population
121,513 ✓ Larger
Sugar Land
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
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.
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Homes cost $162k less ($226,200 vs $387,900)
Rent averages $523/mo less ($1,345 vs $1,868)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 64°F
Cons
Median income trails Sugar Land by $69,709/yr
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 5.0%)
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
Households earn $69,709 more per year on average
78% less violent crime than Palm Bay
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (78.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.0%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $387,900
Higher rents — median is $1,868/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$162k less
$226,200 vs $387,900
Sugar Land
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 100.8 (100 = US avg)
Sugar Land
Median Income
$69,709
$132,247 vs $62,538/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
78% lower
78.0 vs 347.2 per 100k
Sugar Land
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Palm Bay, FL | Sugar Land, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.8⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $226,200 ✓ Lower | $387,900⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,345⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,868⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,538 | $132,247 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.2 min ✓ Shorter | 30.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 7.8% | 16.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 74 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 | 21 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 66 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 | 16.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.0% | 61.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% | 94.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BREVARD | FORT BEND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer | 64.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.0" | 54.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,513 ✓ Larger | 110,077 |
| Median Age | 41.8 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.9% | 81.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | 22.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.4% ✓ More | 18.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Palm Bay's cost of living index is 100.8 vs Sugar Land's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Sugar Land is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 15 of 22 categories. Palm Bay wins 7 and Sugar Land wins 15. 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 Palm Bay to Sugar Land or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($226,200 vs $387,900 median home), income ($62,538 vs $132,247), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Palm Bay, FL and Sugar Land, TX are about 913 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.