Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Tan Valley, AZ
VS
Sugar Land, TX
🏆 Sugar Land leads 13 of 22 categories
San Tan Valley
Arizona
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$88,466
Violent Crime Index
62
Population
101,207
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 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
San Tan Valley, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $84k less ($304,000 vs $387,900)
Violent crime is well below the national average (235.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (4.5%)
Rent averages $139/mo less ($1,729 vs $1,868)
Cons
Median income trails Sugar Land by $43,781/yr
Longer commutes — 36.2 min average each way
Hot summers — July highs average 104°F
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
67% less violent crime than San Tan Valley
Households earn $43,781 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)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 94°F vs 104°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $387,900
Higher rents — median is $1,868/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
San Tan Valley
Median Home Value
$84k less
$304,000 vs $387,900
San Tan Valley
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.0% unemployment
San Tan Valley
Summer Heat
10.0°F warmer
July avg high 104.2°F vs 94.2°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 100.0 on the COL index
Sugar Land
Median Income
$43,781
$132,247 vs $88,466/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
67% lower
78.0 vs 235.7 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Tan Valley, AZ | Sugar Land, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.0 ✓ Cheaper | 100.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $304,000 ✓ Lower | $387,900⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,729⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,868⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $88,466 | $132,247 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.2 min⚠ High | 30.0 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.5% | 16.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 56 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 62 | 21 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 46 ✓ Safer | 66 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (83) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.9:1 | 16.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.0% | 61.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.3% | 94.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | J O Combs Unified School District (4445) | FORT BEND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.6°F ✓ Warmer | 64.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 104.2°F ✓ Warmer | 94.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.6" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,207 | 110,077 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 80.4% | 81.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.3% ✓ More | 22.6% |
| Over 65 | 11.7% | 18.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Tan Valley's cost of living index is 100.0 vs Sugar Land's 100.2 (US average = 100).
San Tan Valley is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 13 of 22 categories. San Tan Valley wins 9 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 San Tan Valley to Sugar Land or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($304,000 vs $387,900 median home), income ($88,466 vs $132,247), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Tan Valley, AZ and Sugar Land, TX are about 971 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.