Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Ana, CA
VS
Sugar Land, TX
🏆 Sugar Land leads 17 of 22 categories
Santa Ana
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High
Population
311,379 ✓ Larger
Sugar Land
Texas
17
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.
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 94°F
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 64°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,000
Median income trails Sugar Land by $48,037/yr
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
84% less violent crime than Santa Ana
Homes cost $236k less ($387,900 vs $624,000)
Households earn $48,037 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)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
Cons
Longer commutes — 30.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Sugar Land
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Sugar Land
Median Income
$48,037
$132,247 vs $84,210/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
84% lower
78.0 vs 493.1 per 100k
Sugar Land
Median Home Value
$236k less
$387,900 vs $624,000
Sugar Land
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.5% unemployment
Sugar Land
Summer Heat
11.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Ana, 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 | $624,000⚠ High | $387,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,885⚠ High | $1,868⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $84,210 | $132,247 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter | 30.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.0% | 16.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High | 21 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (84) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 | 16.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 17.9% | 61.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 65.2% | 94.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Ana Unified | FORT BEND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 64.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 311,379 ✓ Larger | 110,077 |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.8% | 81.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 22.6% |
| Over 65 | 10.6% | 18.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Ana'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 17 of 22 categories. Santa Ana wins 5 and Sugar Land wins 17. 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 Santa Ana to Sugar Land or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($624,000 vs $387,900 median home), income ($84,210 vs $132,247), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Ana, CA and Sugar Land, TX are about 1,337 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.