Head-to-Head · City Comparison
St. Petersburg, FL
VS
Sugar Land, TX
🏆 Sugar Land leads 12 of 22 categories
St. Petersburg
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$70,333
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
259,343 ✓ Larger
Sugar Land
Texas
12
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.
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Homes cost $99k less ($289,000 vs $387,900)
Rent averages $458/mo less ($1,410 vs $1,868)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Sugar Land by $61,914/yr
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Sugar Land
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
Households earn $61,914 more per year on average
87% less violent crime than St. Petersburg
Violent crime is well below the national average (78.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
3% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Petersburg
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $387,900
Higher rents — median is $1,868/mo
Longer commutes — 30.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
St. Petersburg
Median Home Value
$99k less
$289,000 vs $387,900
Sugar Land
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Sugar Land
Median Income
$61,914
$132,247 vs $70,333/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
87% lower
78.0 vs 619.6 per 100k
Sugar Land
Summer Heat
4.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | St. Petersburg, FL | Sugar Land, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $289,000 ✓ Lower | $387,900⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,410⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,868⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $70,333 | $132,247 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter | 30.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 15.7% | 16.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 145⚠ High | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 163⚠ High | 21 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 117⚠ High | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | A (125) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.6% | 61.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 93.8% | 94.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PINELLAS | FORT BEND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer | 64.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.6" ✓ Drier | 54.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 259,343 ✓ Larger | 110,077 |
| Median Age | 42.9 ✓ Older | 42.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.6% | 81.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.3% | 22.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.9% ✓ More | 18.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Petersburg's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Sugar Land's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Sugar Land is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 12 of 22 categories. St. Petersburg 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 St. Petersburg to Sugar Land or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($289,000 vs $387,900 median home), income ($70,333 vs $132,247), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
St. Petersburg, FL and Sugar Land, TX are about 797 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.