Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Sugar Land, TX
VS
Tacoma, WA
🏆 Sugar Land leads 19 of 23 categories
Sugar Land
Texas
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$132,247 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
21 ✓ Safer
Population
110,077
Tacoma
Washington
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$79,085
Violent Crime Index
280⚠ High
Population
219,234 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
93% less violent crime than Tacoma
Households earn $53,162 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)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Tacoma
Milder winters — January highs near 64°F vs 48°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,868/mo
Tacoma, WA
Pros
Rent averages $379/mo less ($1,489 vs $1,868)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 94°F
Cons
Median income trails Sugar Land by $53,162/yr
Violent crime (1063.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Sugar Land
Key Differences at a Glance
Sugar Land
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Sugar Land
Median Income
$53,162
$132,247 vs $79,085/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
93% lower
78.0 vs 1063.0 per 100k
Sugar Land
Median Home Value
$27k less
$387,900 vs $415,300
Sugar Land
Summer Heat
17.4°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 76.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Sugar Land, TX | Tacoma, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 113.0⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $387,900⚠ High ✓ Lower | $415,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,868⚠ High | $1,489⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,247 ✓ Higher | $79,085 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.0 min⚠ High | 29.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.8% ✓ Higher | 12.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 39 ✓ Safer | 275⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 280⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 267⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 32.8% |
| High School or Higher | 94.9% ✓ Higher | 90.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FORT BEND ISD | Tacoma School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 64.1°F ✓ Warmer | 48.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 76.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.2" | 40.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 5.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 110,077 | 219,234 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.5 ✓ Older | 36.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 81.2% ✓ Higher | 56.8% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% ✓ More | 19.7% |
| Over 65 | 18.1% ✓ More | 14.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sugar Land's cost of living index is 100.2 vs Tacoma's 113.0 (US average = 100).
Sugar Land is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 19 of 23 categories. Sugar Land wins 19 and Tacoma wins 4. 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 Sugar Land to Tacoma or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($387,900 vs $415,300 median home), income ($132,247 vs $79,085), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Sugar Land, TX and Tacoma, WA are about 1,880 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.