Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Sugar Land, TX
VS
Waterbury, CT
🏆 Sugar Land leads 15 of 23 categories
Sugar Land
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$132,247 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
21 ✓ Safer
Population
110,077
Waterbury
Connecticut
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,451
Violent Crime Index
85
Population
114,480 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
Households earn $80,796 more per year on average
76% less violent crime than Waterbury
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.8 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (78.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 64°F vs 37°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $387,900
Higher rents — median is $1,868/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Waterbury
Waterbury, CT
Pros
Homes cost $225k less ($162,800 vs $387,900)
Rent averages $728/mo less ($1,140 vs $1,868)
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 94°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Sugar Land
Smaller class sizes — 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Sugar Land by $80,796/yr
Property crime (2918.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.8% vs 5.0%)
Snowy winters — about 47" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Sugar Land
Median Income
$80,796
$132,247 vs $51,451/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
76% lower
78.0 vs 322.5 per 100k
Sugar Land
Unemployment
4.8 pp lower
5.0% vs 9.8% unemployment
Sugar Land
Summer Heat
10.2°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 84.0°F
Waterbury
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 95.1 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
Waterbury
Median Home Value
$225k less
$162,800 vs $387,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Sugar Land, TX | Waterbury, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High | 95.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $387,900⚠ High | $162,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,868⚠ High | $1,140 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,247 ✓ Higher | $51,451 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.0 min⚠ High | 27.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.8% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 39 ✓ Safer | 107⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 85 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ 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 | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 16.7% |
| High School or Higher | 94.9% ✓ Higher | 81.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FORT BEND ISD | Waterbury School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 64.1°F ✓ Warmer | 37.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 84.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.2" | 52.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 46.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 110,077 | 114,480 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.5 ✓ Older | 36.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 81.2% ✓ Higher | 43.8% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.1% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sugar Land's cost of living index is 100.2 vs Waterbury's 95.1 (US average = 100).
Waterbury is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 15 of 23 categories. Sugar Land wins 15 and Waterbury wins 8. 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 Waterbury or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($387,900 vs $162,800 median home), income ($132,247 vs $51,451), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Sugar Land, TX and Waterbury, CT are about 1,508 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.