Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Sugar Land, TX
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Sugar Land leads 17 of 23 categories
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 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,077
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High
Population
89,435
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
Households earn $66,170 more per year on average
82% less violent crime than Waukegan
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 30°F
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Waukegan
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $387,900
Higher rents — median is $1,868/mo
Longer commutes — 30.0 min average each way
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $224k less ($164,400 vs $387,900)
Rent averages $736/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,868)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Sugar Land by $66,170/yr
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Sugar Land
Key Differences at a Glance
Sugar Land
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Sugar Land
Median Income
$66,170
$132,247 vs $66,077/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
82% lower
78.0 vs 445.2 per 100k
Sugar Land
Summer Heat
12.5°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$224k less
$164,400 vs $387,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Sugar Land, TX | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $387,900⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,868⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,247 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.0 min⚠ High | 26.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.8% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 39 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.0:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 94.9% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FORT BEND ISD | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 64.1°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.2" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 110,077 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 42.5 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 81.2% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.1% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sugar Land's cost of living index is 100.2 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Sugar Land is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 17 of 23 categories. Sugar Land wins 17 and Waukegan wins 6. 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 Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($387,900 vs $164,400 median home), income ($132,247 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Sugar Land, TX and Waukegan, IL are about 983 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.