Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Sugar Land, TX
VS
West Covina, CA
🏆 Sugar Land leads 20 of 22 categories
Sugar Land
Texas
20
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$132,247 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
21 ✓ Safer
Population
110,077 ✓ Larger
West Covina
California
2
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$96,219
Violent Crime Index
63
Population
108,173
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
Homes cost $277k less ($387,900 vs $664,500)
67% less violent crime than West Covina
Households earn $36,028 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)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (5.0%)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
West Covina, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (239.3 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $664,500
Median income trails Sugar Land by $36,028/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Sugar Land
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
$36,028
$132,247 vs $96,219/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
67% lower
78.0 vs 239.3 per 100k
Sugar Land
Median Home Value
$277k less
$387,900 vs $664,500
Sugar Land
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
5.0% vs 6.7% unemployment
Sugar Land
Summer Heat
3.9°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 90.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Sugar Land, TX | West Covina, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $387,900⚠ High ✓ Lower | $664,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,868⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,054⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,247 ✓ Higher | $96,219 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.0 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 33.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.8% ✓ Higher | 9.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 39 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 63 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 100 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 29.8% |
| High School or Higher | 94.9% ✓ Higher | 86.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FORT BEND ISD | West Covina Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 64.1°F | 67.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 90.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.2" | 16.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 110,077 ✓ Larger | 108,173 |
| Median Age | 42.5 ✓ Older | 39.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 81.2% ✓ Higher | 62.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% ✓ More | 19.7% |
| Over 65 | 18.1% ✓ More | 16.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sugar Land's cost of living index is 100.2 vs West Covina's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Sugar Land is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 20 of 22 categories. Sugar Land wins 20 and West Covina wins 2. 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 West Covina or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($387,900 vs $664,500 median home), income ($132,247 vs $96,219), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Sugar Land, TX and West Covina, CA are about 1,341 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.