Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Sugar Land, TX
VS
Wichita Falls, TX
🏆 Sugar Land leads 14 of 23 categories
Sugar Land
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$132,247 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
21 ✓ Safer
Population
110,077 ✓ Larger
Wichita Falls
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,584
Violent Crime Index
92
Population
102,482
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Sugar Land, TX
Pros
Households earn $76,663 more per year on average
78% less violent crime than Wichita Falls
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 55°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $387,900
Higher rents — median is $1,868/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Wichita Falls
Longer commutes — 30.0 min average each way
Wichita Falls, TX
Pros
Homes cost $259k less ($128,800 vs $387,900)
Rent averages $919/mo less ($949 vs $1,868)
Commutes run 16 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.4%)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Sugar Land
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.9)
Cons
Median income trails Sugar Land by $76,663/yr
Property crime (2618.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Sugar Land
Median Income
$76,663
$132,247 vs $55,584/yr
Sugar Land
Violent Crime
78% lower
78.0 vs 350.3 per 100k
Wichita Falls
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 88.9 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
Wichita Falls
Median Home Value
$259k less
$128,800 vs $387,900
Wichita Falls
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.0% unemployment
Wichita Falls
Summer Heat
3.0°F warmer
July avg high 97.2°F vs 94.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Sugar Land, TX | Wichita Falls, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High | 88.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $387,900⚠ High | $128,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,868⚠ High | $949 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,247 ✓ Higher | $55,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.0 min⚠ High | 14.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.8% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 39 ✓ Safer | 105⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 92 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.0:1 | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 24.2% |
| High School or Higher | 94.9% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FORT BEND ISD | WICHITA FALLS ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 64.1°F ✓ Warmer | 54.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F | 97.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.2" | 27.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 110,077 ✓ Larger | 102,482 |
| Median Age | 42.5 ✓ Older | 32.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 81.2% ✓ Higher | 56.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | 22.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.1% ✓ More | 14.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sugar Land's cost of living index is 100.2 vs Wichita Falls's 88.9 (US average = 100).
Wichita Falls is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sugar Land leads 14 of 23 categories. Sugar Land wins 14 and Wichita Falls wins 9. 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 Wichita Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($387,900 vs $128,800 median home), income ($132,247 vs $55,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Sugar Land, TX and Wichita Falls, TX are about 343 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.