Sugar Land, TX Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Sugar Land, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Sugar Land →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Sugar Land, Texas is home to roughly 110,077 residents. The typical household here earns $132,247 a year — above the median we track across cities (+83%).
Anyone weighing a move to Sugar Land should know the median home value is $387,900, above the multi-city median (+19%), and median rent runs $1,868 per month. Current mortgage rates and local property taxes both affect the real math of buying versus renting.
Buying a typical home in Sugar Land would take about 2.9 years of median household income, a comparatively affordable multiple by our tracked standards. Sugar Land's home prices climbed 5.96% over the past year — steady appreciation without signs of overheating. FEMA's National Risk Index puts Sugar Land at Relatively High for overall natural-hazard risk, a factor that can push home insurance costs up.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,868/mo in Sugar Land would take 17.0% of your income.
$1,438/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($387,900) would take 18.8% of your income toward principal & interest.
$1,015/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Sugar Land
Median home value is $387,900 and median gross rent is $1,868/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Fort Bend rose 5.96% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,573/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Sugar Land's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Sugar Land reported a violent crime rate of 73 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Sugar Land
Planning a move to Sugar Land? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Sugar Land, TX?
- Housing drives most of the cost-of-living picture in Sugar Land — median home value of $387,900, median rent of $1,868/month — set against a median household income of $132,247 (US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022)).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Sugar Land?
- At Sugar Land's median rent of $1,868/month, the 30%-of-income guideline suggests an annual income around $74,720 to stay comfortably housed. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Sugar Land.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Sugar Land?
- With a median home value of $387,900 and median rent of $1,868/month, renting comfortably in Sugar Land takes about $74,720/year (the 30% guideline), while buying at the median price takes roughly $88,750/year in principal-and-interest alone (assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan, and current mortgage rates). The right call depends on how long you plan to stay and your down payment.
- Is Sugar Land safe?
- Sugar Land reported a violent crime rate of 73 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data. Compare that figure against other cities you're considering for context.
See the full salary breakdown for Sugar Land →
Cities with a similar cost of living
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