77493 and 77498 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
77493
77498
Opportunity
61 · Top 37%
vs62 · Top 35%
Growth
70 · Top 15%
vs67 · Top 19%
Climate
73 · Top 38%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
37 · Bottom 30%
vs45 · Bottom 35%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 15%
vs92 · Top 27%
Schools
70 · Top 26%
vs61 · Top 38%
Access
92 · Bottom 49%
vs98 · Top 21%
Economic stability
69 · Top 32%
vs73 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | 77493 | 77498 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 71,484 | 52,806 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $118,464 | $100,950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,566 | $41,186 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,157/sq mi | 3,279/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $358,100 | $302,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,867 | $1,797 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.6% | 70.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.3% | 45.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 7.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 134 | 466 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.3 | 4.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 16.5% | 796.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 45°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.7" | 49.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 1 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 38.8 min | 34.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.5 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 20 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.89 | 16.59 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.5% | 42.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.2% | 48.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 52.6% | 56.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
77493
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
77498
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 77493 — Katy, TX · 77498 — Sugar Land, TX · How this is calculated: methodology