Sugar Land receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Baytown
Sugar Land
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 13%
vs65 · Top 32%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs69 · Top 19%
Climate
75 · Top 27%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 21%
vs45 · Bottom 35%
Housing affordability
78 · Bottom 46%
vs98 · Top 12%
Schools
44 · Bottom 40%
vs80 · Top 13%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 28%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Baytown | Sugar Land | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 85,205 | 110,016 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,910 | $136,217 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,957 | $62,018 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,104/sq mi | 2,719/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $197,300 | $430,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,307 | $1,957 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.3% | 80.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.7% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.8% | 63.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.2% | 5.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 138 | 466 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 4.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -76.4% | 796.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.6" | 49.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.5 min | 31.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.0 | 42.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 29 | 36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.92 | 16.68 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.9% | 58.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.4% | 61.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.8% | 41.1% | 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
Baytown
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Sugar Land
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Baytown
55
Your Score
50
Area Score
Sugar Land
75
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Baytown, TX · Sugar Land, TX · How this is calculated: methodology