Santa Fe receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Santa Fe
Pearland
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs64 · Top 34%
Growth
85 · Top 2%
vs25 · Bottom 12%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs79 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 49%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 15%
vs98 · Top 12%
Schools
65 · Top 33%
vs79 · Top 15%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs97 · Top 30%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 30%
vs76 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Santa Fe | Pearland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,901 | 127,514 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $99,190 | $118,842 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,305 | $51,157 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 760/sq mi | 2,617/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $325,800 | $356,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,240 | $1,860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.3% | 76.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.0% | 47.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | 4.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 288 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 22.3 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 82.3% | -100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.3" | 53.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 35.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.0 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 33 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.57 | 16.38 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 50.0% | 57.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.5% | 56.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.9% | 36.0% | 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
Santa Fe
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Pearland
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Santa Fe, TX · Pearland, TX · How this is calculated: methodology