Sugar Land TX vs Tulsa OK — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Sugar Land, TX

Texas · Population: 109,735

  • Median HH Income$137,511
  • Median Home Price$449,058
  • Unemployment4.5%
  • Bachelor's+62.4%

Tulsa, OK

Oklahoma · Population: 412,322

  • Median HH Income$58,407
  • Median Home Price$220,279
  • Unemployment6.1%
  • Bachelor's+33.3%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Sugar Land
109,735
Tulsa
412,322
Tulsa +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Sugar Land
N/A
Tulsa
N/A
Median Age
Sugar Land
42.5
Tulsa
35.5
Tulsa +
Foreign Born
Sugar Land
35.3%
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
11.9%
White
Sugar Land
40.6%
Tulsa
57.0%
Tulsa +
Black
Sugar Land
7.7%
Tulsa
14.2%
Tulsa +
Asian
Sugar Land
39.5%
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
3.5%
Hispanic
Sugar Land
12.3%
Tulsa
19.2%
Tulsa +
Spanish at Home
Sugar Land
N/A
Tulsa
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Sugar Land
$137,511
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
$58,407
Per Capita Income
Sugar Land
$60,258
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
$37,533
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Sugar Land
$63,758
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
$57,929
Unemployment Rate
Sugar Land
4.5%
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
6.1%
Poverty Rate
Sugar Land
5.1%
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
18.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
Sugar Land
62.4%
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
33.3%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Sugar Land
$449,058
Tulsa
$220,279
Tulsa +
Homeownership Rate
Sugar Land
80.1%
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
52.0%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Sugar Land
442
Tulsa
429
Tulsa +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Sugar Land
2339
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
2375

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Sugar Land
24.8%
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
37.5%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Sugar Land
12.2%
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
12.8%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Sugar Land
12.2%
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
18.8%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Sugar Land
8.5%
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
14.4%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Sugar Land
13.6%
Tulsa
12.9%
Tulsa +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Sugar Land
8.2%
Sugar Land +
Tulsa
16.3%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Sugar Land
71.3°F
Tulsa
60.8°F
Tulsa +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Sugar Land
50.4 in
Tulsa
41.0 in
Tulsa +

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Sugar Land
9.2 µg/m³
Tulsa
8.8 µg/m³
Tulsa +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Sugar Land
55.0%
Tulsa
75.0%
Tulsa +

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Sugar Land
31.6 min
Tulsa
20.2 min
Tulsa +

Which City is Right for You?

Sugar Land leads in median household income at $137,511, while tulsa offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $220,279. On public safety, Tulsa is safer with a violent crime rate of 429 per 100,000 residents, compared to 442 in Sugar Land. Sugar Land has a lower unemployment rate at 4.5%, and Tulsa has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 8.8 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Sugar Land scores better with a lower obesity rate of 24.8%.

Compare More Cities

About Sugar Land & Tulsa