When the time comes for relocation, it is not always easy to choose your new hometown. Many different factors can affect your decision. Whether it is the job market, schooling options, the safety of the area, or fun activities, each person has their own preferences. Before you dive into the moving preparations, it is advisable to do thorough research on the places you are considering moving to. If you think about moving to the Houston area in Texas, you need to know that both Katy and Sugar Land are among the most popular areas. Long distance moving companies have hands full of work since many people decide to move to these two places. Both areas have similar living options, and for this reason, it is not easy to choose in which to live. Discover in this article Katy vs Sugar Land living options.
Get to know the areas
One of the first things to know about Katy vs Sugar Land is that these are both large areas. The Greater Katy Area has a population of around 200,000 residents. On the other hand, around 118,000 people live in Sugar Land. Not all parts of the area are the same. In some parts of Sugar Land, you will find zones with high-scoring schools, while the other parts do not have them. For example, tax rates differ from zone to zone and can go from 2,6 to 3,6 in some areas. In addition, Sugar Land has better amenities in newer neighborhoods. Before you hire interstate movers Katy TX offers, you need to know that the situation is similar there. Different neighborhoods have different schools, prices, and tax rates. You may find cheaper homes in Katy than in Sugar Land, but you will spend more time commuting.
Katy, Texas
Over the past few decades, Katy has been moving on the scale as one of the top places to live in Texas. Between 2010 and 2013, its population increased by around 50%. Since then, this has become one of the fastest-growing suburbs of the Lone Star state. Young families have many reasons to love Katy. Beautiful weather, ample housing option, and popular schools are just some of the options that this suburb offers. Katy is larger than Sugar Land. The actual city of Katy has around 15,000 residents. The Greater Katy Area, including Katy ISD, is much larger and has more residents. This Houston suburb has a beauty of a small town but also big-city conveniences with a rich tradition and history. Harris, Fort Bend, and Waller are the three counties in Katy. Katy City has urban homes, and it is in the heart of the Greater Katy area.
Sugar Land, Texas
Once an Oakland plantation, in the 1900s, it became a huge sugar plantation and refinery. 20 miles southwest of downtown Houston Texas is Sugar Land city, one of the biggest in Fort Bend County. This populous municipality is one of the fastest-growing cities in texas, just like Katy. Niche.com ranks Sugar Land as the 5th-best suburb in all of Texas. If you hire interstate movers Sugar Land TX offers, you will come to a city with low crime, a stable economy, and a bunch of outdoor activities. Its total area is 42.90 square miles, with a population of 118,000 people. Since the beginning of the last century, the population of the city has seen an increase of 100,000. Another good fact about this suburb is that it is earthquake-free.
Costs of living comparison
If you are considering moving to either of these two suburban areas, it is useful to know the costs of living. According to 2022 statistics, the cost of living in Katy is 7.0% cheaper than in Sugar Land. The greatest factor in the cost of living difference is the median home cost, which is about 14% more expensive in Sugar Land. Food & Groceries are 3.2% lower in Katy, and utilities are 8.7% lower. When it comes to transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous activities, these are all cheaper in Katy. Median home prices in Katy are $362,000, which is 14.7% less than in Sugar Land.
Overall, the costs of living in Sugar Land are not just higher than in Katy but also then the rest of Texas. The greatest expense belongs to housing which is $384,000 in Sugar Land. The median home cost on average in Texas is $243,000. However, no matter the expensive housing prices, more than 80% of inhabitants are homeowners. Renters in this area can expect to pay around $1,775, which is more than the national average. Because of its location on the outskirts of Houston, you can expect here higher transportation costs than in Katy. Before you hire long distance movers Texas offers, you need to know that here you will pay higher grocery costs. Healthcare and utilities are a bit cheaper and are closer to the Texas and US median costs.
Both places have a promising job market
When thinking about Katy vs Sugar Land and the job market, Texas, in general, has a fast-growing job market, which applies to these two suburbs as well. There is a lower poverty rate in Sugar Land than in other cities in the United States. Hire long distance movers Terrell Hills TX trusts, and you will have the chance to experience the booming job market in Katy. Commuters can get to Houston in only 30 minutes, which means access to abundant employment opportunities. In addition, living in Katy will free you from big city costs. The port of Houston is an appealing destination for Fortune 500 companies. Many employers, such as Sysco, Conoco Phillips, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, have their headquarters in Houston.
Just like Katy, Sugar Land has a flourishing job market, with the median income of Sugar Land’s residents being $105,400. Job growth in Sugar Land has increased by 14.3% in the past 10 years. The most in-demand job positions in this suburb are Sales Associate, Assistant Manager, Store Manager, Shift Supervisor, and Customer Service Representative. It appears that companies in Sugar Land have a particular interest in sales associates. There are more than 600 current positions as sale associate. Many people that live in Katy work in “The Energy Corridor” or Sugar Land. The travel time during rush hour to reach Downtown is around 1 hour.
Katy vs Sugar Land: which one is safer?
When moving to a certain place, especially with a family, you would like to know how safe the place is. According to recent crime reports, Sugar Land seems to be safer than Katy. Both areas have a rate of B+, which means that the crime rate is lower than the average US city. Katy has a greater crime rate score than Sugar land. Before hiring interstate movers in Spring TX, you need to know that the rate of crime in Katy is 17.99 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. Residents in Katy consider the northern part safer than the rest of it. However, no matter the crime statistics, this remains to be one of the most thriving communities in Texas.
Just like Katy, Sugar Land has a “B+“ rating when it comes to crime rates in Texas and in comparison to the national average. This city is safer than slightly more than half of the average cities in the United States. Violent crimes and property crimes are low. What brings the crime score down includes drugs and vandalism. The rate of crime in Sugar Land is 22.95 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. Just like the other areas, this city has some more and less safe neighborhoods. The northern part of the city is safer, just like in Katy, while the southern part reports a greater crime rate.
The educational options
Katy features some of the greatest schooling options in the country. According to GreatSchools.org, all public schools in Katy come with the final ranking of 9 out of 10 points. The same applies to private and charter schools in Katy. Schools like Memorial Parkway Elementary and Mayde Creek High School got the ranking of National Blue Ribbon Schools from the U.S. Department of Education. Hire long distance movers in San Antonio and provide your children with one of the greatest educations in Texas. In 2019, Lamar Consolidated Independent School District received an overall school rating of A from the Texas Education Agency.
Sugar Land is located in the Fort Bend ISD school district. Unlike Katy, which has almost all schools with a ranking of 9, schools in Sugar Land have only two schools with such a ranking. Education and the schools in Sugar Land have a “C-” rating. On a state and national level, this is still a good school ranking. In addition, your child can still receive a good education in this area. 35% of the population of the area has a Bachelor’s Degree, while there are more than 165,000 students enrolled in colleges and universities in Sugar Land.
Popular neighborhoods
We can divide Katy into three major areas: East, West, and North Katy. All three areas are different in regard to school ranking, home prices, and tax ranking. The east side of Grand Parkway is older, is closer to Houston, and has a shorter commute time. The area west of Grand Parkway is newer and has modern homes around high-scoring schools. If you wish to be close to the lovely elementary school Katy Elementary in Old Katy, hire long distance movers in Austin TX. In addition, in east Katy, there is also the Energy Corridor.
Sugar Land neighborhoods are mostly master-planned communities with tree-lined streets, parks, playgrounds, community pools, and tennis courts. Most neighborhoods are divided into subdivisions. Each of the divisions has its own school ranking, price, and tax rates. Some of the most popular neighborhoods in Sugar Land are Avalon Sugar Land, Commonwealth Sugar Land, First Colony Sugar Land, Greatwood Sugar Land, etc. For example, New Territory Sugar Land is a neighborhood that has more than 40 subdivisions. It has more than 5000 homes in traditional style and is among the most popular in Sugar Land.
Things to do in Katy
Once Kathy was a City of Churches. Nowadays, this is still a traditional family-friendly suburb that boasts beautiful homes. Your kids will certainly have fun in Katy. Therefore, hire long distance movers Houston offers and get your kids to one of the most fantastic water parks, Typhoon Texas. For a more relaxing time, residents can stroll through downtown Katy’s monthly Market Day. You can shop in retail centers along Katy Fort Bend Road. Katy Asian Town offers dining, a celebration of the Chinese New Year, including open markets and comic events. There are many parks in the Katy area. Some of the most popular parks and recreation centers include Katy Dog Park, Exploration Park, Willow Fork Park, and Mary Jo Peckham Community Center. One of the most popular festivals is the annual Katy Rice Harvest Festival. For two days, it offers a carnival, food, crafts, and entertainment.
Fun things to do in Sugar Land
A top draw of the area is the Houston Natural Science Museum of Sugar Land. It offers a T-Rex, saltwater aquarium, and digital dome tent. In the Sugar Land Town Square, you will find plenty of entrainment and dining options. If you wish to taste fish, Mexican food, tasty grill, or Indian food, you can taste them in the area of Sugar Land Town Square. Just like in Katy, your children will have lots of fun. You can visit Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center which is a child-size city with many interactive options. Some of the most popular parks not to miss are Oyster Creek Park and Sugar Land Memorial Park.
When thinking about Katy vs Sugar Land, it is not an easy choice. Both areas offer great living opportunities and are suitable for families with children. If you are looking for good schools, plenty of job opportunities and things to do for fun, whichever area you choose you can rest assured that you will make a good choice.
