Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Alexandria, VA
VS
Port St. Lucie, FL
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 14 of 23 categories
Alexandria
Virginia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$113,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58
Population
157,594
Port St. Lucie
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,040
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
210,520 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Alexandria, VA
Pros
Households earn $38,139 more per year on average
More college-educated — 66.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (3.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (219.1 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $655,700
Higher rents — median is $1,983/mo
Property crime (2640.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
Homes cost $363k less ($292,900 vs $655,700)
47% less violent crime than Alexandria
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $299/mo less ($1,684 vs $1,983)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 45°F
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Alexandria
Cons
Median income trails Alexandria by $38,139/yr
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Alexandria
Median Income
$38,139
$113,179 vs $75,040/yr
Alexandria
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.7% unemployment
Port St. Lucie
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 101.7 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
47% lower
116.7 vs 219.1 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Median Home Value
$363k less
$292,900 vs $655,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Alexandria, VA | Port St. Lucie, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $655,700⚠ High | $292,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,983⚠ High | $1,684⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $113,179 ✓ Higher | $75,040 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.1 min⚠ High | 29.2 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.1% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 33 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 | 31 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 66.0% ✓ Higher | 26.2% |
| High School or Higher | 93.7% ✓ Higher | 90.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Alexandria City Public Schools | ST. LUCIE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 157,594 | 210,520 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 43.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.7% | 82.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 21.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Alexandria's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Port St. Lucie's 101.7 (US average = 100).
Port St. Lucie is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 14 of 23 categories. Alexandria wins 9 and Port St. Lucie wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Alexandria to Port St. Lucie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($655,700 vs $292,900 median home), income ($113,179 vs $75,040), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Alexandria, VA and Port St. Lucie, FL are about 820 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.