Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Baton Rouge, LA
VS
Port St. Lucie, FL
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 14 of 23 categories
Baton Rouge
Louisiana
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,155
Violent Crime Index
270⚠ High
Population
225,500 ✓ Larger
Port St. Lucie
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,040 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
210,520
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Baton Rouge, LA
Pros
Rent averages $674/mo less ($1,010 vs $1,684)
Homes cost $75k less ($217,700 vs $292,900)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Port St. Lucie
More college-educated — 36.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Median income trails Port St. Lucie by $24,885/yr
Violent crime (1027.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5852.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 5.7%)
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
89% less violent crime than Baton Rouge
Households earn $24,885 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (5.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 61°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Baton Rouge
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Baton Rouge
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 101.7 (100 = US avg)
Baton Rouge
Median Home Value
$75k less
$217,700 vs $292,900
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$24,885
$75,040 vs $50,155/yr
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
89% lower
116.7 vs 1027.7 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
5.7% vs 8.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Baton Rouge, LA | Port St. Lucie, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper | 101.7⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $217,700 ✓ Lower | $292,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,010 ✓ Lower | $1,684⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $50,155 | $75,040 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.6%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.5 min ✓ Shorter | 29.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.2% | 9.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 33 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 270⚠ High | 31 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 279⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.4% ✓ Higher | 26.2% |
| High School or Higher | 87.5% | 90.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | East Baton Rouge Parish | ST. LUCIE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.7°F | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 67.5" | 60.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 225,500 ✓ Larger | 210,520 |
| Median Age | 31.9 | 43.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.9% | 82.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% | 21.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Baton Rouge's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Port St. Lucie's 101.7 (US average = 100).
Baton Rouge is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 14 of 23 categories. Baton Rouge 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 Baton Rouge to Port St. Lucie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($217,700 vs $292,900 median home), income ($50,155 vs $75,040), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Baton Rouge, LA and Port St. Lucie, FL are about 686 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.