Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Port St. Lucie, FL
🏆 Cape Coral leads 10 of 19 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912
Port St. Lucie
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,040 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31
Population
210,520 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.4%)
Cons
Median income trails Port St. Lucie by $2,566/yr
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $2,566 more per year on average
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.7% unemployment
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
3.0°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 88.6°F
Port St. Lucie
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 101.7 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$2,566
$75,040 vs $72,474/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Port St. Lucie, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $292,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,684⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 | $75,040 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 29.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 33 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 31 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 36 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B- (92) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 19.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 26.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 90.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | ST. LUCIE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 73.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 | 210,520 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 43.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% | 82.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 21.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Port St. Lucie's 101.7 (US average = 100).
Port St. Lucie is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 10 of 19 categories. Cape Coral wins 10 and Port St. Lucie wins 9. 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 Cape Coral to Port St. Lucie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $292,900 median home), income ($72,474 vs $75,040), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Port St. Lucie, FL are about 108 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.