Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charlotte, NC
VS
Port St. Lucie, FL
🏆 Charlotte leads 12 of 23 categories
Charlotte
North Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,070
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045 ✓ Larger
Port St. Lucie
Florida
11
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.
Charlotte, NC
Pros
Rent averages $285/mo less ($1,399 vs $1,684)
More college-educated — 46.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.7%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Port St. Lucie
Cons
Violent crime (733.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3705.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Pricier housing — median home is $312,800
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
84% less violent crime than Charlotte
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 52°F
Homes cost $20k less ($292,900 vs $312,800)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.7%)
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Charlotte
Key Differences at a Glance
Charlotte
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 101.7 (100 = US avg)
Charlotte
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.7% unemployment
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$970
$75,040 vs $74,070/yr
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
84% lower
116.7 vs 733.2 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Median Home Value
$20k less
$292,900 vs $312,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Port St. Lucie, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper | 101.7⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $312,800⚠ High | $292,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,399⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,684⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,070 | $75,040 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 29.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 186⚠ High | 33 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 193⚠ High | 31 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 176⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.6% ✓ Higher | 26.2% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% | 90.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | ST. LUCIE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.3°F | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer | 88.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 875,045 ✓ Larger | 210,520 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 43.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.1% | 82.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.9% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 21.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charlotte's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Port St. Lucie's 101.7 (US average = 100).
Charlotte is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charlotte leads 12 of 23 categories. Charlotte wins 12 and Port St. Lucie wins 11. 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 Charlotte to Port St. Lucie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,800 vs $292,900 median home), income ($74,070 vs $75,040), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charlotte, NC and Port St. Lucie, FL are about 548 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.