Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Downey, CA
VS
Port St. Lucie, FL
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 18 of 22 categories
Downey
California
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,236 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
121⚠ High
Population
113,052
Port St. Lucie
Florida
18
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.
Downey, CA
Pros
Households earn $9,196 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 89°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $679,000
Violent crime (460.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
Homes cost $386k less ($292,900 vs $679,000)
75% less violent crime than Downey
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Downey
Rent averages $130/mo less ($1,684 vs $1,814)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 67°F
Cons
Median income trails Downey by $9,196/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Downey
Median Income
$9,196
$84,236 vs $75,040/yr
Port St. Lucie
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.7 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
75% lower
116.7 vs 460.5 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Median Home Value
$386k less
$292,900 vs $679,000
Port St. Lucie
Summer Heat
7.2°F warmer
July avg high 88.6°F vs 81.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Downey, CA | Port St. Lucie, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $679,000⚠ High | $292,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,814⚠ High | $1,684⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $84,236 ✓ Higher | $75,040 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.3 min⚠ High | 29.2 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.2% | 9.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 123⚠ High | 33 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 121⚠ High | 31 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (88) | B- (92) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 19.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.2% | 26.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 80.2% | 90.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Downey Unified | ST. LUCIE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.2" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 113,052 | 210,520 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 43.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 82.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.6% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 21.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Downey's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Port St. Lucie's 101.7 (US average = 100).
Port St. Lucie is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 18 of 22 categories. Downey wins 4 and Port St. Lucie wins 18. 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 Downey to Port St. Lucie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($679,000 vs $292,900 median home), income ($84,236 vs $75,040), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Downey, CA and Port St. Lucie, FL are about 2,278 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.