Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Highlands Ranch, CO
VS
Port St. Lucie, FL
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 13 of 23 categories
Highlands Ranch
Colorado
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$148,227 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36
Population
101,514
Port St. Lucie
Florida
13
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.
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
Households earn $73,187 more per year on average
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.1 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 17.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $637,400
Higher rents — median is $2,353/mo
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
Homes cost $345k less ($292,900 vs $637,400)
Rent averages $669/mo less ($1,684 vs $2,353)
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 45°F
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Highlands Ranch
Cons
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $73,187/yr
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.4%)
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$73,187
$148,227 vs $75,040/yr
Highlands Ranch
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.7% unemployment
Port St. Lucie
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 101.7 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
15% lower
116.7 vs 138.1 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Median Home Value
$345k less
$292,900 vs $637,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Highlands Ranch, CO | Port St. Lucie, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $637,400⚠ High | $292,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,353⚠ High | $1,684⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $148,227 ✓ Higher | $75,040 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter | 29.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 | 33 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 | 31 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 | 36 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 26.2% |
| High School or Higher | 98.8% ✓ Higher | 90.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 | ST. LUCIE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.2" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,514 | 210,520 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.0 | 43.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.4% | 82.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.9% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 21.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Highlands Ranch's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Port St. Lucie's 101.7 (US average = 100).
Port St. Lucie is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 13 of 23 categories. Highlands Ranch wins 10 and Port St. Lucie wins 13. 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 Highlands Ranch to Port St. Lucie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($637,400 vs $292,900 median home), income ($148,227 vs $75,040), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Highlands Ranch, CO and Port St. Lucie, FL are about 1,643 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.