Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Port St. Lucie, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Irvine
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
Port St. Lucie
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,040
Violent Crime Index
31
Population
210,520
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $47,908 more per year on average
28% less violent crime than Port St. Lucie
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
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 $733k less ($292,900 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1065/mo less ($1,684 vs $2,749)
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 68°F
Smaller class sizes — 19.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $47,908/yr
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$47,908
$122,948 vs $75,040/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
28% lower
84.0 vs 116.7 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.7 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Port St. Lucie
Median Home Value
$733k less
$292,900 vs $1,025,700
Port St. Lucie
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 88.6°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, 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 | $1,025,700⚠ High | $292,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,684⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $75,040 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 29.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 | 33 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 31 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 | 36 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 19.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 26.2% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 90.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | ST. LUCIE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 210,520 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 43.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 82.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 21.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine'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, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Irvine wins 11 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 Irvine to Port St. Lucie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $292,900 median home), income ($122,948 vs $75,040), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Port St. Lucie, FL are about 2,257 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.