Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lafayette, LA
VS
Port St. Lucie, FL
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 12 of 22 categories
Lafayette
Louisiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,850
Violent Crime Index
281⚠ High
Population
121,706
Port St. Lucie
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,040 ✓ Higher
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.
Lafayette, LA
Pros
Rent averages $662/mo less ($1,022 vs $1,684)
Homes cost $58k less ($234,900 vs $292,900)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Port St. Lucie
More college-educated — 40.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.0)
Cons
Violent crime (1066.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Port St. Lucie by $16,190/yr
Property crime (4347.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
89% less violent crime than Lafayette
Households earn $16,190 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 62°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Lafayette
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Lafayette
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 87.0 vs 101.7 (100 = US avg)
Lafayette
Median Home Value
$58k less
$234,900 vs $292,900
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$16,190
$75,040 vs $58,850/yr
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
89% lower
116.7 vs 1066.1 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lafayette, LA | Port St. Lucie, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 87.0 ✓ Cheaper | 101.7⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $234,900 ✓ Lower | $292,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,022 ✓ Lower | $1,684⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,850 | $75,040 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter | 29.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.4% | 9.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 251⚠ High | 33 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 281⚠ High | 31 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 207⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.0% ✓ Higher | 26.2% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 90.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lafayette Parish | ST. LUCIE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.5°F | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer | 88.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 64.7" | 60.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,706 | 210,520 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.9 | 43.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.3% | 82.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.2% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 16.7% | 21.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lafayette's cost of living index is 87.0 vs Port St. Lucie's 101.7 (US average = 100).
Lafayette is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 12 of 22 categories. Lafayette wins 10 and Port St. Lucie wins 12. 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 Lafayette to Port St. Lucie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($234,900 vs $292,900 median home), income ($58,850 vs $75,040), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lafayette, LA and Port St. Lucie, FL are about 733 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.