Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY
VS
Port St. Lucie, FL
🏆 Lexington-Fayette urban county leads 12 of 23 categories
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Kentucky
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,087
Violent Crime Index
69
Population
321,276 ✓ 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.
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY
Pros
Rent averages $619/mo less ($1,065 vs $1,684)
Violent crime is well below the national average (262.0 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $45k less ($247,900 vs $292,900)
More college-educated — 46.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.0%)
Cons
Median income trails Port St. Lucie by $8,953/yr
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
55% less violent crime than Lexington-Fayette urban county
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 42°F
Households earn $8,953 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 5.0%)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Lexington-Fayette urban county
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 93.1 vs 101.7 (100 = US avg)
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Median Home Value
$45k less
$247,900 vs $292,900
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.7% unemployment
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$8,953
$75,040 vs $66,087/yr
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
55% lower
116.7 vs 262.0 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY | Port St. Lucie, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.1 ✓ Cheaper | 101.7⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $247,900 ✓ Lower | $292,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,065 ✓ Lower | $1,684⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $66,087 | $75,040 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.8 min ✓ Shorter | 29.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.6% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 33 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 69 | 31 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.5% ✓ Higher | 26.2% |
| High School or Higher | 92.2% ✓ Higher | 90.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fayette County | ST. LUCIE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.3°F | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.9°F | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.8" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 14.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 321,276 ✓ Larger | 210,520 |
| Median Age | 35.2 | 43.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.3% | 82.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.2% | 21.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lexington-Fayette urban county's cost of living index is 93.1 vs Port St. Lucie's 101.7 (US average = 100).
Lexington-Fayette urban county is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lexington-Fayette urban county leads 12 of 23 categories. Lexington-Fayette urban county 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 Lexington-Fayette urban county to Port St. Lucie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($247,900 vs $292,900 median home), income ($66,087 vs $75,040), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY and Port St. Lucie, FL are about 780 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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