Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Murrieta, CA
VS
Port St. Lucie, FL
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 16 of 23 categories
Murrieta
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,925 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48
Population
111,899
Port St. Lucie
Florida
16
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.
Murrieta, CA
Pros
Households earn $31,885 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (183.7 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 29.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $567,700
Higher rents — median is $2,150/mo
Higher unemployment (6.7% vs 5.7%)
Longer commutes — 35.0 min average each way
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
Homes cost $275k less ($292,900 vs $567,700)
36% less violent crime than Murrieta
Rent averages $466/mo less ($1,684 vs $2,150)
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (5.7%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Murrieta by $31,885/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Murrieta
Median Income
$31,885
$106,925 vs $75,040/yr
Port St. Lucie
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 101.7 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
36% lower
116.7 vs 183.7 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Median Home Value
$275k less
$292,900 vs $567,700
Port St. Lucie
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
5.7% vs 6.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Murrieta, CA | Port St. Lucie, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $567,700⚠ High | $292,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,150⚠ High | $1,684⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $106,925 ✓ Higher | $75,040 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.7%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.0 min⚠ High | 29.2 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.2% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 47 | 33 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 | 31 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 | 36 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.4:1 | 19.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 26.2% |
| High School or Higher | 92.5% ✓ Higher | 90.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Murrieta Valley Unified | ST. LUCIE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.5°F | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.2°F | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.9" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 111,899 | 210,520 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 43.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.5% | 82.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 27.2% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 21.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Murrieta's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Port St. Lucie's 101.7 (US average = 100).
Port St. Lucie is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 16 of 23 categories. Murrieta wins 7 and Port St. Lucie wins 16. 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 Murrieta to Port St. Lucie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($567,700 vs $292,900 median home), income ($106,925 vs $75,040), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Murrieta, CA and Port St. Lucie, FL are about 2,223 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.