Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Pasadena, CA
VS
Port St. Lucie, FL
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 14 of 22 categories
Pasadena
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$97,818 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
126⚠ High
Population
137,554
Port St. Lucie
Florida
14
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.
Pasadena, CA
Pros
Households earn $22,778 more per year on average
More college-educated — 54.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.2%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $981,600
Violent crime (480.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $2,100/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
Homes cost $689k less ($292,900 vs $981,600)
76% less violent crime than Pasadena
Rent averages $416/mo less ($1,684 vs $2,100)
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Pasadena
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 68°F
Cons
Median income trails Pasadena by $22,778/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Pasadena
Median Income
$22,778
$97,818 vs $75,040/yr
Pasadena
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.2% vs 5.7% unemployment
Port St. Lucie
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 101.7 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
76% lower
116.7 vs 480.4 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Median Home Value
$689k less
$292,900 vs $981,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Pasadena, 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 | $981,600⚠ High | $292,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,100⚠ High | $1,684⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $97,818 ✓ Higher | $75,040 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.9 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 29.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 20.2% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 127⚠ High | 33 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 31 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 128⚠ High | 36 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.1:1 | 19.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 54.5% ✓ Higher | 26.2% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% | 90.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Pasadena Unified | ST. LUCIE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.1°F | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.1°F ✓ Warmer | 88.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.1" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 137,554 | 210,520 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.9 | 43.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.1% | 82.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.8% | 21.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Pasadena'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, Port St. Lucie leads 14 of 22 categories. Pasadena wins 8 and Port St. Lucie wins 14. 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 Pasadena to Port St. Lucie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($981,600 vs $292,900 median home), income ($97,818 vs $75,040), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Pasadena, CA and Port St. Lucie, FL are about 2,279 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.