Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL
VS
Salt Lake City, UT
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 12 of 23 categories
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
Salt Lake City
Utah
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,357
Violent Crime Index
227⚠ High
Population
201,269
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
86% less violent crime than Salt Lake City
Homes cost $166k less ($292,900 vs $458,600)
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 40°F
Households earn $2,683 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.6%)
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, UT
Pros
Rent averages $430/mo less ($1,254 vs $1,684)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (3.6%)
More college-educated — 50.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Port St. Lucie
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $458,600
Violent crime (864.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5200.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 49" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$2,683
$75,040 vs $72,357/yr
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
86% lower
116.7 vs 864.2 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Median Home Value
$166k less
$292,900 vs $458,600
Salt Lake City
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 97.7 vs 101.7 (100 = US avg)
Salt Lake City
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
3.6% vs 5.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Port St. Lucie, FL | Salt Lake City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.7⚠ High | 97.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $292,900 ✓ Lower | $458,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,684⚠ High | $1,254 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,040 ✓ Higher | $72,357 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 3.6% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High | 19.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% | 15.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 33 ✓ Safer | 236⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 227⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B+ (105) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.4:1 | 18.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.2% | 50.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% | 91.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LUCIE | Salt Lake District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer | 39.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 91.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 17.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 49.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 210,520 ✓ Larger | 201,269 |
| Median Age | 43.5 ✓ Older | 32.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.8% ✓ Higher | 47.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% ✓ More | 18.0% |
| Over 65 | 21.4% ✓ More | 11.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Port St. Lucie's cost of living index is 101.7 vs Salt Lake City's 97.7 (US average = 100).
Salt Lake City is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 12 of 23 categories. Port St. Lucie wins 12 and Salt Lake City 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 Port St. Lucie to Salt Lake City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($292,900 vs $458,600 median home), income ($75,040 vs $72,357), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Port St. Lucie, FL and Salt Lake City, UT are about 2,017 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.