Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL
VS
San Marcos, CA
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 13 of 22 categories
Port St. Lucie
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,040
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
210,520 ✓ Larger
San Marcos
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,413 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
59
Population
94,360
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
Homes cost $436k less ($292,900 vs $728,800)
48% less violent crime than San Marcos
Rent averages $380/mo less ($1,684 vs $2,064)
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than San Marcos
Smaller class sizes — 19.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Marcos by $24,373/yr
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.2%)
San Marcos, CA
Pros
Households earn $24,373 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (222.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.2%)
More college-educated — 41.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $728,800
Higher rents — median is $2,064/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Port St. Lucie
Key Differences at a Glance
Port St. Lucie
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 101.7 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
48% lower
116.7 vs 222.4 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Median Home Value
$436k less
$292,900 vs $728,800
San Marcos
Median Income
$24,373
$99,413 vs $75,040/yr
San Marcos
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.2% vs 5.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Port St. Lucie, FL | San Marcos, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $292,900 ✓ Lower | $728,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,684⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,064⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,040 | $99,413 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High | 26.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% | 16.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 33 ✓ Safer | 48 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 59 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 | 31 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B (100) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.2% | 41.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% ✓ Higher | 87.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LUCIE | San Marcos Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer | 68.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer | 87.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 13.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 210,520 ✓ Larger | 94,360 |
| Median Age | 43.5 ✓ Older | 35.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.8% ✓ Higher | 61.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.4% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Port St. Lucie's cost of living index is 101.7 vs San Marcos's 111.5 (US average = 100).
Port St. Lucie is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 13 of 22 categories. Port St. Lucie wins 13 and San Marcos wins 9. 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 San Marcos or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($292,900 vs $728,800 median home), income ($75,040 vs $99,413), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Port St. Lucie, FL and San Marcos, CA are about 2,222 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.