Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL
VS
Sioux Falls, SD
🏆 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
Sioux Falls
South Dakota
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,785
Violent Crime Index
139⚠ High
Population
193,401
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
78% less violent crime than Sioux Falls
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 25°F
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $3,255 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Sioux Falls
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 2.3%)
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Sioux Falls, SD
Pros
Rent averages $719/mo less ($965 vs $1,684)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.4 pts lower (2.3%)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Homes cost $43k less ($250,000 vs $292,900)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Port St. Lucie
More college-educated — 37.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (526.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2915.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Median income trails Port St. Lucie by $3,255/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$3,255
$75,040 vs $71,785/yr
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
78% lower
116.7 vs 526.7 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Summer Heat
3.8°F warmer
July avg high 88.6°F vs 84.8°F
Sioux Falls
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 90.3 vs 101.7 (100 = US avg)
Sioux Falls
Median Home Value
$43k less
$250,000 vs $292,900
Sioux Falls
Unemployment
3.4 pp lower
2.3% vs 5.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Port St. Lucie, FL | Sioux Falls, SD |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.7⚠ High | 90.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $292,900 | $250,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,684⚠ High | $965 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,040 ✓ Higher | $71,785 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 2.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 33 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.4:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.2% | 37.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% | 93.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LUCIE | Sioux Falls School District 49-5 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer | 25.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer | 84.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 28.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 45.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 210,520 ✓ Larger | 193,401 |
| Median Age | 43.5 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.8% ✓ Higher | 60.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.4% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Port St. Lucie's cost of living index is 101.7 vs Sioux Falls's 90.3 (US average = 100).
Sioux Falls is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 12 of 23 categories. Port St. Lucie wins 12 and Sioux Falls 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 Sioux Falls or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($292,900 vs $250,000 median home), income ($75,040 vs $71,785), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Port St. Lucie, FL and Sioux Falls, SD are about 1,447 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.