Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL
VS
Springfield, MA
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 15 of 23 categories
Port St. Lucie
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,040 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
210,520 ✓ Larger
Springfield
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,677
Violent Crime Index
235⚠ High
Population
155,305
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
87% less violent crime than Springfield
Households earn $27,363 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.0 pts lower (5.7%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 35°F
More college-educated — 26.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Springfield
Springfield, MA
Pros
Rent averages $637/mo less ($1,047 vs $1,684)
Homes cost $94k less ($198,500 vs $292,900)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Port St. Lucie
Cons
Median income trails Port St. Lucie by $27,363/yr
Violent crime (891.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2835.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.7% vs 5.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$27,363
$75,040 vs $47,677/yr
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
87% lower
116.7 vs 891.4 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Unemployment
3.0 pp lower
5.7% vs 8.7% unemployment
Port St. Lucie
Summer Heat
3.7°F warmer
July avg high 88.6°F vs 84.9°F
Springfield
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 101.7 (100 = US avg)
Springfield
Median Home Value
$94k less
$198,500 vs $292,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Port St. Lucie, FL | Springfield, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.7⚠ High | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $292,900 | $198,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,684⚠ High | $1,047 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,040 ✓ Higher | $47,677 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High | 21.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 33 ✓ Safer | 195⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 235⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.4:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% ✓ Higher | 79.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LUCIE | Springfield |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer | 34.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer | 84.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 50.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 51.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 210,520 ✓ Larger | 155,305 |
| Median Age | 43.5 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.8% ✓ Higher | 47.8% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 24.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.4% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Port St. Lucie's cost of living index is 101.7 vs Springfield's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Springfield is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 15 of 23 categories. Port St. Lucie wins 15 and Springfield wins 8. 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 Springfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($292,900 vs $198,500 median home), income ($75,040 vs $47,677), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Port St. Lucie, FL and Springfield, MA are about 1,117 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.