Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 12 of 22 categories
Port St. Lucie
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,040 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
210,520
St. Petersburg
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$70,333
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
259,343 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
81% less violent crime than St. Petersburg
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $4,707 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.6%)
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Rent averages $274/mo less ($1,410 vs $1,684)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.6%)
More college-educated — 40.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Port St. Lucie by $4,707/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Port St. Lucie
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 101.7 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$4,707
$75,040 vs $70,333/yr
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
81% lower
116.7 vs 619.6 per 100k
St. Petersburg
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Port St. Lucie, FL | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $292,900 | $289,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,684⚠ High | $1,410⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,040 ✓ Higher | $70,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% | 15.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 33 ✓ Safer | 145⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.4:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.2% | 40.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LUCIE | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer | 69.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 46.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 210,520 | 259,343 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 43.5 ✓ Older | 42.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.8% ✓ Higher | 62.6% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 21.4% ✓ More | 19.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Port St. Lucie's cost of living index is 101.7 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Port St. Lucie is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 12 of 22 categories. Port St. Lucie wins 10 and St. Petersburg wins 12. 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 St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($292,900 vs $289,000 median home), income ($75,040 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Port St. Lucie, FL and St. Petersburg, FL are about 142 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.