Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL
VS
Suffolk, VA
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 14 of 23 categories
Port St. Lucie
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,040
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
210,520 ✓ Larger
Suffolk
Virginia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,758 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
98
Population
94,856
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
69% less violent crime than Suffolk
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 49°F
Homes cost $22k less ($292,900 vs $314,400)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Median income trails Suffolk by $12,718/yr
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Suffolk
Suffolk, VA
Pros
Rent averages $308/mo less ($1,376 vs $1,684)
Households earn $12,718 more per year on average
More college-educated — 32.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Port St. Lucie
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $314,400
Key Differences at a Glance
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
69% lower
116.7 vs 371.0 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Median Home Value
$22k less
$292,900 vs $314,400
Port St. Lucie
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.7% vs 6.3% unemployment
Suffolk
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 101.7 (100 = US avg)
Suffolk
Median Income
$12,718
$87,758 vs $75,040/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Port St. Lucie, FL | Suffolk, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.7⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $292,900 ✓ Lower | $314,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,684⚠ High | $1,376⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,040 | $87,758 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 29.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% ✓ Higher | 7.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 33 ✓ Safer | 89 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 75 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B (99) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.4:1 | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.2% | 32.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% | 91.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LUCIE | Suffolk City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer | 49.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer | 86.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 51.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 5.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 210,520 ✓ Larger | 94,856 |
| Median Age | 43.5 ✓ Older | 38.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.8% ✓ Higher | 70.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.4% ✓ More | 14.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Port St. Lucie's cost of living index is 101.7 vs Suffolk's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Suffolk is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 14 of 23 categories. Port St. Lucie wins 14 and Suffolk 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 Suffolk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($292,900 vs $314,400 median home), income ($75,040 vs $87,758), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Port St. Lucie, FL and Suffolk, VA are about 687 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.