Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Surprise leads 12 of 22 categories
Port St. Lucie
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,040
Violent Crime Index
31
Population
210,520 ✓ Larger
Surprise
Arizona
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,756 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
29 ✓ Safer
Population
145,591
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $60k less ($292,900 vs $352,600)
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 105°F
Rent averages $138/mo less ($1,684 vs $1,822)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 65°F
Cons
Median income trails Surprise by $12,716/yr
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.6%)
Surprise, AZ
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $12,716 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.6%)
More college-educated — 31.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $352,600
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Higher rents — median is $1,822/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Port St. Lucie
Median Home Value
$60k less
$292,900 vs $352,600
Surprise
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 101.2 vs 101.7 (100 = US avg)
Surprise
Median Income
$12,716
$87,756 vs $75,040/yr
Surprise
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.7% unemployment
Surprise
Summer Heat
16.0°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 88.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Port St. Lucie, FL | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.7⚠ High | 101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $292,900 ✓ Lower | $352,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,684⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,822⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,040 | $87,756 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% | 14.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 33 ✓ Safer | 34 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 42 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B- (95) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.2% | 31.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% | 93.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LUCIE | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer | 65.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 210,520 ✓ Larger | 145,591 |
| Median Age | 43.5 ✓ Older | 41.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.8% ✓ Higher | 78.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.4% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Port St. Lucie's cost of living index is 101.7 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
Surprise is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Surprise leads 12 of 22 categories. Port St. Lucie wins 10 and Surprise 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 Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($292,900 vs $352,600 median home), income ($75,040 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Port St. Lucie, FL and Surprise, AZ are about 1,951 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.