Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL
VS
Tallahassee, FL
🏆 Tallahassee leads 11 of 19 categories
Port St. Lucie
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,040 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31
Population
210,520 ✓ Larger
Tallahassee
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,899
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,259
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
Households earn $22,141 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 64°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Tallahassee
Tallahassee, FL
Pros
Rent averages $519/mo less ($1,165 vs $1,684)
More college-educated — 49.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Homes cost $37k less ($256,400 vs $292,900)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Port St. Lucie
Smaller class sizes — 17.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Port St. Lucie by $22,141/yr
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$22,141
$75,040 vs $52,899/yr
Port St. Lucie
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.7% vs 6.5% unemployment
Tallahassee
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 95.3 vs 101.7 (100 = US avg)
Tallahassee
Median Home Value
$37k less
$256,400 vs $292,900
Tallahassee
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 88.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Port St. Lucie, FL | Tallahassee, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.7⚠ High | 95.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $292,900 | $256,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,684⚠ High | $1,165 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,040 ✓ Higher | $52,899 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% | 11.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 33 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | A- (113) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.4:1 | 17.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.2% | 49.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% | 93.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LUCIE | LEON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer | 63.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 57.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 210,520 ✓ Larger | 198,259 |
| Median Age | 43.5 ✓ Older | 27.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.8% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% ✓ More | 16.7% |
| Over 65 | 21.4% ✓ More | 11.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Port St. Lucie's cost of living index is 101.7 vs Tallahassee's 95.3 (US average = 100).
Tallahassee is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Tallahassee leads 11 of 19 categories. Port St. Lucie wins 8 and Tallahassee 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 Tallahassee or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($292,900 vs $256,400 median home), income ($75,040 vs $52,899), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Port St. Lucie, FL and Tallahassee, FL are about 321 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.