Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL
VS
Trenton, NJ
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 17 of 23 categories
Port St. Lucie
Florida
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,040 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
210,520 ✓ Larger
Trenton
New Jersey
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$44,444
Violent Crime Index
270⚠ High
Population
90,055
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
89% less violent crime than Trenton
Households earn $30,596 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.5 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 40°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
Trenton, NJ
Pros
Homes cost $182k less ($111,200 vs $292,900)
Rent averages $507/mo less ($1,177 vs $1,684)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Port St. Lucie by $30,596/yr
Violent crime (1025.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (10.2% vs 5.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$30,596
$75,040 vs $44,444/yr
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
89% lower
116.7 vs 1025.9 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Unemployment
4.5 pp lower
5.7% vs 10.2% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 101.7 on the COL index
Trenton
Median Home Value
$182k less
$111,200 vs $292,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Port St. Lucie, FL | Trenton, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 102.1⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $292,900 | $111,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,684⚠ High | $1,177 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,040 ✓ Higher | $44,444 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High | 26.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% ✓ Higher | 5.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 33 ✓ Safer | 206⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 270⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) ✓ Better | C (75) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.4:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 15.6% |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LUCIE | Trenton Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer | 39.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer | 86.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 47.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 26.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 210,520 ✓ Larger | 90,055 |
| Median Age | 43.5 ✓ Older | 35.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.8% ✓ Higher | 38.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 25.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.4% ✓ More | 12.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Port St. Lucie's cost of living index is 101.7 vs Trenton's 102.1 (US average = 100).
Port St. Lucie is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 17 of 23 categories. Port St. Lucie wins 17 and Trenton wins 6. 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 Trenton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($292,900 vs $111,200 median home), income ($75,040 vs $44,444), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Port St. Lucie, FL and Trenton, NJ are about 950 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.