Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Port St. Lucie
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,040 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
210,520
Wichita
Kansas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High
Population
395,951 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
78% less violent crime than Wichita
Households earn $14,328 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 44°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Wichita
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Wichita, KS
Pros
Rent averages $769/mo less ($915 vs $1,684)
Homes cost $127k less ($166,400 vs $292,900)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Port St. Lucie
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
More college-educated — 31.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Port St. Lucie by $14,328/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$14,328
$75,040 vs $60,712/yr
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
78% lower
116.7 vs 538.6 per 100k
Wichita
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 101.7 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Median Home Value
$127k less
$166,400 vs $292,900
Wichita
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 92.6°F vs 88.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Port St. Lucie, FL | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.7⚠ High | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $292,900 | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,684⚠ High | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,040 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 33 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 142⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.4:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.2% | 31.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LUCIE | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer | 43.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 35.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 12.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 210,520 | 395,951 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 43.5 ✓ Older | 35.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.8% ✓ Higher | 58.5% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 24.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.4% ✓ More | 15.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Port St. Lucie's cost of living index is 101.7 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Port St. Lucie wins 11 and Wichita 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 Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($292,900 vs $166,400 median home), income ($75,040 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Port St. Lucie, FL and Wichita, KS are about 1,219 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.