Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL
VS
Winston-Salem, NC
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 12 of 23 categories
Port St. Lucie
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,040 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
210,520
Winston-Salem
North Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,416
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
249,571 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
86% less violent crime than Winston-Salem
Households earn $20,624 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 49°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.7%)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Winston-Salem
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Winston-Salem, NC
Pros
Rent averages $728/mo less ($956 vs $1,684)
Homes cost $106k less ($187,400 vs $292,900)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Port St. Lucie
More college-educated — 35.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Cons
Median income trails Port St. Lucie by $20,624/yr
Violent crime (809.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2921.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$20,624
$75,040 vs $54,416/yr
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
86% lower
116.7 vs 809.7 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.7% vs 6.2% unemployment
Winston-Salem
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 101.7 (100 = US avg)
Winston-Salem
Median Home Value
$106k less
$187,400 vs $292,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Port St. Lucie, FL | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.7⚠ High | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $292,900 | $187,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,684⚠ High | $956 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,040 ✓ Higher | $54,416 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% | 10.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 33 ✓ Safer | 183⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.4:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.2% | 35.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% ✓ Higher | 87.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LUCIE | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer | 48.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 43.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 210,520 | 249,571 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 43.5 ✓ Older | 35.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.8% ✓ Higher | 53.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 23.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.4% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Port St. Lucie's cost of living index is 101.7 vs Winston-Salem's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Winston-Salem is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 12 of 23 categories. Port St. Lucie wins 12 and Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($292,900 vs $187,400 median home), income ($75,040 vs $54,416), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Port St. Lucie, FL and Winston-Salem, NC are about 610 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.