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Living in
Port St. Lucie.
About
Life in Port St. Lucie
This is a city built for people who want Florida's warmth and outdoor lifestyle without the intensity of Miami or Orlando—though you'll need to accept the trade-offs that come with it. Lucie sits about two hours north of Miami, making it accessible to major metros without the chaos. The job market is solid with a 4.3 percent unemployment rate, and the median household income of around $81,000 reflects a stable, working middle-class community rather than a booming tech hub or a struggling pocket.
Port St. Lucie at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.5%
Foreign-Born
19.7%
Broadband Internet
94.9%
of households
Population Growth
+30.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics19.7% foreign-born, most often from Haiti
Who lives in Port St. Lucie: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Port St. Lucie, the largest foreign-born group is from Haiti (15.8%), and 17.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.4%
of residents
65 and Older
21.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
21.0%
of households
Married Couples
54.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.76
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 16% above FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Port St. Lucie
In Port St. Lucie, rent runs 16% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
28.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,585
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
84.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2002
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.7%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above FL average
Unemployment in Port St. Lucie
Unemployment in Port St. Lucie is 0.4 percentage points higher than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Port St. Lucie Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute30.5 min avg
How Port St. Lucie residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Port St. Lucie, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 50% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 11 mi
Witham Field (SUA)
Regional airport · few flights3,519 passengers boarded in 2025
- 45 mi
President Donald J. Trump International Airport (DJT)
Medium hub4.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 85 mi
Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
Major hub15.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 61% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Port St. Lucie runs 61% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
127.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
624.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Port St. Lucie Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 3 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
St. Lucie County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In St. Lucie County, which includes Port St. Lucie, the most common type is hail, with 3 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,000 |
| 2024 | 7 | Tropical Storm | $497.5M |
| 2023 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1,750 |
| 2022 | 13 | Tornado | $225,000 |
| 2021 | 2 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2020 | 4 | Hail | None reported |
| 2019 | 3 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 1 | Funnel Cloud | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
St. Lucie County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in St. Lucie County, which includes Port St. Lucie, is typically good — 351 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
34
Good Days
351
per year
Moderate Days
13
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
St. Lucie County, county-wide
Climate88°F summers, 59°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Port St. Lucie has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and warm winters (avg low 59°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
80°/68°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/76°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
84°/72°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
74°/59°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
60.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
37
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
138
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 73°F | 57°F | 3.12" |
| Feb | 74°F | 60°F | 2.57" |
| Mar | 77°F | 63°F | 3.68" |
| Apr | 80°F | 68°F | 2.76" |
| May | 84°F | 72°F | 4.77" |
| Jun | 87°F | 76°F | 6.96" |
| Jul | 89°F | 77°F | 5.92" |
| Aug | 89°F | 77°F | 7.91" |
| Sep | 88°F | 76°F | 9.22" |
| Oct | 85°F | 73°F | 5.82" |
| Nov | 79°F | 66°F | 3.39" |
| Dec | 75°F | 61°F | 2.80" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie has 2 hospitals, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
10.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
St Lucie Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Port St Lucie Hospital
Psychiatric · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.5 mi away · Stuart
HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.7 mi away · Fort Pierce
Coral Shores Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · 14.4 mi away · Stuart
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education20.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie's student/teacher ratio is 20.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 28.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
29
within city limits
Private Schools
13
within city limits
College Degree Rate
28.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Port St. Lucie (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 11,822 students · in-state tuition $2,764 · 44% graduate · median earnings $43,542 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Big Cypress National Preserve, 100 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Big Cypress National Preserve (100 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Big Cypress National Preserve
National Preserve
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Port St. Lucie
Morningside Branch Library
2410 Se Morningside Blvd., Port St. Lucie
Paula A. Lewis Branch
2950 Sw Rosser Blvd., Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie Branch Library
180 Sw Prima Vista Blvd., Port St. Lucie
Pruitt Campus Library
500 Nw California Blvd, Port St. Lucie
Cities Near Port St. Lucie
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Port St. Lucie?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Port St. Lucie FAQ
Is Port St. Lucie, Florida affordable?⌄
Port St. Lucie's median rent is $1,937/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $80,648/year. Median home value is $369,200.
Is Port St. Lucie, Florida safe?⌄
Port St. Lucie's violent crime rate was 128 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 625 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Port St. Lucie, Florida?⌄
Port St. Lucie has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Port St. Lucie, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Port St. Lucie is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,937/month and median household income is $80,648/year. The median home value is $369,200. About 59% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Port St. Lucie, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Port St. Lucie is 31 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from