What it's like to live in Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie is a large city in Florida with crime rates well below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a population that has grown fast since 2020.
Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next. The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly.
The good
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Above-average commute times
- Below-average hospital ratings
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
How Port St. Lucie compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Port St. Lucie
Based on Port St. Lucie's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,874
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $77,480 a year
- 59% of Port St. Lucie renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$73,840
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $36,920
- Homes cost 4.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 37% above US
$1,937/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $1,937 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices run above average, with a median around $369,200. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $369,200 · 59% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.3%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 61% below US
128 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 625/100k · Port St. Lucie Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 17% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.5 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 88°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 59°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 1.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 22% below US
28% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
29 public schools inside the boundary
There are 29 public schools inside the boundary and 13 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Big Cypress National Preserve (100 miles away).
Bottom line
Port St. Lucie's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,937/mo) equals 29% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Port St. Lucie
All Florida guides →Moving to Palm City →
10 mi away · pop. 26,371
Rent $2,013/mo · Income $125,820
Compare with Port St. Lucie →Moving to Jensen Beach →
10 mi away · pop. 12,531
Rent $1,267/mo · Income $70,884
Compare with Port St. Lucie →Moving to Fort Pierce →
10 mi away · pop. 49,082
Rent $1,217/mo · Income $47,072
Compare with Port St. Lucie →Moving to Stuart →
11 mi away · pop. 18,520
Rent $1,586/mo · Income $60,225
Compare with Port St. Lucie →Not sure Port St. Lucie is the one?
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