City comparison
No. Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 147 in Boston, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 175, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Port St Lucie is cheaper. Median rent is $1,937 a month versus $2,147 in Boston.
Safety is where Boston and Port St Lucie split most clearly. Port St Lucie scores 109 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $2,147 in Boston and $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Port St Lucie is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, safety, and weather by margins that add up in daily life. Boston makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Port St Lucie is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Port St Lucie has rougher pockets and Boston has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Boston and Port St Lucie are 1,165 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $2,147 a month in Boston to $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie, down $210 a month (10%).
Median household income goes from $97,344 in Boston to $80,648 in Port St Lucie, down $16,696 (17%).
The crime index goes from 147 in Boston to 38 in Port St Lucie, down 109 points (74%).
The move
Port St Lucie and Boston are 1,165 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie to $2,147 a month in Boston, up $210 a month (11%).
Median household income goes from $80,648 in Port St Lucie to $97,344 in Boston, up $16,696 (21%).
The crime index goes from 38 in Port St Lucie to 147 in Boston, up 109 points (287%).
Boston, MA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Port St Lucie, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Boston and Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
10% cheaper
Port St Lucie rent is 10% cheaper than Boston
Boston
$2,147/mo
Port St Lucie
Winner$1,937/mo
Typical rent runs $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie versus $2,147 in Boston, so Port St Lucie is 10% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,520, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Port St Lucie still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Boston.
Planning to buy in Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
21% higher
Boston's median income is 21% higher than Port St Lucie
Boston
Winner$97,344
Port St Lucie
$80,648
Median household income is $97,344 in Boston versus $80,648 in Port St Lucie, so typical pay runs 21% higher in Boston (about $16,696 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Boston is the stronger labor market on paper. Port St Lucie can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
74% lower crime
Port St Lucie's crime index is 74% lower than Boston
Boston
147 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie
Winner38 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 147 in Boston (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 74% lower in Port St Lucie. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Port St Lucie is the easier city. Boston can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
72% more comfortable
Port St Lucie weather is 72% more comfortable than Boston
Boston
50°F avg · 56°F highs · comfort 58/100
Port St Lucie
Winner72°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Boston averages about 50°F (56°F highs); Port St Lucie averages about 72°F (76°F highs). Boston averages around 50°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Port St Lucie sits near 72°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Port St Lucie scores 72% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Boston if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Boston is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 21% higher here ($97,344). Start with Boston if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Port St Lucie is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 10% cheaper here at about $1,937 a month. Choose Port St Lucie if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Pick Port St Lucie if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (72°F) beat Boston on this page's weather index by 72%. Boston may pay more or cost less, but Port St Lucie is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Port St Lucie is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 74% lower than Boston (38 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
Crime and safety tilt toward Port St Lucie: Port St Lucie scores 89/100 versus 48/100 in Boston, with typical rent at $1,937 versus $2,147. I would vet the exact ZIP in Boston before trading 41 safety points for housing savings.
Safety still diverges (89/100 in Port St Lucie vs 48/100 in Boston), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Median income is $97,344 in Boston versus $80,648 in Port St Lucie.
Pick Port St Lucie when you want the stronger safety signal (89/100). Otherwise, Boston's case rests on a Boston ZIP you trust at $2,147 rent.
Common questions
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