City comparison
No. Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 61 in Chandler, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 38, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Chandler is cheaper. Median rent is $1,902 a month versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Safety is where Chandler and Port St Lucie split most clearly. Port St Lucie scores 23 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,902 in Chandler and $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
This is a genuine split. Chandler wins on cost of living and the job market and Port St Lucie wins on safety. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The crime gap is citywide. Port St Lucie has rougher pockets and Chandler has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Chandler and Port St Lucie are 1,916 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,902 a month in Chandler to $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie, up $35 a month (2%).
Median household income goes from $108,095 in Chandler to $80,648 in Port St Lucie, down $27,447 (25%).
The crime index goes from 61 in Chandler to 38 in Port St Lucie, down 23 points (38%).
The move
Port St Lucie and Chandler are 1,916 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie to $1,902 a month in Chandler, down $35 a month (2%).
Median household income goes from $80,648 in Port St Lucie to $108,095 in Chandler, up $27,447 (34%).
The crime index goes from 38 in Port St Lucie to 61 in Chandler, up 23 points (61%).
Chandler, AZ
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 Chandler and Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
2% cheaper
Chandler rent is 2% cheaper than Port St Lucie
Chandler
Winner$1,902/mo
Port St Lucie
$1,937/mo
Typical rent runs $1,902 a month in Chandler versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie, so Chandler is 2% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $35, or $420 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Chandler? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
34% higher
Chandler's median income is 34% higher than Port St Lucie
Chandler
Winner$108,095
Port St Lucie
$80,648
Median household income is $108,095 in Chandler versus $80,648 in Port St Lucie, so typical pay runs 34% higher in Chandler (about $27,447 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, Chandler 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
38% lower crime
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38% lower than Chandler
Chandler
61 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie
Winner38 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 61 in Chandler (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 38% 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. Chandler can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Chandler and Port St Lucie are about even on typical weather.
Chandler
80°F avg · 87°F highs · comfort 100/100
Port St Lucie
72°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Chandler averages about 80°F (87°F highs); Port St Lucie averages about 72°F (76°F highs). Chandler sits near 80°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Port St Lucie sits near 72°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Chandler is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 2% cheaper here at about $1,902 a month. Choose Chandler if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Chandler is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 34% higher here ($108,095). Start with Chandler if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Fit check
Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy
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 38% lower than Chandler (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
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Port St Lucie leads on safety (89/100 vs 75/100 in Chandler). Typical rent is $1,937 in Port St Lucie and $1,902 in Chandler; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
With only $35 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Typical rent stays $1,902 in Chandler and $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Most movers who prioritize safety land in Port St Lucie; Chandler only makes sense when you have walked the Chandler ZIP you would rent and accept the trade for $1,902 rent.
Common questions
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Next steps
Quotes and listings for Chandler when you're ready to act.
Keep researching
Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Chandler and Port St Lucie, plus other cities in AZ and FL.
