City comparison
No. Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 193 in Durham, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 163, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Durham is cheaper. Median rent is $1,508 a month versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Safety is where Durham and Port St Lucie split most clearly. Port St Lucie scores 155 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,508 in Durham and $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. Durham is the easier city on typical rent, but Port St Lucie can still be the better daily fit depending on schools, safety, and climate. Both are defensible choices for different reasons.
The rent gap is real but neighborhoods matter. Durham at $1,508 average has pockets that run $1,308 and others at $1,908: your actual number depends on which part of the city you land in.
The move
Durham and Port St Lucie are 607 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,508 a month in Durham to $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie, up $429 a month (28%).
Median household income goes from $81,619 in Durham to $80,648 in Port St Lucie, down $971 (1%).
The crime index goes from 193 in Durham to 38 in Port St Lucie, down 155 points (80%).
The move
Port St Lucie and Durham are 607 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie to $1,508 a month in Durham, down $429 a month (22%).
Median household income goes from $80,648 in Port St Lucie to $81,619 in Durham, up $971 (1%).
The crime index goes from 38 in Port St Lucie to 193 in Durham, up 155 points (408%).
Durham, NC
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 Durham and Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
22% cheaper
Durham rent is 22% cheaper than Port St Lucie
Durham
Winner$1,508/mo
Port St Lucie
$1,937/mo
Typical rent runs $1,508 a month in Durham versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie, so Durham is 22% cheaper. That's roughly $429/month back in your pocket ($5,148/year). Over five years that's $25,740 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Port St Lucie, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Durham is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.
Planning to buy in Durham? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
1% higher
Durham's median income is 1% higher than Port St Lucie
Durham
Winner$81,619
Port St Lucie
$80,648
Median household income is $81,619 in Durham versus $80,648 in Port St Lucie, so typical pay runs 1% higher in Durham (about $971 more household income a year). The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.
Crime index
80% lower crime
Port St Lucie's crime index is 80% lower than Durham
Durham
193 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie
Winner38 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 193 in Durham (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 80% 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. Durham can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
20% more comfortable
Port St Lucie weather is 20% more comfortable than Durham
Durham
59°F avg · 68°F highs · comfort 83/100
Port St Lucie
Winner72°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Durham averages about 59°F (68°F highs); Port St Lucie averages about 72°F (76°F highs). Durham averages around 59°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 20% 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 Durham 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
Durham is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 22% cheaper here at about $1,508 a month. Choose Durham if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Durham is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 1% higher here ($81,619). Start with Durham 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
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 Durham on this page's weather index by 20%. Durham 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 80% lower than Durham (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 40/100 in Durham). Typical rent is $1,937 in Port St Lucie and $1,508 in Durham; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Safety still diverges (89/100 in Port St Lucie vs 40/100 in Durham), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Weather averages land near 59°F in Durham and 72°F in Port St Lucie.
Most movers who prioritize safety land in Port St Lucie; Durham only makes sense when you have walked the Durham ZIP you would rent and accept the trade for $1,508 rent.
Common questions
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Next steps
Quotes and listings for Durham when you're ready to act.
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Durham and Port St Lucie, plus other cities in NC and FL.
