City comparison
No. Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 90 in Laredo, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 99, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Laredo is cheaper. Median rent is $1,030 a month versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Safety is where Laredo and Port St Lucie split most clearly. Port St Lucie scores 52 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,030 in Laredo and $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
This is a genuine split. Laredo wins on cost of living and Port St Lucie wins on the job market and safety. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The rent gap is real but neighborhoods matter. Laredo at $1,030 average has pockets that run $830 and others at $1,430: your actual number depends on which part of the city you land in.
The move
Laredo and Port St Lucie are 1,174 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,030 a month in Laredo to $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie, up $907 a month (88%).
Median household income goes from $63,915 in Laredo to $80,648 in Port St Lucie, up $16,733 (26%).
The crime index goes from 90 in Laredo to 38 in Port St Lucie, down 52 points (58%).
The move
Port St Lucie and Laredo are 1,174 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie to $1,030 a month in Laredo, down $907 a month (47%).
Median household income goes from $80,648 in Port St Lucie to $63,915 in Laredo, down $16,733 (21%).
The crime index goes from 38 in Port St Lucie to 90 in Laredo, up 52 points (137%).
Laredo, TX
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 Laredo and Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
47% cheaper
Laredo rent is 47% cheaper than Port St Lucie
Laredo
Winner$1,030/mo
Port St Lucie
$1,937/mo
Typical rent runs $1,030 a month in Laredo versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie, so Laredo is 47% cheaper. That's roughly $907/month back in your pocket ($10,884/year). Over five years that's $54,420 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, Laredo is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.
Planning to buy in Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
26% higher
Port St Lucie's median income is 26% higher than Laredo
Laredo
$63,915
Port St Lucie
Winner$80,648
Median household income is $80,648 in Port St Lucie versus $63,915 in Laredo, so typical pay runs 26% higher in Port St Lucie (about $16,733 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, Port St Lucie is the stronger labor market on paper. Laredo can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
58% lower crime
Port St Lucie's crime index is 58% lower than Laredo
Laredo
90 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie
Winner38 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 90 in Laredo (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 58% 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. Laredo can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Laredo and Port St Lucie are about even on typical weather.
Laredo
73°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Port St Lucie
72°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Laredo averages about 73°F (81°F highs); Port St Lucie averages about 72°F (76°F highs). Laredo sits near 73°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
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Laredo
Laredo is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 47% cheaper here at about $1,030 a month. Choose Laredo if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Port St Lucie is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 26% higher here ($80,648). Start with Port St Lucie if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
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 58% lower than Laredo (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
Housing separates these metros first: $1,030/month in Laredo versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie. Median income reads $63,915 in Laredo and $80,648 in Port St Lucie, which matters when you stack rent against take-home pay.
Laredo rent at $1,030/month is still below Port St Lucie's $1,937, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Median income is $80,648 in Port St Lucie versus $63,915 in Laredo.
Laredo clears the bar on housing cost in this dataset. Port St Lucie deserves a serious look only when your $80,648 income offer in Port St Lucie outweighs saving $907/month in Laredo.
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