City comparison
No. Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 187 in Long Beach, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 189, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Long Beach is cheaper. Median rent is $1,871 a month versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Safety is where Long Beach and Port St Lucie split most clearly. Port St Lucie scores 149 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,871 in Long Beach and $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
This is a genuine split. Long Beach 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 Long Beach has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Long Beach and Port St Lucie are 2,283 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,871 a month in Long Beach to $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie, up $66 a month (4%).
Median household income goes from $87,430 in Long Beach to $80,648 in Port St Lucie, down $6,782 (8%).
The crime index goes from 187 in Long Beach to 38 in Port St Lucie, down 149 points (80%).
The move
Port St Lucie and Long Beach are 2,283 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie to $1,871 a month in Long Beach, down $66 a month (3%).
Median household income goes from $80,648 in Port St Lucie to $87,430 in Long Beach, up $6,782 (8%).
The crime index goes from 38 in Port St Lucie to 187 in Long Beach, up 149 points (392%).
Long Beach, CA
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 Long Beach and Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
3% cheaper
Long Beach rent is 3% cheaper than Port St Lucie
Long Beach
Winner$1,871/mo
Port St Lucie
$1,937/mo
Typical rent runs $1,871 a month in Long Beach versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie, so Long Beach is 3% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $66, or $792 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 Long Beach? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
8% higher
Long Beach's median income is 8% higher than Port St Lucie
Long Beach
Winner$87,430
Port St Lucie
$80,648
Median household income is $87,430 in Long Beach versus $80,648 in Port St Lucie, so typical pay runs 8% higher in Long Beach (about $6,782 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 Long Beach
Long Beach
187 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie
Winner38 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 187 in Long Beach (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. Long Beach can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Long Beach and Port St Lucie are about even on typical weather.
Long Beach
76°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Port St Lucie
72°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Long Beach averages about 76°F (81°F highs); Port St Lucie averages about 72°F (76°F highs). Long Beach sits near 76°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
Long Beach is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 3% cheaper here at about $1,871 a month. Choose Long Beach if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Long Beach is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 8% higher here ($87,430). Start with Long Beach 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 80% lower than Long Beach (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
Safety is the widest gap: Port St Lucie scores 89/100 versus 41/100 in Long Beach. Rent is $1,937/month in Port St Lucie and $1,871/month in Long Beach, so you are not buying calm streets for free.
With only $66 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Typical rent stays $1,871 in Long Beach and $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Between Long Beach and Port St Lucie, Port St Lucie is ahead on safety — 89/100 safety versus 41/100. Lean Long Beach instead when you already know the Long Beach block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
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Nearby research
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