City comparison
Port St Lucie is safer than Nashville. Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 282 in Nashville, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 309, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Nashville is cheaper. Median rent is $1,586 a month versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Safety is where Nashville and Port St Lucie split most clearly. Port St Lucie scores 244 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,586 in Nashville and $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Port St Lucie is not a close call here. It leads on the job market, safety, and weather by margins that add up in daily life. Nashville 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 rent gap is real but neighborhoods matter. Nashville at $1,586 average has pockets that run $1,386 and others at $1,986: your actual number depends on which part of the city you land in.
The move
Nashville and Port St Lucie are 720 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,586 a month in Nashville to $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie, up $351 a month (22%).
Median household income goes from $77,371 in Nashville to $80,648 in Port St Lucie, up $3,277 (4%).
The crime index goes from 282 in Nashville to 38 in Port St Lucie, down 244 points (87%).
The move
Port St Lucie and Nashville are 720 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie to $1,586 a month in Nashville, down $351 a month (18%).
Median household income goes from $80,648 in Port St Lucie to $77,371 in Nashville, down $3,277 (4%).
The crime index goes from 38 in Port St Lucie to 282 in Nashville, up 244 points (642%).
Nashville, TN
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 Nashville and Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
18% cheaper
Nashville rent is 18% cheaper than Port St Lucie
Nashville
Winner$1,586/mo
Port St Lucie
$1,937/mo
Typical rent runs $1,586 a month in Nashville versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie, so Nashville is 18% 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 $4,212, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Nashville still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Port St Lucie.
Planning to buy in Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
4% higher
Port St Lucie's median income is 4% higher than Nashville
Nashville
$77,371
Port St Lucie
Winner$80,648
Median household income is $80,648 in Port St Lucie versus $77,371 in Nashville, so typical pay runs 4% higher in Port St Lucie (about $3,277 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
87% lower crime
Port St Lucie's crime index is 87% lower than Nashville
Nashville
282 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie
Winner38 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 282 in Nashville (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 87% 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. Nashville 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 Nashville
Nashville
59°F avg · 69°F highs · comfort 83/100
Port St Lucie
Winner75°F avg · 80°F highs · comfort 100/100
Nashville averages about 59°F (69°F highs); Port St Lucie averages about 75°F (80°F highs). Nashville averages around 59°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Port St Lucie sits near 75°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 Nashville if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Nashville
Nashville is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 18% cheaper here at about $1,586 a month. Choose Nashville 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 plus year-round outdoor access
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 4% higher ($80,648), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 75°F). That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
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 87% lower than Nashville (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 28/100 in Nashville). Typical rent is $1,937 in Port St Lucie and $1,586 in Nashville; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Port St Lucie still pays more locally ($80,648 median income vs $77,371), which can offset the lease if your field pays Port St Lucie rates.
Weather averages land near 59°F in Nashville and 75°F in Port St Lucie.
Port St Lucie is ahead on safety (89/100 vs 28/100); Nashville is still viable when you have a vetted ZIP there and $1,586/month rent plus $77,371 income fit your budget better than the safety margin.
Common questions
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