City comparison
No. Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 62 in Plano, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 43, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Plano is cheaper. Median rent is $1,841 a month versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Safety is where Plano and Port St Lucie split most clearly. Port St Lucie scores 24 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,841 in Plano and $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
This is a genuine split. Plano 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 Plano has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Plano and Port St Lucie are 1,052 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,841 a month in Plano to $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie, up $96 a month (5%).
Median household income goes from $112,253 in Plano to $80,648 in Port St Lucie, down $31,605 (28%).
The crime index goes from 62 in Plano to 38 in Port St Lucie, down 24 points (39%).
The move
Port St Lucie and Plano are 1,052 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie to $1,841 a month in Plano, down $96 a month (5%).
Median household income goes from $80,648 in Port St Lucie to $112,253 in Plano, up $31,605 (39%).
The crime index goes from 38 in Port St Lucie to 62 in Plano, up 24 points (63%).
Plano, 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 Plano and Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
5% cheaper
Plano rent is 5% cheaper than Port St Lucie
Plano
Winner$1,841/mo
Port St Lucie
$1,937/mo
Typical rent runs $1,841 a month in Plano versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie, so Plano is 5% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $96, or $1,152 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 Plano? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
39% higher
Plano's median income is 39% higher than Port St Lucie
Plano
Winner$112,253
Port St Lucie
$80,648
Median household income is $112,253 in Plano versus $80,648 in Port St Lucie, so typical pay runs 39% higher in Plano (about $31,605 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, Plano 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
39% lower crime
Port St Lucie's crime index is 39% lower than Plano
Plano
62 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie
Winner38 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 62 in Plano (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 39% 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. Plano can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Plano and Port St Lucie are about even on typical weather.
Plano
69°F avg · 77°F highs · comfort 100/100
Port St Lucie
72°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Plano averages about 69°F (77°F highs); Port St Lucie averages about 72°F (76°F highs). Plano sits near 69°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
Plano is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 5% cheaper here at about $1,841 a month. Choose Plano if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Plano is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 39% higher here ($112,253). Start with Plano 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 39% lower than Plano (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 Plano). Typical rent is $1,937 in Port St Lucie and $1,841 in Plano; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
With only $96 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Typical rent stays $1,841 in Plano and $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Port St Lucie is ahead on safety (89/100 vs 75/100); Plano is still viable when you have a vetted ZIP there and $1,841/month rent plus $112,253 income fit your budget better than the safety margin.
Common questions
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Nearby research
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