City comparison
Yes. Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 79 in Scottsdale, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 48, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Port St Lucie is cheaper. Median rent is $1,937 a month versus $2,013 in Scottsdale.
Safety is where Port St Lucie and Scottsdale split most clearly. Port St Lucie scores 41 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,937 in Port St Lucie and $2,013 in Scottsdale.
This is a genuine split. Port St Lucie wins on cost of living and safety and Scottsdale wins on the job market. 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 Scottsdale has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Port St Lucie and Scottsdale are 1,921 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie to $2,013 a month in Scottsdale, up $76 a month (4%).
Median household income goes from $80,648 in Port St Lucie to $110,886 in Scottsdale, up $30,238 (37%).
The crime index goes from 38 in Port St Lucie to 79 in Scottsdale, up 41 points (108%).
The move
Scottsdale and Port St Lucie are 1,921 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $2,013 a month in Scottsdale to $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie, down $76 a month (4%).
Median household income goes from $110,886 in Scottsdale to $80,648 in Port St Lucie, down $30,238 (27%).
The crime index goes from 79 in Scottsdale to 38 in Port St Lucie, down 41 points (52%).
Port St Lucie, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Scottsdale, AZ
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Port St Lucie and Scottsdale? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
4% cheaper
Port St Lucie rent is 4% cheaper than Scottsdale
Port St Lucie
Winner$1,937/mo
Scottsdale
$2,013/mo
Typical rent runs $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie versus $2,013 in Scottsdale, so Port St Lucie is 4% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $76, or $912 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 Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
37% higher
Scottsdale's median income is 37% higher than Port St Lucie
Port St Lucie
$80,648
Scottsdale
Winner$110,886
Median household income is $110,886 in Scottsdale versus $80,648 in Port St Lucie, so typical pay runs 37% higher in Scottsdale (about $30,238 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, Scottsdale 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
52% lower crime
Port St Lucie's crime index is 52% lower than Scottsdale
Port St Lucie
Winner38 (100 = avg)
Scottsdale
79 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 79 in Scottsdale (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 52% 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. Scottsdale can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Port St Lucie and Scottsdale are about even on typical weather.
Port St Lucie
72°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Scottsdale
74°F avg · 80°F highs · comfort 100/100
Port St Lucie averages about 72°F (76°F highs); Scottsdale averages about 74°F (80°F highs). Port St Lucie sits near 72°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Scottsdale sits near 74°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
Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy
Port St Lucie is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 4% cheaper here at about $1,937 a month. Choose Port St Lucie if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
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 52% lower than Scottsdale (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.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Scottsdale is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 37% higher here ($110,886). Start with Scottsdale if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Bottom line
Scottsdale carries the heavier crime signal on this page (67/100 safety vs 89/100 in Port St Lucie). That 22-point spread matters more than the $76 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Port St Lucie rent at $1,937/month is still below Scottsdale's $2,013, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Typical rent stays $1,937 in Port St Lucie and $2,013 in Scottsdale.
Pick Port St Lucie when you want the stronger safety signal (89/100). Otherwise, Scottsdale's case rests on a Scottsdale ZIP you trust at $2,013 rent.
Common questions
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