City comparison
Yes. Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 165 in St Petersburg, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 167, using 2024-2025 FBI data for Port St Lucie and 2023 FBI data for St Petersburg.
St Petersburg is cheaper. Median rent is $1,663 a month versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Safety is where Port St Lucie and St Petersburg split most clearly. Port St Lucie scores 127 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 $1,663 in St Petersburg.
This is a genuine split. Port St Lucie wins on the job market and safety and St Petersburg wins on cost of living. 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 St Petersburg has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Port St Lucie and St Petersburg are 149 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie to $1,663 a month in St Petersburg, down $274 a month (14%).
Median household income goes from $80,648 in Port St Lucie to $75,192 in St Petersburg, down $5,456 (7%).
The crime index goes from 38 in Port St Lucie to 165 in St Petersburg, up 127 points (334%).
The move
St Petersburg and Port St Lucie are 149 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,663 a month in St Petersburg to $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie, up $274 a month (16%).
Median household income goes from $75,192 in St Petersburg to $80,648 in Port St Lucie, up $5,456 (7%).
The crime index goes from 165 in St Petersburg to 38 in Port St Lucie, down 127 points (77%).
Port St Lucie, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
St Petersburg, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Port St Lucie and St Petersburg? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
14% cheaper
St Petersburg rent is 14% cheaper than Port St Lucie
Port St Lucie
$1,937/mo
St Petersburg
Winner$1,663/mo
Typical rent runs $1,663 a month in St Petersburg versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie, so St Petersburg is 14% 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 $3,288, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. St Petersburg 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
7% higher
Port St Lucie's median income is 7% higher than St Petersburg
Port St Lucie
Winner$80,648
St Petersburg
$75,192
Median household income is $80,648 in Port St Lucie versus $75,192 in St Petersburg, so typical pay runs 7% higher in Port St Lucie (about $5,456 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
77% lower crime
Port St Lucie's crime index is 77% lower than St Petersburg
Port St Lucie
Winner38 (100 = avg)
St Petersburg
165 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 165 in St Petersburg (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 77% 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. St Petersburg 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 St Petersburg are about even on typical weather.
Port St Lucie
72°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
St Petersburg
77°F avg · 82°F highs · comfort 100/100
Port St Lucie averages about 72°F (76°F highs); St Petersburg averages about 77°F (82°F highs). Port St Lucie sits near 72°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. St Petersburg sits near 77°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
Port St Lucie is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 7% 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 77% lower than St Petersburg (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
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to St Petersburg
St Petersburg is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 14% cheaper here at about $1,663 a month. Choose St Petersburg if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Bottom line
Crime and safety tilt toward Port St Lucie: Port St Lucie scores 89/100 versus 45/100 in St Petersburg, with typical rent at $1,937 versus $1,663. I would vet the exact ZIP in St Petersburg before trading 44 safety points for housing savings.
Port St Lucie still pays more locally ($80,648 median income vs $75,192), which can offset the lease if your field pays Port St Lucie rates.
Median income is $80,648 in Port St Lucie versus $75,192 in St Petersburg.
If safety drives your move, Port St Lucie is the stronger match (89/100 safety versus 45/100). If an employer or family tie already points to St Petersburg, treat $1,663/month rent and $75,192 income as the numbers that actually govern the decision.
Common questions
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