City comparison
Yes. Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 203 in Winston Salem, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 225, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Winston Salem is cheaper. Median rent is $1,087 a month versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Safety is where Port St Lucie and Winston Salem split most clearly. Port St Lucie scores 165 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 $1,087 in Winston Salem.
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. Winston Salem 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. Winston Salem at $1,087 average has pockets that run $887 and others at $1,487: your actual number depends on which part of the city you land in.
The move
Port St Lucie and Winston Salem are 608 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie to $1,087 a month in Winston Salem, down $850 a month (44%).
Median household income goes from $80,648 in Port St Lucie to $59,268 in Winston Salem, down $21,380 (27%).
The crime index goes from 38 in Port St Lucie to 203 in Winston Salem, up 165 points (434%).
The move
Winston Salem and Port St Lucie are 608 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,087 a month in Winston Salem to $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie, up $850 a month (78%).
Median household income goes from $59,268 in Winston Salem to $80,648 in Port St Lucie, up $21,380 (36%).
The crime index goes from 203 in Winston Salem to 38 in Port St Lucie, down 165 points (81%).
Port St Lucie, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Winston Salem, NC
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Port St Lucie and Winston Salem? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
44% cheaper
Winston Salem rent is 44% cheaper than Port St Lucie
Port St Lucie
$1,937/mo
Winston Salem
Winner$1,087/mo
Typical rent runs $1,087 a month in Winston Salem versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie, so Winston Salem is 44% cheaper. That's roughly $850/month back in your pocket ($10,200/year). Over five years that's $51,000 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Port St Lucie, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Winston Salem is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.
Planning to buy in Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
36% higher
Port St Lucie's median income is 36% higher than Winston Salem
Port St Lucie
Winner$80,648
Winston Salem
$59,268
Median household income is $80,648 in Port St Lucie versus $59,268 in Winston Salem, so typical pay runs 36% higher in Port St Lucie (about $21,380 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, Port St Lucie is the stronger labor market on paper. Winston Salem can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
81% lower crime
Port St Lucie's crime index is 81% lower than Winston Salem
Port St Lucie
Winner38 (100 = avg)
Winston Salem
203 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 203 in Winston Salem (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 81% 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. Winston Salem can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
27% more comfortable
Port St Lucie weather is 27% more comfortable than Winston Salem
Port St Lucie
Winner72°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 99/100
Winston Salem
57°F avg · 67°F highs · comfort 78/100
Port St Lucie averages about 72°F (76°F highs); Winston Salem averages about 57°F (67°F highs). Port St Lucie sits near 72°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Winston Salem averages around 57°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Port St Lucie scores 27% 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 Winston Salem if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
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 36% higher ($80,648), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 72°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 81% lower than Winston Salem (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 Winston Salem
Winston Salem is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 44% cheaper here at about $1,087 a month. Choose Winston Salem if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Bottom line
Safety is the widest gap: Port St Lucie scores 89/100 versus 38/100 in Winston Salem. Rent is $1,937/month in Port St Lucie and $1,087/month in Winston Salem, so you are not buying calm streets for free.
Port St Lucie still pays more locally ($80,648 median income vs $59,268), which can offset the lease if your field pays Port St Lucie rates.
Median income is $80,648 in Port St Lucie versus $59,268 in Winston Salem.
Between Port St Lucie and Winston Salem, Port St Lucie is ahead on safety — 89/100 safety versus 38/100. Lean Winston Salem instead when you already know the Winston Salem block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
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