City comparison
No. Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 265 in Portland, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 207, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Portland is cheaper. Median rent is $1,655 a month versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Safety is where Portland and Port St Lucie split most clearly. Port St Lucie scores 227 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,655 in Portland and $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. Portland is the easier city on typical rent, but Port St Lucie can still be the better daily fit depending on schools, safety, and climate. Both are defensible choices for different reasons.
The crime gap is citywide. Port St Lucie has rougher pockets and Portland has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Portland and Port St Lucie are 2,629 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,655 a month in Portland to $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie, up $282 a month (17%).
Median household income goes from $90,919 in Portland to $80,648 in Port St Lucie, down $10,271 (11%).
The crime index goes from 265 in Portland to 38 in Port St Lucie, down 227 points (86%).
The move
Port St Lucie and Portland are 2,629 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie to $1,655 a month in Portland, down $282 a month (15%).
Median household income goes from $80,648 in Port St Lucie to $90,919 in Portland, up $10,271 (13%).
The crime index goes from 38 in Port St Lucie to 265 in Portland, up 227 points (597%).
Portland, OR
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 Portland and Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
15% cheaper
Portland rent is 15% cheaper than Port St Lucie
Portland
Winner$1,655/mo
Port St Lucie
$1,937/mo
Typical rent runs $1,655 a month in Portland versus $1,937 in Port St Lucie, so Portland is 15% 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 $3,384, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Portland 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 Portland? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
13% higher
Portland's median income is 13% higher than Port St Lucie
Portland
Winner$90,919
Port St Lucie
$80,648
Median household income is $90,919 in Portland versus $80,648 in Port St Lucie, so typical pay runs 13% higher in Portland (about $10,271 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, Portland 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
86% lower crime
Port St Lucie's crime index is 86% lower than Portland
Portland
265 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie
Winner38 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 265 in Portland (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 86% 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. Portland can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
16% more comfortable
Port St Lucie weather is 16% more comfortable than Portland
Portland
60°F avg · 68°F highs · comfort 86/100
Port St Lucie
Winner72°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Portland averages about 60°F (68°F highs); Port St Lucie averages about 72°F (76°F highs). Portland averages around 60°F. Port St Lucie sits near 72°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Port St Lucie scores 16% 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 Portland 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 and professional growth
Portland is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 15% cheaper here at about $1,655 a month. Choose Portland if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Portland is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 13% higher here ($90,919). Start with Portland if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick Port St Lucie if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (72°F) beat Portland on this page's weather index by 16%. Portland may pay more or cost less, but Port St Lucie is the city where the forecast fights you less.
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 86% lower than Portland (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
Portland carries the heavier crime signal on this page (30/100 safety vs 89/100 in Port St Lucie). That 59-point spread matters more than the $282 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Safety still diverges (89/100 in Port St Lucie vs 30/100 in Portland), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Weather averages land near 60°F in Portland and 72°F in Port St Lucie.
If safety drives your move, Port St Lucie is the stronger match (89/100 safety versus 30/100). If an employer or family tie already points to Portland, treat $1,655/month rent and $90,919 income as the numbers that actually govern the decision.
Common questions
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Portland and Port St Lucie, plus other cities in OR and FL.
