City comparison
No. Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 107 in Santa Ana, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 121, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Port St Lucie is cheaper. Median rent is $1,937 a month versus $2,082 in Santa Ana.
Safety is where Santa Ana and Port St Lucie split most clearly. Port St Lucie scores 69 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $2,082 in Santa Ana and $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
This is a genuine split. Santa Ana wins on the job market and Port St Lucie wins on cost of living and 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 Santa Ana has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Santa Ana and Port St Lucie are 2,264 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $2,082 a month in Santa Ana to $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie, down $145 a month (7%).
Median household income goes from $93,999 in Santa Ana to $80,648 in Port St Lucie, down $13,351 (14%).
The crime index goes from 107 in Santa Ana to 38 in Port St Lucie, down 69 points (64%).
The move
Port St Lucie and Santa Ana are 2,264 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie to $2,082 a month in Santa Ana, up $145 a month (7%).
Median household income goes from $80,648 in Port St Lucie to $93,999 in Santa Ana, up $13,351 (17%).
The crime index goes from 38 in Port St Lucie to 107 in Santa Ana, up 69 points (182%).
Santa Ana, CA
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 Santa Ana and Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
7% cheaper
Port St Lucie rent is 7% cheaper than Santa Ana
Santa Ana
$2,082/mo
Port St Lucie
Winner$1,937/mo
Typical rent runs $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie versus $2,082 in Santa Ana, so Port St Lucie is 7% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $145, or $1,740 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
17% higher
Santa Ana's median income is 17% higher than Port St Lucie
Santa Ana
Winner$93,999
Port St Lucie
$80,648
Median household income is $93,999 in Santa Ana versus $80,648 in Port St Lucie, so typical pay runs 17% higher in Santa Ana (about $13,351 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, Santa Ana 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
64% lower crime
Port St Lucie's crime index is 64% lower than Santa Ana
Santa Ana
107 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie
Winner38 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 107 in Santa Ana (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 64% 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. Santa Ana can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Santa Ana and Port St Lucie are about even on typical weather.
Santa Ana
72°F avg · 78°F highs · comfort 100/100
Port St Lucie
72°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Santa Ana averages about 72°F (78°F highs); Port St Lucie averages about 72°F (76°F highs). Santa Ana sits near 72°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
Santa Ana is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 17% higher here ($93,999). Start with Santa Ana 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 clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 7% 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 64% lower than Santa Ana (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
Safety is the widest gap: Port St Lucie scores 89/100 versus 58/100 in Santa Ana. Rent is $1,937/month in Port St Lucie and $2,082/month in Santa Ana, so you are not buying calm streets for free.
Port St Lucie rent at $1,937/month is still below Santa Ana's $2,082, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Typical rent stays $1,937 in Port St Lucie and $2,082 in Santa Ana.
Port St Lucie is ahead on safety (89/100 vs 58/100); Santa Ana is still viable when you have a vetted ZIP there and $2,082/month rent plus $93,999 income fit your budget better than the safety margin.
Common questions
Ready to move to Port St Lucie?
Next steps
Quotes and listings for Port St Lucie when you're ready to act.
Keep researching
Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Santa Ana and Port St Lucie, plus other cities in CA and FL.
