City comparison
No. Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 223 in Washington, and its violent crime index is 37 versus 243, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Port St Lucie is cheaper. Median rent is $1,937 a month versus $1,954 in Washington.
Safety is where Washington and Port St Lucie split most clearly. Port St Lucie scores 185 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,954 in Washington and $1,937 in Port St Lucie.
Port St Lucie is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, safety, and weather by margins that add up in daily life. Washington 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 crime gap is citywide. Port St Lucie has rougher pockets and Washington has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Washington and Port St Lucie are 824 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,954 a month in Washington to $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie, down $17 a month (1%).
Median household income goes from $109,870 in Washington to $80,648 in Port St Lucie, down $29,222 (27%).
The crime index goes from 223 in Washington to 38 in Port St Lucie, down 185 points (83%).
The move
Port St Lucie and Washington are 824 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie to $1,954 a month in Washington, up $17 a month (1%).
Median household income goes from $80,648 in Port St Lucie to $109,870 in Washington, up $29,222 (36%).
The crime index goes from 38 in Port St Lucie to 223 in Washington, up 185 points (487%).
Washington, DC
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 Washington and Port St Lucie? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
1% cheaper
Port St Lucie rent is 1% cheaper than Washington
Washington
$1,954/mo
Port St Lucie
Winner$1,937/mo
Typical rent runs $1,937 a month in Port St Lucie versus $1,954 in Washington, so Port St Lucie is 1% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $17, or $204 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
36% higher
Washington's median income is 36% higher than Port St Lucie
Washington
Winner$109,870
Port St Lucie
$80,648
Median household income is $109,870 in Washington versus $80,648 in Port St Lucie, so typical pay runs 36% higher in Washington (about $29,222 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, Washington 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
83% lower crime
Port St Lucie's crime index is 83% lower than Washington
Washington
223 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie
Winner38 (100 = avg)
Port St Lucie's crime index is 38 versus 223 in Washington (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 83% 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. Washington can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
33% more comfortable
Port St Lucie weather is 33% more comfortable than Washington
Washington
56°F avg · 63°F highs · comfort 75/100
Port St Lucie
Winner72°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Washington averages about 56°F (63°F highs); Port St Lucie averages about 72°F (76°F highs). Washington averages around 56°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. 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 33% 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 Washington 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
Washington is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 36% higher here ($109,870). Start with Washington 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
Port St Lucie is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 1% 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.
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 Washington on this page's weather index by 33%. Washington 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 83% lower than Washington (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
Washington carries the heavier crime signal on this page (36/100 safety vs 89/100 in Port St Lucie). That 53-point spread matters more than the $17 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Median income is $109,870 in Washington versus $80,648 in Port St Lucie — with rent matched, the paycheck gap matters more.
Weather averages land near 56°F in Washington and 72°F in Port St Lucie.
Pick Port St Lucie when you want the stronger safety signal (89/100). Otherwise, Washington's case rests on a Washington ZIP you trust at $1,954 rent.
Common questions
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Nearby research
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