Port St. Lucie, FL, known as "The Jewel of the Treasure Coast," is renowned for its beautiful coastal scenery and tranquil living. Located on the southeastern coast of Florida, Port St. Lucie is approximately 50 miles north of West Palm Beach and 115 miles southeast of Orlando. This medium-sized city offers a blend of suburban charm and coastal living, making it an attractive place to reside.
Port St. Lucie's climate features hot, humid summers and mild, pleasant winters, ideal for enjoying outdoor activities year-round. The city boasts numerous parks and recreational areas, including the scenic Savannas Preserve State Park and the expansive Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens, which offer trails, gardens, and opportunities for boating and fishing.
The cultural scene in Port St. Lucie is vibrant, with attractions like the Civic Center, the Port St. Lucie Historical Society, and the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Event Center. The city hosts a variety of events and festivals throughout the year, including the Port St. Lucie Seafood Festival and the St. Lucie County Fair, celebrating the city's cultural and culinary achievements.
Education is a priority in Port St. Lucie, with institutions like Indian River State College providing higher education opportunities. The city's public and private schools are highly regarded, making Port St. Lucie an attractive place for families. The presence of healthcare institutions, such as the Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital, supports a strong job market.
Living in Port St. Lucie combines the benefits of a coastal lifestyle with a high quality of life. Residents enjoy access to excellent healthcare facilities, diverse dining options, and a range of housing choices. The city's efficient public transportation system and well-maintained infrastructure make commuting and exploring the area convenient. With its natural beauty, cultural richness, and welcoming atmosphere, Port St. Lucie offers a dynamic and fulfilling living experience.
Cost Of Living
Taking into account the cost of goods and services like housing, groceries, transportation and utilities, the overall cost of living in this area is well below average.
Housing
High scores in the housing category are a distinguishing feature of this area, possibly driven by a favorable home affordability ratio, higher home values and appreciation rates.
Ratings
Based on recent surveys and polls, locals gave high marks in the walkability to local amenities, safety, public transit, friendliness of neighbors and overall sense of community in the area.
Amenities
The majority of amenities are not ideally located within walking distance. To access these amenities, residents may be required to rely on a vehicle or public transit.
Commute
A low commute score could be due to longer-than-average work commutes and the limited availability of public transportation in this area.
Health & Safety
The low score in this category could be due to challenges related to air quality and the limited accessibility of health-related facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, doctors and pharmacies.
Port St. Lucie is a large city located in the state of Florida. The city has a population of 203,094 residents. If we take a look at the last Census, the vast majority of the population falls within one racial group (72% White). Given that fact, Port St. Lucie could be considered less diverse than other cities. The average American spends about 26 minutes on their one way commute to work each day. Lower travel times can increase overall happiness and allow for more time to be spent with family and friends. While living in Port St. Lucie, your commute times will be about average, with a one way commute time of 29 minutes.
Living in Port St. Lucie can be a good experience for anyone relocating to the town. Having said that, in the state of Florida, there are many amazing places to live, so choose wisely! When searching for a new neighborhood, several factors play a vital role in determining its suitability. Safety should be a top priority, ensuring a secure environment with low crime rates. Proximity to your workplace or school helps minimize commuting time and allows for a better work-life balance. Availability of essential amenities such as parks, coffee shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities contributes to convenience and well-being. Access to reliable public transportation options facilitates easy commuting and connectivity. Additionally, considering the sense of community and the overall atmosphere that resonates with your lifestyle and preferences fosters a harmonious living experience. Finding the best places to live in Port St. Lucie and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes crime, cost of living, education and other important metrics.
The livability score in Port St. Lucie is 68 out of 100 and the city is ranked in the 68th percentile of all cities across America. There are nine total categories that create the livability score. Port St. Lucie scores well for crime (A+), cost of living (A), employment (B-) and housing (A+) The bad news for Port St. Lucie, there are some categories for which it does not rank well, this includes: amenities (F).
Finding affordable real estate and housing in Port St. Lucie can be tricky. Having said that, this area might be the place to get the best of both worlds. Based on factors like home/rental affordability and appreciation rates, this area has received an above average score in the housing category. A healthy real estate market can lead to wealth appreciation for property owners, as rising property values can contribute to homeowners' equity, financial stability and the ability to build long-term wealth.
Assuming that Port St. Lucie meets all of your requirements like low crime rates, good schools and great local amenities, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in Port St. Lucie. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in Port St. Lucie are simply unattainable. Median real estate prices in Port St. Lucie come in at $398,028, which is 32.9% higher than the Florida average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Port St. Lucie, the home price to income ratio is 4.2, which is 0% lower than the Florida average.
Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.
| Statistic | Port St. Lucie | Florida | National |
| Average one way commute | 29min | 27min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 81.4% | 79.5% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 9.5% | 9.3% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 0.2% | 2.1% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.3% | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 1.8% | 1.5% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 5.2% | 5.4% | 4.6% |
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