Last Updated on August 19, 2022 by Filip Poutintsev
Whether you are considering moving or simply visiting Port St Lucie, Florida, you are in the right place. The vibrant city located in the south of the state of Florida and is on the Atlantic ocean has a lot to offer. Port St Lucie may be best known for its champion golf courses, but this city has a lot more to offer.
Before relocating or deciding if you want to visit a place, it is important to find out a few basics about the place you are interested in visiting. After all, the last thing you want is to spend tons of money going to a place that you end up not liking.
To help you decide if you want to add Port St Lucie to your traveling bucket list, here is a list of the pros and cons of living in Port St Lucie, FL.
Pros and cons of Living in Port St Lucie FL at a glance
Pros
- Nature
- Sports
- Lifestyle
- Crime and poverty rates
- Education
- Connectedness to other cities
- Weather
- Political demographics
- Safety
- Retirement
- City age, gender, and race demographics
- Taxes
- Economy and job market
- Real estate
- Neighborhoods
- Family friendliness
- Traffic and transportation
Cons
- Dining, entertainment, and nightlife
- Population and population growth
- Cost of living
- Insurance
- Natural disasters
Pros of Living in Port St Lucie FL
Before deciding if you want to visit a new city, the first thing you want to make sure of is that the city has pros that will make this city. Here are just some of the pros that will help you decide if Port St Lucie, Florida, is the right city for you:
Nature
Port St Lucie has a vast amount of nature, with a wide variety of plants that grow well in this vibrant city. The city is home to approximately 20,000 acres of nature preserves, including nature and park attractions like Port St Lucie Botanical Gardens, Paleo Hammock Park, and more.
Sports
Whether you enjoy playing sports or prefer watching sports games being played live, Port St Lucie has it all. Popular sports played in this city include basketball, football, ice hockey, golf, and baseball. Several watersports are commonly played in the well-known St Lucie River you can enjoy in this city like diving, fishing, swimming, canoeing, and many more.
Lifestyle
Unlike the majority of the cities in Florida, Port St Lucie has a much more laid-back and relaxed lifestyle. The city is filled with scenic views of the beautiful St Lucie River and the green golf courses. The neighborhood is quiet, and residents have a few things to do, including visiting parks, museums, and hiking trails.
Crime and poverty rates
Port St Lucie is not only one of the safest cities in Florida but also in the whole of the US According to Neighborhood Scout, Port St Lucie has a crime index of 58% which means that it is safer than 58% of the cities in the US.
Unfortunately, The poverty rate in Port St Lucie is 15.5% which means that the city has a lower poverty level.
Education
There are a total of 67 schools in Port St Lucie, Florida. This includes 65 private schools, one public district school, and one public charter school. These schools have a good reputation and have a good record of getting students into college.
Connectedness to other cities
Port St Lucie is located in the south of Florida. The closest two main cities are Hialeah and Miami. Hialeah is about 100 miles from Port St Lucie and will only take a 1 hour and 45-minute drive. Miami is 114 miles away from Port St Lucie and will take about an hour and 48 minutes to drive to.
Weather
Florida is known for its sunny and warm weather, which is exactly what you can expect from Port St Lucie weather.
On warmer days, the temperature sits around 90℉, and on cooler days, the temperature is about 70℉. The weather is quite humid, so this is the city for you if you thrive in warmer weather.
Political demographics
There is a high number of registered voters in Port St Lucie. In 2020 the total number of voters was 217,666. In the last election, 50.4% of the voters voted Republican, 48.8 % voted Democrat, and 0.8% of voters voted Independent.
Safety
With its low crime rates, Port St Lucie is one of the safest cities to live in Florida as well as the US.
Retirement
According to US News, Port St Lucie is ranked as the 8th best place for people to retire. A few of the factors that make this city great for people looking to retire are the city’s slow-paced lifestyle and low crime rate.
City age, gender, and race demographics
The average age of citizens of Port St Lucie is 42 years old. There are approximately 14,845 citizens who are around 35 to 44 years old. More women than men live in this city.
Currently, the city’s population consists of 45,646 women and 43,123 men. The race demographics of the city include 52.7% of the citizens are White, 21.7% are Hispanic, and 17.8% are African American.
Taxes
All cities in Florida do not pay state income tax, including Port St Lucie. However, citizens who own property in this city will have to pay property taxes. The sales tax rate is 6.5%, lower than the country’s average of 7.3%.
Certain citizens in this city may also qualify for tax discounts. This includes people who are veterans, have a disability, and another factor considered is the citizen’s age.
Economy and job market
Sadly, The unemployment rate in Port St Lucie is 4.9% which is lower than the average rate in the US, which is 6%. The city is also expecting to see a growth in the job market of 42.8%. The average annual salary is $23,240.
Real estate
Real estate in Port St Lucie is quite affordable and a little cheaper than the prices of homes in other cities. The average price of a home in this city is $209,00.
Neighborhoods
There are many great neighborhoods to choose from in Port St Lucia that have different features to offer, like parks, restaurants, and shops. A few of the best neighborhoods in this city include Torino, Gatlin Pines, Canal Pointe, and Floreta Pointe.
Family friendliness
Port St Lucie is a family-friendly city, with beaches, 40 parks, and many schools to choose from. There is a lot for families to do who live in this city. Another factor that makes this city family-friendly is the city’s low crime rates.
Traffic and transportation
While there seems to be a constant amount of traffic in St Lucie, the traffic does move quite fast. There are many transportation options in Port St Lucie, including the Treasure Coast Connector, which is free. Other transport options include shuttle services, Uber, trolley, and more.
Cons of Living in Port St Lucie FL
Dining, entertainment, and nightlife
While there are a few restaurants, lounges, clubs, and bars in Port St Lucie, the city has quite a small range of options for different options.
Another factor to consider is that Port St Lucie is a family-friendly city which usually, the nightlife may be a little more relaxed compared to other cities in Florida.
Population and population growth
There are currently 222,960 people who live in Port St Lucie. The population in this city has grown around 3.26% since 2020 and 35.35% since 2010. While it is a good sign that the population is growing, a few people believe this city is becoming quite crowded.
Cost of living
Port St Lucie, Florida, is one of the more expensive cities to live in the US. The average cost of living for one person per month is about $1756. The prices of rent and restaurants are also a little higher in Port St Lucie compared to other cities in Florida.
Insurance
The cost of health insurance in Port St Lucie is more expensive than the average price of health insurance in the US. Health insurance in Port St Lucie is around 4.5% more expensive in Port St Lucie than the average cost of health insurance in the US.
Natural disasters
One of the most common natural disasters that occur in Port St Lucieise is hurricanes. In 2015 the city was heavily impacted by Hurricane Ana.
There have been 73 hurricanes recorded that have taken place in Port St Lucie since 1930. Other common natural disasters experienced in this city include flooding, lightning, tornadoes, and wildfires.
Summary
Port St Lucie has several pros that make this city a great one to visit. A few of the most important are the city’s low crime rate, family friendliness, and lifestyle.
However, it is important to consider the cons, especially the cons that have a big impact, like the higher cost of living and the high risk of hurricanes.
Now that you have all the information you need, you can make a well-informed decision if Port St Lucie, Florida, is the place for you.
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