Port St. Lucie FL vs Rochester MN — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Port St. Lucie, FL

Florida · Population: 220,453

  • Median HH Income$78,137
  • Median Home Price$327,700
  • Unemployment5.5%
  • Bachelor's+26.8%

Rochester, MN

Minnesota · Population: 26,509

  • Median HH Income$127,247
  • Median Home Price$344,633
  • Unemployment3.2%
  • Bachelor's+50.3%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Port St. Lucie
220,453
Port St. Lucie +
Rochester
26,509
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Port St. Lucie
N/A
Rochester
N/A
Median Age
Port St. Lucie
43.7
Rochester
38.7
Rochester +
Foreign Born
Port St. Lucie
19.5%
Port St. Lucie +
Rochester
7.1%
White
Port St. Lucie
60.0%
Rochester
82.9%
Rochester +
Black
Port St. Lucie
19.2%
Port St. Lucie +
Rochester
3.6%
Asian
Port St. Lucie
2.2%
Rochester
5.2%
Rochester +
Hispanic
Port St. Lucie
23.0%
Port St. Lucie +
Rochester
3.9%
Spanish at Home
Port St. Lucie
N/A
Rochester
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Port St. Lucie
$78,137
Rochester
$127,247
Rochester +
Per Capita Income
Port St. Lucie
$36,352
Rochester
$57,602
Rochester +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Port St. Lucie
$65,328
Rochester
$69,467
Rochester +
Unemployment Rate
Port St. Lucie
5.5%
Rochester
3.2%
Rochester +
Poverty Rate
Port St. Lucie
8.5%
Rochester
2.9%
Rochester +
Bachelor's Degree+
Port St. Lucie
26.8%
Rochester
50.3%
Rochester +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Port St. Lucie
$327,700
Port St. Lucie +
Rochester
$344,633
Homeownership Rate
Port St. Lucie
83.2%
Rochester
86.6%
Rochester +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Port St. Lucie
324
Rochester
284
Rochester +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Port St. Lucie
1453
Port St. Lucie +
Rochester
1992

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Port St. Lucie
30.5%
Port St. Lucie +
Rochester
36.4%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Port St. Lucie
13.1%
Rochester
9.2%
Rochester +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Port St. Lucie
16.6%
Rochester
14.3%
Rochester +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Port St. Lucie
14.5%
Rochester
7.1%
Rochester +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Port St. Lucie
14.5%
Port St. Lucie +
Rochester
16.0%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Port St. Lucie
12.9%
Rochester
11.4%
Rochester +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Port St. Lucie
N/A
Rochester
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Port St. Lucie
N/A
Rochester
34.0 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Port St. Lucie
7.2 µg/m³
Port St. Lucie +
Rochester
8.1 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Port St. Lucie
75.0%
Rochester
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Port St. Lucie
32.0 min
Rochester
28.3 min
Rochester +

Which City is Right for You?

Rochester leads in median household income at $127,247, while port St. Lucie offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $327,700. On public safety, Rochester is safer with a violent crime rate of 284 per 100,000 residents, compared to 324 in Port St. Lucie. Rochester has a lower unemployment rate at 3.2%, and Port St. Lucie has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Port St. Lucie scores better with a lower obesity rate of 30.5%.

Compare More Cities

About Port St. Lucie & Rochester