Port St. Lucie FL vs San Diego CA — 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%

San Diego, CA

California · Population: 1,385,061

  • Median HH Income$104,321
  • Median Home Price$1,006,261
  • Unemployment5.9%
  • Bachelor's+49.9%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Port St. Lucie
220,453
San Diego
1,385,061
San Diego +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Port St. Lucie
N/A
San Diego
N/A
Median Age
Port St. Lucie
43.7
San Diego
36.0
San Diego +
Foreign Born
Port St. Lucie
19.5%
San Diego
24.8%
San Diego +
White
Port St. Lucie
60.0%
Port St. Lucie +
San Diego
50.4%
Black
Port St. Lucie
19.2%
Port St. Lucie +
San Diego
5.7%
Asian
Port St. Lucie
2.2%
San Diego
17.6%
San Diego +
Hispanic
Port St. Lucie
23.0%
San Diego
29.6%
San Diego +
Spanish at Home
Port St. Lucie
N/A
San Diego
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Port St. Lucie
$78,137
San Diego
$104,321
San Diego +
Per Capita Income
Port St. Lucie
$36,352
San Diego
$54,678
San Diego +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Port St. Lucie
$65,328
San Diego
$77,230
San Diego +
Unemployment Rate
Port St. Lucie
5.5%
Port St. Lucie +
San Diego
5.9%
Poverty Rate
Port St. Lucie
8.5%
Port St. Lucie +
San Diego
11.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
Port St. Lucie
26.8%
San Diego
49.9%
San Diego +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Port St. Lucie
$327,700
Port St. Lucie +
San Diego
$1,006,261
Homeownership Rate
Port St. Lucie
83.2%
Port St. Lucie +
San Diego
47.6%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Port St. Lucie
324
Port St. Lucie +
San Diego
503
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Port St. Lucie
1453
Port St. Lucie +
San Diego
2388

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Port St. Lucie
30.5%
San Diego
24.2%
San Diego +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Port St. Lucie
13.1%
San Diego
9.2%
San Diego +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Port St. Lucie
16.6%
San Diego
16.5%
San Diego +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Port St. Lucie
14.5%
San Diego
8.5%
San Diego +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Port St. Lucie
14.5%
Port St. Lucie +
San Diego
16.9%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Port St. Lucie
12.9%
San Diego
9.3%
San Diego +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Port St. Lucie
N/A
San Diego
61.6°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Port St. Lucie
N/A
San Diego
12.3 in

Air Quality

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

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Port St. Lucie
32.0 min
San Diego
25.9 min
San Diego +

Which City is Right for You?

San Diego leads in median household income at $104,321, while port St. Lucie offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $327,700. On public safety, Port St. Lucie is safer with a violent crime rate of 324 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in San Diego. Port St. Lucie has a lower unemployment rate at 5.5%, and Port St. Lucie has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, San Diego scores better with a lower obesity rate of 24.2%.

Compare More Cities

About Port St. Lucie & San Diego