Is Durham cheaper than Port St Lucie?

No. Port St Lucie is cheaper: typical rent is $1,103 a month versus $1,711 in Durham — 36% lower. Median household income is $74,710 in Durham compared with $72,400 in Port St Lucie, so Durham has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Durham or Port St Lucie?

Port St Lucie is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 69 versus 97 in Durham — 29% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Durham or Port St Lucie?

School composites are close: A- in Durham and A- in Port St Lucie. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Durham, NC vs Port St Lucie, FL

Durham, NC versus Port St Lucie, FL is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,711 a month in Durham and $1,103 in Port St Lucie, and median household income lands at $74,710 versus $72,400. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Durham takes job market and weather, while Port St Lucie takes affordability and safety. The widest gap is typical weather, where Durham leads by 50% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Durham can feel further apart than Durham and Port St Lucie do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Durham and Port St Lucie reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Durham report Full Port St Lucie report

Durham, NC

Rent: $1,711/mo
Median income: $74,710
Crime index: 97
Schools: A-
Weather: 79°F

Port St Lucie, FL

Rent: $1,103/mo
Median income: $72,400
Crime index: 69
Schools: A-
Weather: —

Rent

36% cheaper

Port St Lucie rent is 36% cheaper than Durham

Durham

$1,711/mo

Port St Lucie

Winner

$1,103/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,103 a month in Port St Lucie versus $1,711 in Durham, so Port St Lucie is 36% cheaper. That's roughly $608/month back in your pocket — $7,296/year. Over five years that's $36,480 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Durham, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Port St Lucie is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

3% higher

Durham's median income is 3% higher than Port St Lucie

Durham

Winner

$74,710

Port St Lucie

$72,400

What this means for your life

Median household income is $74,710 in Durham versus $72,400 in Port St Lucie, so typical pay runs 3% higher in Durham — about $2,310 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.

Crime index

29% lower crime

Port St Lucie's crime index is 29% lower than Durham

Durham

97 (100 = avg)

Port St Lucie

Winner

69 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Port St Lucie's crime index is 69 versus 97 in Durham (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 29% 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. Durham can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Durham and Port St Lucie are about even on school scores.

Durham

A- · 84/100

Port St Lucie

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Durham, A- in Port St Lucie). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

50% more comfortable

Durham weather is 50% more comfortable than Port St Lucie

Durham

Winner

79°F typical

Port St Lucie

Comfort 52/100

What this means for your life

Durham scores 50% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Durham reads as warm weather most of the year; Port St Lucie reads as a mixed climate. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Durham is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Port St Lucie can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Durham

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 3% higher ($74,710), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 79°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Durham report →

Fit check

Who should choose Port St Lucie

Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy

Port St Lucie is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 36% cheaper here at about $1,103 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.

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 29% lower than Durham (69 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.

Open the Port St Lucie report →

Bottom line

Durham vs Port St Lucie, called

If weather is your priority, Durham is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Port St Lucie pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Port St Lucie offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Durham vs Port St Lucie FAQ

Is Durham cheaper than Port St Lucie?: No. Port St Lucie is cheaper: typical rent is $1,103 a month versus $1,711 in Durham — 36% lower. Median household income is $74,710 in Durham compared with $72,400 in Port St Lucie, so Durham has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Durham or Port St Lucie?: Port St Lucie is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 69 versus 97 in Durham — 29% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Durham or Port St Lucie?: School composites are close: A- in Durham and A- in Port St Lucie. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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