Cape Coral-Fort Myers and Port St. Lucie receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Cape Coral-Fort Myers | Port St. Lucie | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 817,666 | 522,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,107 | $74,514 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,931 | $41,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,047/sq mi | 468/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $362,200 | $364,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,712 | $1,580 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.3% | 78.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.2% | 30.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 12.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 11,074 | 4,189 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.5 | 8.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -29.5% | -25.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 54°F | 51°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.4" | 51.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.5 min | 31.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 49.0 | 47.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Cape Coral-Fort Myers
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Port St. Lucie
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL Metro Area · Port St. Lucie, FL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology