Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
Port St. Lucie
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs44 · Bottom 27%
Growth
55 · Top 42%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
77 · Top 14%
vs86 · Top 2%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 10%
vs13 · Bottom 5%
Housing affordability
47 · Bottom 3%
vs62 · Bottom 10%
Access
94 · Top 28%
vs79 · Bottom 43%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 49%
vs39 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | Port St. Lucie | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,249,291 | 522,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,527 | $74,514 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,766 | $41,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,233/sq mi | 468/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $443,300 | $364,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,869 | $1,580 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.5% | 78.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.7% | 30.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 12.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 20,532 | 4,189 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.3 | 8.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 6.7% | -25.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 59°F | 51°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 62.0" | 51.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 31.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.8 | 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
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Port St. Lucie
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
59
Your Score
56
Area Score
Port St. Lucie
55
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL Metro Area · Port St. Lucie, FL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology