Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent
Port St. Lucie
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs45 · Bottom 28%
Growth
69 · Top 20%
vs67 · Top 24%
Climate
81 · Top 5%
vs86 · Top 2%
Physical resilience
16 · Bottom 6%
vs13 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
84 · Bottom 24%
vs62 · Bottom 7%
Access
78 · Top 47%
vs79 · Top 45%
Economic stability
54 · Top 45%
vs39 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | Port St. Lucie | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 524,395 | 522,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,967 | $74,514 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,071 | $41,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 314/sq mi | 468/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $286,000 | $364,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,354 | $1,580 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.5% | 78.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.6% | 30.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 12.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,748 | 4,189 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.1 | 8.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 8.8% | -25.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 51°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 68.3" | 51.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 31.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.0 | 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
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Port St. Lucie
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
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Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent
61
Your Score
57
Area Score
Port St. Lucie
56
Your Score
52
Area Score
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Full profiles: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL Metro Area · Port St. Lucie, FL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology