Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Port St. Lucie
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 28%
vs50 · Bottom 40%
Growth
67 · Top 24%
vs71 · Top 17%
Climate
86 · Top 2%
vs83 · Top 3%
Physical resilience
13 · Bottom 4%
vs19 · Bottom 8%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 7%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Access
79 · Top 45%
vs96 · Top 13%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 33%
vs51 · Top 50%
Measured values
| Metric | Port St. Lucie | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 522,676 | 632,780 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,514 | $78,476 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,746 | $44,108 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 468/sq mi | 623/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $364,900 | $339,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,580 | $1,556 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.9% | 76.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.0% | 34.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 10.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,189 | 4,845 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.0 | 7.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -25.4% | 5.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 51°F | 52°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.2" | 50.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 43 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.1 min | 27.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.6 | 46.7 | 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
Port St. Lucie
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville
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.
Port St. Lucie
56
Your Score
52
Area Score
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville
63
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Port St. Lucie, FL Metro Area · Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology