Stuart receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Stuart
Fort Pierce
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 17%
vs25 · Bottom 4%
Growth
34 · Bottom 22%
vs38 · Bottom 29%
Climate
86 · Top 8%
vs86 · Top 8%
Physical resilience
13 · Bottom 9%
vs14 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
44 · Bottom 7%
vs46 · Bottom 8%
Schools
44 · Bottom 40%
vs19 · Bottom 10%
Access
82 · Bottom 25%
vs73 · Bottom 14%
Economic stability
29 · Bottom 6%
vs23 · Bottom 3%
Measured values
| Metric | Stuart | Fort Pierce | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,520 | 49,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,225 | $47,072 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,710 | $25,455 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,601/sq mi | 1,987/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $329,400 | $250,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,586 | $1,217 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.9% | 49.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.1% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.3% | 26.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 107 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 51°F | 51°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.2" | 51.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 37 mi | 50 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.6 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.03 | 18.96 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 52.7% | 39.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.6% | 42.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.0% | 58.0% | 2024-25 school 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
Stuart
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Fort Pierce
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.
Stuart
46
Your Score
43
Area Score
Fort Pierce
41
Your Score
37
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Stuart, FL · Fort Pierce, FL · How this is calculated: methodology