01 · the cities
Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie is the New York Mets' spring training home, with golf courses, gated communities, and the slow Atlantic Coast pace that retirees love. It's one of the fastest-growing cities in the country in recent years. The Treasure Coast beaches are quieter and prettier than the bigger Florida metros. Suburban, sunny, and easy.
full dispatch→Melbourne
Palm Bay is part of the Space Coast, which means you can watch SpaceX and NASA rocket launches from the backyard on a clear day. The Indian River Lagoon is right there for fishing, kayaking, and manatee spotting. It's quieter and more affordable than the bigger Florida metros, with quick access to Cocoa Beach and Kennedy Space Center. Suburban in a Florida way.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,331/mo
$1,895/mo
$436/mo less than Port St. Lucie (23%)
Median home price
Median home price
$397k
$351k
$46k less than Port St. Lucie
State income tax
State income tax
0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,002/mo
$6,438/mo
Melbourne has $436/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
246 days
254 days
8 more than Port St. Lucie
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
2 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Port St. Lucie and Melbourne have remarkably similar weather profiles overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
50 / 100
55 / 100
5.0 pts ahead of Port St. Lucie
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
23 routes
2 routes
21 fewer direct routes than Port St. Lucie
Metro size
Metro size
537k metro
644k metro
the verdict
1
Port St. Lucie
categories won
5
Melbourne
categories won
Melbourne wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.
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