5 Best Reasons to Move to Port St. Lucie

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Fantasizing about moving to Florida? While Miami is known for its party scene and Orlando for its theme parks, other neighborhoods – such as the affordable and quaint Port St. Lucie – also have a lot to offer.

Ready to live on the Treasure Coast? Keep reading for five reasons why a move to Port St. Lucie is a smart decision.

Background Of Port St. Lucie

Full of lush neighborhoods and green golf courses, Port St. Lucie is a small city in Southern Florida with a population of just over 200,000. While predominantly an over-65 community, Port St. Lucie has been growing more and more popular among the younger set who have discovered its peaceful atmosphere and affordable housing prices.

History Of Port St. Lucie

The land that would become Port St. Lucie began as a Spanish settlement created on the feast of Santa Lucia in 1567. The area started going by the Anglicized version of its name, “St. Lucie”, in the 1900s.

Fun fact: While it has “port” in the name, there’s no actual port at St. Lucie. Why? The General Development Corporation, which established it as a planned community in 1961, decided to use “port” as a marketing tactic.

LGBTQ-Friendly Treasure Coast Vacation Guide

5 Best Things About Living In Port St. Lucie

Port St. Lucie’s history as a planned community is a big factor in why it’s such a liveable city today. Below are just some of the reasons you should move to the peaceful area of Port St. Lucie.

Plenty Of Parks And Recreation

Port St. Lucie has tons to do if you like to be outside. Not only is it situated right on the St. Lucie River, but it also has numerous trails and nature walks for you to explore, as well as many different activities and sports.

Hiking

If you are into hiking, then check out the Oxbow Eco-Center and Savannas Preserve State Park. The Oxbow Center is a nature preserve with a butterfly garden and hiking trails. Meanwhile, the Savannas Preserve State Park is a marsh basin where you can go hiking, horseback riding, or walking.

Boating

Since the city sits on the banks of the St. Lucie river, you can go freshwater fishing or just cruise on the peaceful water. You can also take your boat out to the nearby Atlantic Ocean and spend your day out on the waves.

Fishing

Are you an avid angler? There are plenty of fishing spots around the river and near the Port Lucie inlet for you to enjoy, such as the St. Lucie river, the St. Lucie inlet, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Beaches

Port St. Lucie is close to multiple beaches on the barrier islands. Excited by wildlife? Check out Jensen Beach, also called “Sea Turtle Beach” because of the sea turtles that come to nest here. On the adventurous side? Visit Blind Creek Beach, which is clothing optional.

Baseball

In the springtime, sports fans are treated to world-class baseball when the Mets come down from the North to play in Port St. Lucie every March. Enjoy watching the Yankees and the Redsox play the Mets at Clover Park, and cheer for the home team!

Golf

There are tons of options for you to tee off in Port St. Lucie, including the PGA Learning Center. Players of all abilities can also play at major golf courses like the St. Lucie Trail Golf Club and the Savanna Club Golf Course.

No State Income Taxes

Many New Yorkers and other out-of-towners flock to Florida because of the favorable tax system and better weather. Florida has no state income taxes, which can be a major incentive whether you’re an employee or business owner.

Close To Major Tourist Destinations

Port St. Lucie boasts many beaches, museums, and some great outdoor spaces. It’s also only an hour and a half drive from two major metropolitan areas, Miami and Orlando. If you ever need a change of pace, you can get relatively easy access to Miami’s nightlife and Orlando’s theme parks.

Quiet And Peaceful

Most of the population is above 65, so the town is a very peaceful place to live – you likely won’t have to worry about noisy neighbors or break-ins.

Port St. Lucie has a very low crime rate. Recently, the FBI named Port St. Lucie as one of the safer cities in the USA based on crime data. If you are a resident of Port St. Lucie, there is a 1 in 1014 chance of you becoming a victim of a violent crime.

The trade-off is that there is not much nightlife, aside from a few drag shows and events held at the LGBTQ center. Looking for gay bars? You’ll have to drive to the nearby cities of Vero Beach or West Palm Beach.

Affordable Cost Of Living

Unlike in most cities in Florida, a move to Port St. Lucie is still affordable. The average housing price doesn’t crack half a million dollars, and the median income is about 62k a year – this means that Port St. Lucie is a middle-class place to live and the prices reflect that.

While the cost of a nice dinner out can still be a little steep, it’s still much cheaper than Orlando or Miami. But since it’s close to these cities, Port St. Lucie is a great commuter town that allows you to get the best of both worlds.

Not only are the houses more affordable in Port St. Lucie, but the area is also close to good schools – perfect for those who have kids.

Best Neighborhoods on Florida’s Treasure Coast

LGBTQ Representation

While there is no dedicated gay neighborhood in Port St. Lucie, there are plenty of gay-friendly spots, businesses, and events. In 2019, the Sanctuary Of Treasure Coast, an LGBTQ center, opened in the Port St Lucie Metropolitan Area. It regularly holds mixers and other gatherings to bring the community closer together.

Conclusion

Considering moving South? Then Port St. Lucie should be one of your top options. While other cities in Florida have plenty to offer, Port St. Lucie is unique in that it combines the accessibility of living in a big city with the charming atmosphere of a small community town – and the cost of living is more affordable, too!

With plenty of incentives and things to do around town, Port St Lucie is a great place to live and work. Check out Port St. Lucie next time you’re thinking about where to set down roots. Ready to make a move to the Treasure Coast? Contact Melissa Gerhsman to find your dream home. It should be hard to find if you live in Port St. Lucie.

Check out the other Treasure Coast neighborhoods in Florida. Also scroll through our LGBTQ-Friendly Treasure Coast Vacation Guide for tips on what to do and see while visiting or living in the region. There are so many beautiful places to enjoy in the Sunshine State.

**Disclaimer: There is a good chance that this post contains affiliate or sponsor links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you (for which we are extremely grateful).

Also, while we do our best to highlight LGBTQ-friendly destinations and businesses, info provided is based solely on personal experience and recommendations by community partners. We hope that nobody experiences discrimination or homophobia while visiting Florida, but we make no guarantees. Please inform us if you experience discrimination or homophobia while visiting any destination so we can make updates to our recommendations.

Rachel Covello

Rachel Covello is an award-winning speaker, writer, diversity consultant, and LGBT advocate. She was the Founder of LGBT Equality Alliance, a Chester County, PA nonprofit organization. She is currently the Publisher of OutCoast.com and Producer of the OutCoast TV YouTube Channel, both of which highlight LGBTQ welcoming destinations in Florida.

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