Port St Lucie

Port St Lucie is one of the larger cities in Florida with over 200,000 people due to rapid growth and affordable housing prices compared to other areas of Florida. Located in St Lucie County, Florida you will find this this newer city which is located just 113 miles north of Miami, 125 miles southeast of Orlando and 83 miles north of Fort Lauderdale. Dating back to 1961 there were only 25o homes in the area and the on April 27th, 1961 with the passage of of House Bill No. 953, which proposed by the State Representative Rupert Smith It was officially a City in Florida.

History of Port St Lucie

In the 1950’s the large piece of land we call a city today was largely uninhabited just south of White City which composed of a fishing camp known to locals as Burt Pruitt’s Fishing Farm which was located along the St. Lucie River and a few other farms and small businesses near US1.  St. Lucie which was originally derived from the name of a settlement near what we now call Jupiter Inlet and founded on St. Lucia’s day in 1566 is now associated with the present day town of St. Lucie Village, Florida. General Development Corporation purchased the river park development and 40,000 acres along the North Fork of the St. Lucie River in 1958 and the GDC opened its first bridge over the St. Lucie River which allowed direct automobile access into Port St. Lucie.

Early on in the 1990’s what we know as St Lucie West which was to have 14,000 homes built over a 20 year period on 7 square miles the community realized that it should be turned into more than just a residential area and (CC) Core Communities began building business sectors and leisure and places of entertainment throughout the area which resulted in bringing over 7,000 jobs to the small town which then helped the boom during most of the early 2000’s.

Tradition was one of the newest communities stated in 2006 which was to be built around roughly 13,000,000 square feet of commercial use area and additionally another 18,000 residences to add to the growing population. According to multiple sources Tradition is the largest fully entitled residential area from the tip of Interstate I95 to the Canada – U.S. border which is hard to believe. In 2009 after being aired on the HGTV’s Green Home it was chooses as one of America’s best 100 communities.

Newest Listings For Sale

 

Neighborhoods

Beginning in 2019 the city started naming Neighborhoods and now as of 2020 there are 32 throughout the city which some of the most well known being Tradition, St. Lucie North, St. Lucie West along with many others. There are many areas to consider calling home in Port St. Lucie and it just depends on the lifestyle you are looking for whether you want to live in a gated community, closer to the water or one of many public boat ramps or location based on proximity to either I95 or the Florida Turnpike for faster access to and from your job. Visit our neighborhood page to discover some communities and current homes for sale in those areas.

Sports

The New York Mets calls Port St. Lucie home for their spring training team, the St. Lucie Mets Florida State League and along with the Gulf Coast League Mets rookie level team and all three play at Clover Park. The city also has two soccer clubs including the Mako Soccer Club and Port St. Lucie Soccer Club. There is also the PGA Village golf complex which includes 54 holes of golf as well as a learning center and historical center.

Education

There are currently six elementary schools, seven K-8 schools, three high schools and three post-secondary institutions in Port St. Lucie which is served by the St. Lucie County Public School district.  There are a few Public Charter Schools throughout the city including Palm Point Educational Research School at Tradition, Renaissance Charter School at Tradition, Renaissance Charter School of St. Lucie, Somerset Academy St. Lucie and Somerset College Preparatory Academy.

Housing

With housing prices being out of reach of most Floridians you will find that Port St. Lucie still has affordable housing prices compared to other larger cities in the State Of Florida like Fort Lauderdale, Miami, West Palm Beach and many others. The Median Home Price as of 2020 in Port St Lucie is near $250,000.00 and this is for a home built between 1990-2000 era which compared to other nearby areas for a similar home which could run you between $350,000.00 – $450,000.00 if not higher.  Now while housing prices are much more affordable in Port St. Lucie you should consider that the average income in the area is lower than nearby cities and you will find that many people drive to and from work upwards of 50-75 miles daily and in some cases farther so that they can afford a house to call their own. You can find many brand new homes in the city priced between $300,000.00 – $380,000.00 and other gated communities starting closer to $400,000.00 in 2020.

Cost Of Living 

Based on the national index the cost of living in Port St Lucie is 100 which = the national average which consist of housing being one of the factors and utilities being lower than the national average. Some things to consider when looking at cost of living is how far will you drive to and from work since many residents in Port St. Lucie drive to nearby cities which range from 45-80 miles each way which will increase your gas, tolls and overall wear and tear and maintenance on your vehicles. While housing prices help bring down the the biggest portion of cost of living you should consider other factors that are higher than the national average including medical, groceries and miscellaneous items.

Homes Built 2015-2021 For Sale