If you’re a family or retiree looking for a quiet, safe, reasonably priced city to live near the Atlantic Coast beaches of Florida, Port St. Lucie will fit the bill. Primarily suburban, with some commercial options for shopping and eats, it successfully gives families and retirees a respite from whatever Northeastern or Midwestern ice-bound hellscape they seek to escape. 




The Quiet 

LookyLOO Review of Port St. Lucie

Your lifestyle in Port St. Lucie will be suburban. The schools are pretty good, there are decent parks, and there is a restaurant scene for filling the kiddo's bellies with burgers, pizza, pasta, and seafood. The city is the spring training home to the New York Mets and has an amazing golf complex, the [**PGA Village**](https://pgavillagegolf.com/). You’re also on the Atlantic Coast with 21 miles of uncrowded (there’s that quiet thing again), pristine beaches, so if you’re feeling like a dip or a stroll, you’re going to like it here. 

If you want to see what's happening in Point St. Lucie, check out the [**calendar of events**](https://visitstlucie.com/calendar/). 

We highly recommend visiting Port St. Lucie and staying in the community in a [**VRBO**](vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [**partnership with Expedia**](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.


Lifestyle

The two big work sectors in the city include healthcare, not surprising given the retiree population, and construction, also not surprising given the never-ending expansion of cities across Florida. Service jobs are plentiful, given the booming population that needs to be fed and sold stuff. Incomes aren’t particularly high, but the cost of living and taxes are low, so it kind of works. 


Worklife 

Port St. Lucie, like most suburban cities, has come to realize that in order to create gravitational pull for population, they need an interesting commercial district (https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/2022/03/11/port-st-lucie-acquires-city-center-property-business-development/6998898001/). 

Young or old, peeps want things to do. While they’re behind, they’re scrambling to develop so if you’re interested in buying in while the prices are still low but the future looks more interesting, then it’s time to make a move. 

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**faderjockey**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

It’s a bedroom community.

The city is trying very hard to overcome the challenges that were presented by its origin (carved up and sold off piecemeal by mail order to folks around the world as an investment or retirement opportunity.) The city has to honor those original lot sales and continues to do so.

Lots of little parks. A friendly, clean, and safe place with no real focus or identity aside from that. Very little industry aside from service jobs that are connected to serving the massive population.

Little to do for entertainment, little nightlife, infrastructure that can’t quite keep up with the population, but is trying.
Some logistics and warehousing industries coming soon. Decent school system, near a very good state college.

Housing prices have more than tripled, local incomes haven’t. That’s a problem statewide. It’s the sixth largest city in FL, but it doesn’t feel like it because it’s almost ALL residential.

For more reviews of what living in Port St. Lucie is like from locals check out: [**The Reviews**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/port-st-lucie/reviews)

The Quiet

Reviews of Port St. Lucie from Locals

Port St. Lucie is not the obvious choice for young professionals but they’re working on it. Many of the professional jobs in PSL are in St Lucie West, which also has a commercial district with some bars and restaurants so that’s where you’d want to start your search. https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/2022/03/11/port-st-lucie-acquires-city-center-property-business-development/6998898001/
- St Lucie West
- Downtown


Young Professionals

Downtown

Neighborhood choice for families depends in part on whether you want to be  close to restaurants and bars and a movie theater. If you crave that proximity then look at St Lucie West. It’s got big suburban homes and yards but also has the greatest supply of things to do in the city. If on the other hand you want pure “traditional” suburbia then check out Tradition. It’s beautiful with big estates available within gated communities, and an incredible center, modeled after a 1950’s town. if you fancy that kind of thing. It also houses PGA Village, so if golf is your jam then you should put Tradition on your list. 
- St Lucie West
- Tradition 
- PGA Village


Families

St. Lucie West 

It probably goes without saying that Florida cities work for retirees but we’ll say it nonetheless. Port St. Lucie is an excellent place for retirees. It has an incredible mix of gated neighborhoods that are structured like 55+ active communities but with no age requirements, look at PGA Village for one of the nicer ones. There are also actual 55+ communities for those who want to avoid kiddos and pool splashers at the neighborhood center. Check out the Tradition neighborhood in Florida for great options - Vitalia at Tradition is a good starting point. 
- PGA Village
- Tradition


Retirees

PGA Village

Port St. Lucie

**faderjockey**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

It’s a bedroom community.

The city is trying very hard to overcome the challenges that were presented by its origin (carved up and sold off piecemeal by mail order to folks around the world as an investment or retirement opportunity.) The city has to honor those original lot sales and continues to do so.

Lots of little parks.

A friendly, clean, and safe place with no real focus or identity aside from that.

Very little industry aside from service jobs that are connected to serving the massive population.

Little to do for entertainment, little nightlife, infrastructure that can’t quite keep up with the population, but is trying.

Some logistics and warehousing industries coming soon.

Decent school system, near a very good state college.

Housing prices have more than tripled, local incomes haven’t. That’s a problem statewide.

It’s the sixth largest city in FL, but it doesn’t feel like it because it’s almost ALL residential.

**Anonymous**
1y ago
🦉🦉

I commute from PSL to Pompano Beach every day,

I love living up here, but my commute weighs on me. I like the drive, but I also don't like it at the same time.

PSL is getting crowded, but the neighborhoods are nice, very friendly atmosphere. People are pleasant around town in the stores. I find the people to be much more pleasant up there than down in Broward and Miami-Dade. Its a wasteland down there if you ask me

Very little entertainment options though, kind of just a suburbia.

If you are a homebody, PSL might be a good option

**PeakSubject9688**
5mo ago
🦉🦉🦉

I moved from Northern VA to PSL a year ago with a wife and 12 year old daughter. I used to commute to DC and Baltimore and surrounding areas. Now I commute to Miami and Tampa weekly for work. The “traffic” they mention is laughable if you come from other urban areas. You have to love the heat though. You must have a pool. My pool even has a heater for those “winter” months. We live ten minutes from Jensen Beach which I think is gorgeous. Not a lot of trashy beach stores and hotels. You can literally go there and be the only one on the beach. I like the idea of being three hours within reach of any major city I want to visit. I drive my company vehicle a lot and three hours is two Caramel Macchiatos and three EPs 😎. School is a little behind NOVA.

**Alarmed_Instance2810**
6mo ago
🦉

I moved here from down south (Coral Springs) and PSL is nothing more than a “cheaper” place to buy a home for us. Compared to broward and Palm beach county it’s cheap. Im excited for when we can move again. Food is basic chain garbage. No nice activities for kids. I was so spoiled with having any option of things to do with my kids. Not even an ice skating rink here to beat the summer heat. Schools are terrible which is why we homeschool. Libraries are so small with no selection. The parks SUCK, no splash pads. Down south the parks have amazing splash pads. Not just water shooting from the ground like the one in tradition. I could go on and on. If you are from somewhere like Broward you will notice the difference quickly. If you’re from a more sleepy area with no options you will love PSL.

**Living in Port St Lucie FL Pros and Cons | 10 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Port St Lucie**

Port St. Lucie, Florida