City comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Port St. Lucie, FL are 2.1% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $102,100 in Port St. Lucie, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,467 in Port St. Lucie, FL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 22% in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Raleigh, NC than in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.9% moving from Port St. Lucie, FL to Raleigh, NC ($113,356 → $111,147), while prices change by −2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.1% in real buying power.
- Port St. Lucie, FL: price level 100.2 (about average)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Port St. Lucie, FL | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,934 in Raleigh | $102,110 in Port St. Lucie |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,467/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,490 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Port St. Lucie, FL MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Port St. Lucie, FL and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Port St. Lucie | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.6 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 87.0 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Port St. Lucie, FL → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
75 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Port St. Lucie, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Port St. Lucie, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Port St. Lucie, FL to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Port St. Lucie → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $64,453 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $77,983 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $93,468 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $111,147 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $131,342 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Port St. Lucie dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $53,610 | $60,170 | $61,440 (+14.6%) |
| Software Developers | $128,510 | $132,770 | $135,571 (+5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,430 | $81,950 | $83,679 (+5.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,090 | $84,830 | $86,620 (+5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.