Best City to Retire in Florida

Our top pick for the Best City to Retire in Florida is the City of Port St Lucie. This may surprise many but locals know how this hidden gem has been a paradise offering a great lifestyle for years. Port St Lucie is located less than 2 hours to Orlando and 45 minutes’ drive to Palm Beach County. The city is minutes away from the magnificent beaches of the Treasure Coast. Local residents can be at the beach within 15 minutes or more depending on the section of town they live in.

Port St Lucie Best City to Live in Florida

With a lower crime rate, affordability, and culture have ranked Port St Lucie as the Number One Place to Live in Florida by bankrate.com. The affordability was determined by comparing the cost of living between Port St Lucie and other metropolitan areas. A safety comparison was compiled through the FBI crime report. In the case of the Culture, the ranking was made by the Gallup research. Other criteria such as the job market and education were included to determine the overall city ranking. In general, the City of Port St Lucie scored as follow:

  • Affordability: 9 out of 10

  • Safety: 9 out of 10

  • Culture: 9 out of 10

  • Jobs Availability: 8 out of 10

  • Education: 3 out of 10

Why Choose To Live In Port St Lucie?

Safety in Port St Lucie – It is important to note that Port St Lucie has been ranked as one of the safest cities not only in Florida but in the nation. Depending on the publication and sources the safety rankings vary while staying consistently in the top 10.

Affordable Housing in Port St Lucie – The most important reason for many home buyers and retirees to move to Port St. Lucie is the location and property affordability. This has resulted in an influx of many homebuyers from the neighboring counties like Martin or Palm Beach Counties. With the high demand for homes in Port St Lucie has brought many nationally recognized home builders to the area. Development of desirable gated communities with homes at much lower prices than one can expect for quality homes in this fast-growing city.

Sports and Other Activities in Port St Lucie – Other advantages for the residents of Port St Lucie include easy access to golfing, fishing, boating, and other sports. From PGA Village Verano to the Country Club Estates, Port St Lucie offers some of the best golf courses in Florida. The NY Mets spring training camp takes place in Port St Lucie. NY Mets team offers a glimpse at the team’s roster from the rookies to old-time superstars.

Port St Lucie 55 Plus Active Adults Communities – With the ever-increasing popularity of Port St Lucie with retirees many renowned builders have been attracted to the area. Developers are building some of the most vibrant 55 Plus Active Adult Communities in Florida. At the west end of the city, there is an abundance of land with proximity to major travel arteries like I-95 and the Florida Turnpike. The master-planned community of Tradition is the home to many of the 55+ developments in the western Port St Lucie. A homebuyer can choose from many new construction homes in Port St Lucie and Tradition.

Del Webb Tradition

Del Webb New Construction HomesDel Webb Tradition is one of the latest projects by the award-winning developer Del Webb. This age-restricted 55+ community is designed on 205 acres of lush Treasure Coast, Florida. New Homes at Del Webb Tradition are offered in two different categories, villas and single-family homes. The models range from 1,579 to over 2,500 square feet and floor plans with 2 to 4 bedrooms and 2 to 3 bathrooms.

Cresswind at PGA Village Verano

Cresswind at PGA VillaheNew Construction HomesCresswind at PGA Village Verano is another fantastic project by renowned developer, Kolter Homes. This is the same developer who constructed the PGA Village Verano in Tradition, Florida. The residents of the Cresswind have easy access to the amenities in their community. In addition, the community shares the fantastic golf courses of PGA Village Verano along with their magnificent clubhouse. There are 15 great floor plans in Cresswinds at PGA Village. The properties sizes range from 1,571 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths to over 3,000 square feet homes with up to 5 bedrooms.

Vitalia at Tradition

Vitali55+ New Construction Homesa Tradition Vitalia at Tradition is currently being developed by Taylor Morrison. Vitalia at Tradition offers 5 floorplans for new construction single-family homes. The models are from 1,610 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths to near 2,300 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 3 baths. Presently there are an additional 14 floorplans from the previous developer. These homes built by  AV Homes do come to market from time to time as a resale. Taylor Morrison acquired AV Homes in 2018. To review the complete list of the floor plans for previously built AV Homes in Vitalia at Tradition please refer to Vitalia at Tradition. 

LakePark at Tradition

LakePark at Tradition 55 Plus HomesLakePark at Tradition the 55+ community was developed by the national builder, Minto Homes. The design models have 9 detached single-family homes. Some of these homes may become available for sale as resales. The latest construction phase for new homes in LakePark at Tradition is comprised of attached villas. There are 5 different floor plans ranging from 1,565 square feet with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths to 1,862 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. See link for a complete list of the previous models for single-family homes in LakePark at Tradition.

Valencia Cay at Riverland

Valencia Car at Tradition 55 Plus CommunityValencia Cay at Riverland is GHO Homes latest 55+ community in the Tradition, Florida. Valencia Cay is destined to be one of the premier active adults community in Port St Lucie and the Treasure Coast. The development of Valencia Cay is part of the 4,000 acres master-planned community of the Riverland®. Valencia Cay has unparalleled amenities like the 34,000 square feet clubhouse and 14 acres of Sports and Racquet Club facilities to name a few. All floor plans for the New Homes Models in Valencia Cay at Riverland® are grouped at 5 selections:

  • Premier Collection – 4 detached single-family homes floor plans ranging from 1,355 to 1,716 square feet with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, great room, and 2 car garage.
  • Regal Collection – 4 detached single-family homes floor plans ranging from 1,842 to 2,254 square feet with 2 to 3 bedrooms, 2 to 2 1/2 baths, great room, den, and 2 car garage. There is an option offered to convert the den to an additional bedroom.
  • Signature Collection – 4 detached single-family homes floor plans ranging from 2,167 to 2,396 square feet with 2 to 4 bedrooms, 2 to 3 baths, great room, and 2 car garage.
  • Vintage Collection – 4 detached single-family homes floor plans ranging from 2,475 to 2,753 square feet with 2 to 4 bedrooms, 2 to 3 1/2 baths, great room, and 2 car garage. Some models offer an additional garage space for golf cart storage.
  • Crown Collection – 3 detached single-family homes floor plans ranging from 2,645 to 3,312 square feet with 3 to 4 bedrooms, 3 to 4 baths, great room, and 3 car garage.
Kings Isle

Kings Isle 55 Plus HomesKings Isle Port St Lucie is 55 Plus community located in Port St Lucie West. The subdivision homes are located in village-like subsections. Each section is called Isles with their own homeowners’ association. There are a total of 7 Isles:

  1. Isle of Capri
  2. Isle of Granada
  3. Isle of Lombardi
  4. Isle of Madeira
  5. Isle of Tuscany
  6. Isle of Venice

Kings Isle Port St Lucie offers detached single-family homes and attached villas. All floor plans vary based on which Isle the home is located. The celebrated developer, Lennar Homes, constructed Kings Isle from 1993 to 1999. The gated community is popular among seniors with their ever growing list of activities and clubs. There are two reasons for attracting the 55+ homebuyers to purchase homes in the Kings Isle; the affordability and the incredible amenities. The home prices in Kings Isle are structured to please any budget while the amenities rival any high-end gated community.

The Cascades

%%= Homes in Cascades Port St Lucie Real EstateCascades at St Lucie West is one of America’s oldest home builders. Levitt and Sons, is responsible for developing the Cascades at St Lucie West. The community is known for its incredibly lush landscaping and beautifully designed homes. Cascades great amenities include 9 hole, par 3 golf course, 10 lighted tennis courts, and resort-style heated swimming pool. The recreational tract nears 18 acres of tropical landscape. For  a complete list of floor plans for homes in the Cascades at St Lucie West as well as more information about the amenities please refer to portstlucie.city