Pine Castle, FL vs Port St. Joe, FL

Pine Castle, FL and Port St. Joe, FL have a very similar cost of living, with only a 1% difference in their overall index. Pine Castle scores 97 while Port St. Joe scores 98 on the cost of living index, where 100 represents the national average. The day-to-day expenses for residents in both cities are comparable, though differences emerge when looking at specific categories.

On the housing front, median rent in Pine Castle is $1,249/month compared to $1,342/month in Port St. Joe — a 7% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Pine Castle has cheaper rent, Port St. Joe actually has lower median home values ($280,600 vs $286,900).

Median household income in Pine Castle is $46,154 compared to $60,347 in Port St. Joe (-23.5%). While Port St. Joe is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Pine Castle spend roughly 32.5% of their income on rent, more than the 26.7% in Port St. Joe. The Port St. Joe ratio exceeds the commonly recommended 30% threshold, which can put pressure on household budgets.

Climate-wise, Pine Castle is notably warmer with an average of 73°F compared to 69.1°F in Port St. Joe. Port St. Joe receives more rainfall at 53.1" per year compared to 51.4" in Pine Castle.