Looking for help (Stuart, Okeechobee, North River Shores: fit in, transplants, crime)

[STAFF0RDSHIRE]

This thread is more so for the folks in Port Saint Lucie

Good Morning,

My wife and I are looking to relocate from New Jersey. The main reason for wanting to relocate is for weather. Really can't take the Jersey winter's anymore. Port Saint Lucie is on our bucket list, as well as Charleston, SC. We are leaning towards Port Saint Lucie because of it's weather My main concern is,

1. How hot does it actually get in June/July/August? I love the heat but the wife not so much.

2. Port Saint Lucie is a pretty big place. How bad is the crime? and could you suggest areas to stay away from, and areas to focus in on

3. Would we be accepted coming from the North? Port Saint Lucie has the reputation of being Rednecks (NOT THAT WE HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST THAT), but would we be accepted? I can tell you we are two of the most down to earth people you will meet, just looking to making friends. I am a retired Police Officer. I am also a United Stated Veteran, and we both belong to the American Legion, and the Legion Riders. I also belong to the Knights of Columbus.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and thank you in advance,

God Bless the United States of America

[newred5]

Port St Lucie certianly isnt full of rednecks, some would disagree that's that for another day . Many many people here from NY and NJ and in fact most people I know are from elsewhere .I retired from the NYS Dept of Corrections myself and we reclocated here in 2011. Enjoy living here and feel very safe in all areas of PSL. I wouldnt say to "stay away " from any areas of PSL, drive around and you will notice few small areas where you may not chose to live certianly being a policeman. Want to be near the ocean , stay south east of US 1 ( older areas) Sandpiper area in PSL or North River Shores/Eagle March in Jensen beach don't care about the beach much them St Lucie West in the St Charles area would be my choice.
Heat well yeah it gets hot here , get out early or later in day , shade, pool or beach and your fine ...
And thank you for your service ! Come check us out , we would love to have you and your family !

[aridon]

It's hot and more importantly humid. You deal. Anyone that tells you it doesn't suck probably keeps their air conditioner at 79 or 80 and goes to bed at 8pm. Our Summers can wear on you but it's still better than dealing with snow and ice. Regardless, they wear on you.

Crime is low in PSL, never felt unsafe here.

Yes snow birds and transplants are welcome. No question about it.

Not many rednecks at all in PSL. Haven't seen that even 15 years ago, never been something I've noticed. Loxahatche or out west in Okeechobee? Sure, but not PSL.

[km8907]

I looked at the temperature on weather underground and it said the heat index was 123. Not sure if that was a typo, but it kinda feels like it.

[aridon]

No way, usually when we are 92 outside the index is 105. Today is 88 so probably closer to 100. Still hot but no way it's 120.

The crappy part is there is no relief. 11pm the feels like can still be 88 or 90 degrees and the humidity goes up as temp drops so it's even more soupy

[SeetheUSA]

1. June, July, and August are pretty much the same temp every day. 90 is the high, 80 is the low. It is hot, but most of the time we have a decent breeze and it doesn't feel as bad as it should. It is very humid. Charleston is just as hot during the summers, but you will have cold winters. The downtown area in SC floods after every summer rain or high tide.

2. Crime is pretty nonexistent. Only major issues we have are petty theft and vehicle break ins. Charleston is much more violent.

3. I am a little bit offended that you have heard we are "rednecks". That is so untrue. I would say around half of our population probably came from the New England states. You will fit in quite well. You will NOT fit in well in Charleston. I can guarantee that.

Charleston and PSL are two totally different worlds. I would advise going for a week and visiting both locations before deciding one way or another.

[pattybee]

I've been here over 30 years. I always call summer May to September, with temps reaching their extremes in July and August. Then there's that wonderful early October morning you awaken and can feel that summer's done. Can your wife deal with that?

[k00p]

If any place has rednecks it is for sure S or North Carolina.. You can't get much more redneck than those two states. There are no "rednecks" here.. its mostly white middle aged middle class people from up north..

I moved here about 4 years ago from up north near your location... It's paradise in comparison........ I live about 10 minutes from the bridge going over to Hutchinson Island........

If you live here and you can go to the island anytime you feel like it just minutes away. Fishing.. Boating...... wild Dolphins swimming around...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHG-gewWKIA

not to mention you can take day trips to the Bahamas from Port Everglades / FT Lauderdale which is only about an hour drive.. 3 hour ferry ride over to Grand Bahama. They leave at like 8am and come back 8pm.

Take a look at Stuart too.. its a few minutes below Port St Lucie and a nice smaller town.

[TrilbyandDixie]

My parents moved to PSL from NY about 40 years ago. One by one my siblings started moving here. My husband and I moved here from GA 4 years ago. After living in the south for 25 years I can tell you that you will meet a lot more rednecks in NC and SC than you will here. I meet a lot of NY/NJ people here. check out Sandpiper in PSL. It is an older neighborhood with mostly middle-aged and older folks.
You mentioned that you are a vet. The VA hospital is about 50 minutes from here, but for "primary care" such as check-ups you just go to the satellite office in Stuart, about 20 minutes.

[aarononymous]

Would love to hear everyone's definition of redneck, having lived just outside Charlotte for 10 years and PSL the last year.