Port St. Lucie (population 155,251) is a city in the state of Florida. The city is situated on the North Fork of the St. Lucie River. Port St. Lucie is in the county of St. Lucie and is part of the Port St. Lucie, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The entire Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of about 406,300. The city of Port St. Lucie has grown quickly during the last decade, from 88,769 in 2000 to the current 155,251. The recent growth has been characteristic of Port St. Lucie's rise. The city's population more than tripled between the years 1980 and 1990.
Port St. Lucie developed as a result of a plan by the General Development Corporation, a subsidiary of the Mackle Co. During 1958, the Corporation invested $50 million in order to develop residential houses on the river. The plan was successful and the city was incorporated in the year 1961. From its initial stages as a residential bedroom community, the city of Port St. Lucie is now becoming a thriving city in its own right.
Port St. Lucie's location offers a terrific place for outdoor enthusiasts, providing numerous recreational facilities and public parks. There is also an abundant amount of surf and sun. The numerous outdoor activities that are common in Port St. Lucie, comprise: swimming, fishing, surfing, canoeing, sailing, kayaking and other water sports. Golf is a local industry, since Port St. Lucie is home to the Professional Golf Association or PGA Learning Center and Historical Center. Residents and tourists could visit the PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame. A world-class collection of golf periodicals and memorabilia is housed at the Probst Library.
The County of St. Lucie has a vibrant and strong arts and culture sector, with the A.E. "Bean" Backus Gallery & Museum, which houses paintings and collections by the well-known Florida artist. To be able to learn about the county's rich history, visit the St. Lucie County Historical Museum. Both of these museums are located within Fort Pierce.
The Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is the only museum in the world that educates the people about the history of the Navy SEALS as well as their predecessors. The Hallstrom Planetarium is popular with both the old and the young. It is located within Fort Pierce on the Indian River Community College campus.
Even though numerous Port St. Lucie residents commute to other cities for work, the city of Port St. Lucie is encouraging the development of a new downtown core. The city of Port St. Lucie has its own employment sources. Private medical businesses top the list when it comes to number of workers. Moreover, the headquarters of QVC inbound call center is located within the city of Port St. Lucie and is a significant employer. Many local residents work for the PGA or also known as Professional Golf Association, which has a facility in Port St. Lucie. Besides medical care, the major sectors for employment are accommodation and food services, construction, government as well as insurance and finance. Publix and Walmart Supermarkets are two of the main retail employers.
In the county, there are the headquarters of Riverside national bank and Harbor federal Savings Bank. St. Lucie County has plenty of industrial parks and an emerging Life Science Cluster.