32901 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
32901
33916
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 18%
vs34 · Bottom 13%
Growth
65 · Top 24%
vs67 · Top 20%
Climate
83 · Top 10%
vs81 · Top 17%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 12%
vs5 · Bottom 1%
Housing affordability
45 · Bottom 9%
vs43 · Bottom 8%
Schools
7 · Bottom 1%
vs17 · Bottom 7%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs98 · Top 21%
Economic stability
26 · Bottom 5%
vs40 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | 32901 | 33916 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,923 | 27,943 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,651 | $52,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,539 | $29,171 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,397/sq mi | 2,718/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $282,300 | $266,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,466 | $1,463 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.4% | 33.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.3% | 22.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.2% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 424 | 1,587 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 16.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 457.9% | -19.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 54°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.8" | 57.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 26.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.3 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.91 | 15.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 25.3% | 34.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 33.7% | 28.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.8% | 59.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
32901
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
33916
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 32901 — Melbourne, FL · 33916 — Fort Myers, FL · How this is calculated: methodology