32909 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
32909
32539
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 35%
vs47 · Bottom 33%
Growth
71 · Top 14%
vs59 · Top 35%
Climate
83 · Top 10%
vs76 · Top 27%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 12%
vs19 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs80 · Top 50%
Schools
52 · Top 49%
vs53 · Top 48%
Access
96 · Top 33%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 42%
vs60 · Top 50%
Measured values
| Metric | 32909 | 32539 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,804 | 33,290 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,977 | $74,369 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,427 | $35,829 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 725/sq mi | 260/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $307,100 | $286,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,535 | $1,391 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.7% | 78.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 25.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,451 | 213 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 18.8 | 7.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.1% | -18.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.8" | 63.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 35.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.9 | 35.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.57 | 17.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 55.5% | 53.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.0% | 58.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 49.5% | 60.7% | 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
32909
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
32539
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 32909 — Palm Bay, FL · 32539 — Crestview, FL · How this is calculated: methodology