Melbourne receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fort Myers
Melbourne
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 22%
vs44 · Bottom 24%
Growth
67 · Top 21%
vs65 · Top 24%
Climate
81 · Top 16%
vs83 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
5 · Bottom 1%
vs19 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
45 · Bottom 7%
vs61 · Bottom 22%
Schools
24 · Bottom 16%
vs52 · Top 49%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 8%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Myers | Melbourne | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 95,051 | 86,576 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,732 | $66,991 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,476 | $38,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,373/sq mi | 1,959/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $384,500 | $306,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,580 | $1,525 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.1% | 59.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 34.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 15.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,587 | 424 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.7 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -19.6% | 457.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 54°F | 52°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.4" | 50.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 1 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.3 | 42.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 28 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.09 | 17.12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.9% | 55.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.0% | 56.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.2% | 44.3% | 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
Fort Myers
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Melbourne
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fort Myers
49
Your Score
45
Area Score
Melbourne
58
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fort Myers, FL · Melbourne, FL · How this is calculated: methodology