Cocoa Beach receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Melbourne
Cocoa Beach
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 24%
vs51 · Bottom 40%
Growth
65 · Top 24%
vs55 · Top 41%
Climate
83 · Top 10%
vs83 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 12%
vs19 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 22%
vs66 · Bottom 28%
Schools
52 · Top 49%
vs83 · Top 10%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs95 · Top 37%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 19%
vs32 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Melbourne | Cocoa Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 86,576 | 11,377 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,991 | $87,990 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,249 | $65,811 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,959/sq mi | 2,442/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $306,400 | $503,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,525 | $1,569 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.7% | 78.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.7% | 49.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.8% | 9.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 424 | 23 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 457.9% | 155.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 52°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.8" | 50.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 1 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 26.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.5 | 59.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.12 | 16.52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 55.0% | 77.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 56.6% | 73.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.3% | 23.9% | 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
Melbourne
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Cocoa Beach
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.
Melbourne
58
Your Score
53
Area Score
Cocoa Beach
60
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Melbourne, FL · Cocoa Beach, FL · How this is calculated: methodology