Palm Bay receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Melbourne
Palm Bay
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 24%
vs47 · Bottom 30%
Growth
65 · Top 24%
vs72 · Top 15%
Climate
83 · Top 10%
vs83 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 12%
vs19 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 22%
vs70 · Bottom 35%
Schools
52 · Top 49%
vs43 · Bottom 39%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 19%
vs50 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Melbourne | Palm Bay | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 86,576 | 130,132 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,991 | $72,614 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,249 | $34,813 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,959/sq mi | 1,501/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $306,400 | $283,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,525 | $1,601 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.7% | 79.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.7% | 24.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.8% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 424 | 2,451 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 18.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 457.9% | -16.1% | 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 | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 29.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.5 | 41.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.12 | 16.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 55.0% | 51.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 56.6% | 52.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.3% | 51.9% | 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.
Palm Bay
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Melbourne, FL · Palm Bay, FL · How this is calculated: methodology