Signals
Merritt Island
Niceville
Climate
83 · Top 10%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 12%
vs19 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 43%
vs82 · Top 49%
Schools
77 · Top 18%
vs79 · Top 14%
Access
95 · Top 34%
vs92 · Top 49%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 22%
vs52 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Merritt Island | Niceville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,992 | 16,544 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $94,012 | $102,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,114 | $45,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,062/sq mi | 1,149/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $402,900 | $423,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,441 | $1,749 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.0% | 73.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.0% | 38.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.4% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.8" | 55.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 50.2 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.21 | 21.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 65.4% | 81.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 68.1% | 77.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.7% | 25.3% | 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
Merritt Island
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Niceville
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
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Merritt Island
67
Your Score
—
Area Score
Niceville
63
Your Score
59
Area Score
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Full profiles: Merritt Island, FL · Niceville, FL · How this is calculated: methodology