Rockledge receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Palm Bay
Rockledge
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 30%
vs61 · Top 40%
Growth
72 · Top 15%
vs76 · Top 9%
Climate
83 · Top 10%
vs83 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 12%
vs19 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 35%
vs70 · Bottom 35%
Schools
43 · Bottom 39%
vs42 · Bottom 38%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs94 · Top 41%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 31%
vs52 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Palm Bay | Rockledge | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 130,132 | 29,133 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,614 | $84,255 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,813 | $44,833 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,501/sq mi | 2,204/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $283,200 | $338,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,601 | $1,820 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.7% | 78.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.0% | 31.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 9.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,451 | 225 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 18.8 | 7.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.1% | 212.5% | 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 | 10 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.0 | 49.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 20 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.95 | 15.81 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 51.6% | 50.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 52.8% | 50.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.9% | 51.8% | 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
Palm Bay
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Rockledge
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Palm Bay, FL · Rockledge, FL · How this is calculated: methodology