Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville 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-Melbourne-Titusville
Port St. Lucie
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 40%
vs45 · Bottom 28%
Growth
71 · Top 17%
vs67 · Top 24%
Climate
83 · Top 3%
vs86 · Top 2%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 8%
vs13 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 14%
vs62 · Bottom 7%
Access
96 · Top 13%
vs79 · Top 45%
Economic stability
51 · Top 50%
vs39 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | Port St. Lucie | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 632,780 | 522,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,476 | $74,514 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,108 | $41,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 623/sq mi | 468/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $339,600 | $364,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,556 | $1,580 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.7% | 78.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.2% | 30.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.2% | 12.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,845 | 4,189 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.7 | 8.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.0% | -25.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 51°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.8" | 51.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.2 min | 31.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.7 | 47.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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-Melbourne-Titusville
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Port St. Lucie
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.
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville
63
Your Score
58
Area Score
Port St. Lucie
56
Your Score
52
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL Metro Area · Port St. Lucie, FL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology