Rockledge and St. Cloud receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Rockledge
St. Cloud
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs58 · Top 46%
Growth
76 · Top 9%
vs73 · Top 13%
Climate
83 · Top 10%
vs80 · Top 18%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 12%
vs19 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 35%
vs71 · Bottom 36%
Schools
42 · Bottom 38%
vs50 · Bottom 48%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs97 · Top 22%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 35%
vs60 · Bottom 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Rockledge | St. Cloud | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,133 | 65,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,255 | $83,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,833 | $31,724 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,204/sq mi | 2,233/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $338,100 | $356,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,820 | $1,683 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.0% | 72.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.9% | 31.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 225 | 1,115 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.7 | 17.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 212.5% | -37.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 50°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.8" | 51.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 38.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 49.0 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.81 | 18.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 50.9% | 56.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 50.9% | 55.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.8% | 46.4% | 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
Rockledge
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
St. Cloud
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Full profiles: Rockledge, FL · St. Cloud, FL · How this is calculated: methodology