Melbourne vs Merritt Island
Melbourne, Florida versus Merritt Island, Florida: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Melbourne edges out Merritt Island on overall objective livability (62 vs 58 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Melbourne | Merritt Island |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $61k | $82k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $50k |
| Home Value | $247k | $351k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.73% | 0.70% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 5.29% | 5.29% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 4.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 62°F | 61°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 82°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.3 in | 55.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 272 days | 272 days |
| Summer Humidity | 74°F | 74°F |
| Comfortable Days | 149 days | 152 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 80.8 | 91.7 |
| Air Quality | 40 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 33.0 | 33.0 |
| Violent Crime | 0/100k | — |
| Property Crime | 0/100k | — |
| Community | ||
| Population | 84,982 | 34,300 |
| Median Age | 42.4 | 50.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.40 | 0.23 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | R+17 | R+17 |
| White (%) | 69.5% | 82.9% |
| Black (%) | 10.1% | 2.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.0% | 7.1% |
| Asian (%) | 3.2% | 3.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 4.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 12.5/20 | 10.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 45 mi | 41 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.5% | 93.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 26.24 | 44.31 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Melbourne or Merritt Island more affordable?
- Merritt Island has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Melbourne's $50k and Merritt Island's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Melbourne versus $1k in Merritt Island.
- Are homes cheaper in Melbourne or Merritt Island?
- The median home value is $247k in Melbourne and $351k in Merritt Island, so homes are more affordable in Melbourne.