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Is Merritt Island, FL a Good Place to Live?
Merritt Island is a small city of 34,300 in Florida, with a median household income of $82,172 and a 4.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.
Strengths: Merritt Island stands out for solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Merritt Island is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Merritt Island city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 100.8Merritt Island's overall cost of living index is 100.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Merritt Island costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Merritt Island, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $350,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,210 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 81.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $82,172 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeMerritt Island's violent crime rate is 170.6 per 100,000 residents — 55% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Merritt Island is served primarily by BREVARD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.1:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Merritt Island, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | BREVARD | — |
| Elementary Schools | 67 | — |
| Middle Schools | 11 | — |
| High Schools | 20 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 16.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 41.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 96.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Merritt Island sees average highs of 72.2°F in January and 90.9°F in July, with 53.5 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Merritt Island, FL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 72.2°F |
| Average High — July | 90.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Merritt Island, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,300 | — |
| Median Age | 50.2 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 24.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 87.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.5% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 3.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 25.7% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Merritt Island
Merritt Island, FL is covered by 1 ZIP code: