Population 14,501 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cocoa Beach
Household size in Cocoa Beach
| Period | Cocoa Beach | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.95 | 2.47 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.99 | 2.50 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.91 | 2.57 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.94 | 2.52 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | +0.05 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Cocoa Beach are small: just 1.94 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Only 28 of the 512 Florida cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cocoa Beach
| Period | Cocoa Beach | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 54.5 | 44.4 | 40.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 54.7 | 45.7 | 42.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 58.3 | 46.4 | 43.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 59.4 | 46.2 | 43.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.9 | +1.7 | +2.7 | +2.3 |
Cocoa Beach skews older: half of its residents are older than 59.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 54.5, in line with the national trend. Of the 512 Florida cities with 5,000+ people, only 37 are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cocoa Beach
| Period | Cocoa Beach | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 9.5% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 10.3% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 9.2% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 9.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.0% of households in Cocoa Beach, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 26 of the 512 Florida cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cocoa Beach
Renters in Cocoa Beach
| Period | Cocoa Beach | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.4% | 23.6% | 30.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.3% | 27.6% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.7% | 25.7% | 34.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.2% | 23.3% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.3 pts | −0.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.2% of households in Cocoa Beach rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 51.4% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the southwest. The renter share is down 6.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cocoa Beach
| Period | Cocoa Beach | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.4% | 16.1% | 17.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.4% | 16.8% | 17.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 29.6% | 15.5% | 15.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.2% | 12.7% | 12.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −3.5 pts | −4.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 26.2% of the housing in Cocoa Beach, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is down 4.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cocoa Beach
| Period | Cocoa Beach | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1984 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1985 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1975 | 1986 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1988 | 1989 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Cocoa Beach was built around 1976, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in the Melbourne area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1988. Cocoa Beach has older homes than at least four in five Florida cities.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cocoa Beach
| Period | Cocoa Beach | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,030 | $1,026 | $1,092 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,098 | $1,034 | $1,123 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,258 | $1,231 | $1,323 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,726 | $1,688 | $1,816 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$697 | +$661 | +$724 | +$606 |
The median renter in Cocoa Beach pays $1,726 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $697 a month from 2006–10, a 68% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 27.3% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cocoa Beach
Bachelor's degrees in Cocoa Beach
| Period | Cocoa Beach | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.9% | 25.8% | 26.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.2% | 26.4% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.4% | 29.6% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.7% | 33.8% | 34.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.8 pts | +8.0 pts | +8.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Cocoa Beach: 50.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 8.8 points, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cocoa Beach
| Period | Cocoa Beach | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.0% | 90.5% | 85.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.8% | 90.4% | 86.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.7% | 92.0% | 88.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.8% | 93.1% | 90.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Cocoa Beach: 96.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged up 0.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Only 49 of the 512 Florida cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cocoa Beach
| Period | Cocoa Beach | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 8.8% | 8.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 12.0% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −3.9 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Cocoa Beach: 7.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of the 512 Florida cities with 5,000+ people, only 42 have higher unemployment. Unemployment is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cocoa Beach compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cocoa Beach | 1.94 | 59.4 | 4.0% | 22.2% | 26.2% | 1976 | $1,726 | 50.7% | 96.8% | 7.8% |
| Cape Canaveral | 1.69 | 60.5 | 5.0% | 40.2% | 32.7% | 1985 | $1,613 | 37.0% | 96.1% | 3.6% |
| Merritt Island | 2.52 | 49.7 | 8.1% | 21.1% | 15.2% | 1979 | $1,577 | 38.8% | 95.3% | 4.9% |
| Patrick Afb | 3.02 | 24.9 | 9.1% | 100.0% | 13.9% | 1990 | $2,190 | 48.0% | 97.4% | 3.2% |
| Rockledge | 2.44 | 48.3 | 6.5% | 22.9% | 13.9% | 1990 | $1,917 | 35.7% | 94.0% | 4.6% |
| Cocoa West | 2.45 | 39.8 | 17.1% | 47.6% | 15.2% | 1971 | $1,499 | 17.8% | 85.1% | 3.3% |
| Cocoa | 2.47 | 47.7 | 9.1% | 22.1% | 12.8% | 1985 | $1,529 | 24.4% | 91.0% | 4.8% |
| Bellwood | 2.90 | 45.8 | 9.5% | 37.8% | 11.3% | 1987 | $1,193 | 15.7% | 95.1% | 0.0% |
| Port St. John | 2.73 | 45.3 | 10.3% | 6.6% | 11.3% | 1986 | $1,485 | 17.8% | 88.3% | 8.2% |
| Wedgefield | 3.11 | 42.5 | 5.0% | 10.4% | 5.0% | 2003 | $2,289 | 42.7% | 95.0% | 2.4% |
| Pine Grove | 3.03 | 41.1 | 5.0% | 9.6% | 7.4% | 2009 | $1,653 | 41.1% | 96.3% | 8.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Dunmore, PA · Cutlerville, MI · Waconia, MN · Dallas, PA · Damascus, MD · Danville, IN · Wabash, IN · Decatur, TX · Victor, NY · Dillon, SC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cocoa Beach. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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