Population 44,000 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Merritt Island
Household size in Merritt Island
| Period | Merritt Island | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.47 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.50 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.50 | 2.57 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.52 | 2.52 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.11 | +0.05 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Merritt Island run a little small, averaging 2.52 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of the Melbourne area. Household size has climbed from 2.40 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Merritt Island
| Period | Merritt Island | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.1 | 44.4 | 40.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.6 | 45.7 | 42.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 49.0 | 46.4 | 43.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.7 | 46.2 | 43.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.6 | +1.7 | +2.7 | +2.3 |
Merritt Island skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.7, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 47.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Merritt Island
| Period | Merritt Island | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 9.5% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 10.3% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 9.2% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 9.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.1% of households in Merritt Island, well below the national share of 11.6%. Merritt Island has a lower share of single-parent households than most Florida cities.
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 Merritt Island
Renters in Merritt Island
| Period | Merritt Island | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.9% | 23.6% | 30.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.0% | 27.6% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.8% | 25.7% | 34.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.1% | 23.3% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −0.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 21.1% of households in Merritt Island rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 48.3% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share is up 1.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Merritt Island
| Period | Merritt Island | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.6% | 16.1% | 17.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 16.8% | 17.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.9% | 15.5% | 15.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.2% | 12.7% | 12.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −3.5 pts | −4.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Merritt Island: 15.2% of homes are empty, 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.
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 Merritt Island
| Period | Merritt Island | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1984 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1985 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1986 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1988 | 1989 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Merritt Island are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1979, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in the Melbourne area overall, where the median home dates to 1988. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the east has the oldest housing.
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 Merritt Island
| Period | Merritt Island | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,099 | $1,026 | $1,092 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,030 | $1,034 | $1,123 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,316 | $1,231 | $1,323 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,577 | $1,688 | $1,816 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$478 | +$661 | +$724 | +$606 |
Rent in Merritt Island runs $1,577 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the wider Melbourne area ($1,688). Rents are up $478 a month from 2006–10, a 43% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.0% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Merritt Island
Bachelor's degrees in Merritt Island
| Period | Merritt Island | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.8% | 25.8% | 26.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.4% | 26.4% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.2% | 29.6% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 38.8% | 33.8% | 34.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.0 pts | +8.0 pts | +8.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Merritt Island (38.8%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 9.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the west.
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 Merritt Island
| Period | Merritt Island | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.1% | 90.5% | 85.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.7% | 90.4% | 86.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.5% | 92.0% | 88.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.3% | 93.1% | 90.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Merritt Island: 95.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.2 points, mirroring the country. Merritt Island has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Florida cities.
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 Merritt Island
| Period | Merritt Island | Melbourne area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 8.8% | 8.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 12.0% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −3.9 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Merritt Island is close to the national rate: 4.9% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.4 points, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
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).
Merritt Island 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merritt Island | 2.52 | 49.7 | 8.1% | 21.1% | 15.2% | 1979 | $1,577 | 38.8% | 95.3% | 4.9% |
| Cocoa West | 2.45 | 39.8 | 17.1% | 47.6% | 15.2% | 1971 | $1,499 | 17.8% | 85.1% | 3.3% |
| Cape Canaveral | 1.69 | 60.5 | 5.0% | 40.2% | 32.7% | 1985 | $1,613 | 37.0% | 96.1% | 3.6% |
| Rockledge | 2.44 | 48.3 | 6.5% | 22.9% | 13.9% | 1990 | $1,917 | 35.7% | 94.0% | 4.6% |
| Cocoa Beach | 1.94 | 59.4 | 4.0% | 22.2% | 26.2% | 1976 | $1,726 | 50.7% | 96.8% | 7.8% |
| 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% |
| Patrick Afb | 3.02 | 24.9 | 9.1% | 100.0% | 13.9% | 1990 | $2,190 | 48.0% | 97.4% | 3.2% |
| 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: Bear, DE · Woonsocket, RI · Winder, GA · Williamsport, PA · West Bend, WI · Wentzville, MO · Vestavia Hills, AL · Sun Prairie, WI · Shenandoah, LA · Moses Lake, WA
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 Merritt Island. 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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