City profile · Florida · Census ACS 2023

Melbourne, FL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Melbourne - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

85,718
Residents
$64,504
Median income
$272,900
Median home
$1,709
Median rent (state)

Melbourne - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Melbourne places in the 42nd percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

42nd
percentile, household income
60th
percentile, home value
68th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Melbourne, FL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 85,718 residents in Melbourne, a small city within Florida. The typical household in Melbourne brings in $64,504 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.2%. Melbourne's housing stock carries a median value of $272,900, and the median resident age is 42.3 years. 33.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 55.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 59 residential building permits were authorized in Melbourne (Construction Slowdown), down 84% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 73.1°F with 50.8 inches of precipitation per year.

Florida carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 103.4 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,709 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Florida run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 98.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

85,718 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Florida

Median Household Income

$64,504 /yr

Poverty 11.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.4 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Florida average

How does Melbourne compare to other US cities?

Here's how Melbourne stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 42% higher than other cities
Home value 60% pricier than other cities
Median rent 68% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Melbourne's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Florida, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

42ndIncome percentile

42nd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Melbourne's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$272,900 40th percentile more affordable than 40% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Melbourne $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Melbourne, FL Melbourne, FL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Melbourne, FL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Melbourne, FL median $64,504/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Melbourne, FL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Melbourne, FL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 33.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
85,718
Median Income
$64,504
Median Home Value
$272,900
Median Age
42.3
Poverty Rate
11.2%
Labor force participation
55.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
33.3%

Climate

Avg Temperature
73.1°F
Annual Precipitation
50.8"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
19
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
84,000 residents85,000 residents86,000 residents87,000 residents88,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 85,090 residents 87,097 residents ▲ +2.4%
Melbourne's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
59
housing units authorized
Single-Family
59
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 377
2020 483
2021 149
2022 125
2023 301
2024 59

Permit volume decreased 84% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
73.6%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
1.3%
Walk
2.7%
Work from Home
13.1%
Other
1.9%

Based on 39,136 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Florida - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$145
avg/month
Natural Gas
$25
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Florida state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Florida state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Melbourne sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.4
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,709/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.4 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Florida

Town 'n' Country
86,544 people
Deerfield Beach
86,742 people
Largo
82,506 people
Pine Hills
82,264 people
The Villages
82,108 people
Miami Beach
81,319 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Melbourne's 85,718 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

San Ramon, CA
85,734 people
Sioux City, IA
85,651 people
Medford, OR
85,794 people
Lake Forest, CA
85,846 people
Franklin, TN
85,575 people
Livermore, CA
85,870 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Melbourne's $64,504 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Orleans, IN
$64,504 median income
Lordstown, OH
$64,503 median income
Almyra, AR
$64,500 median income
Mansfield, GA
$64,500 median income
Frankton, IN
$64,500 median income
Keota, IA
$64,500 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Melbourne, FL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Melbourne, FL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 75.2% 9.8% 8.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.8% White 75.2% Black or African American 9.8% Asian 3.2% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.4% Two or more races 8.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Melbourne compares to nearby Florida cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Melbourne (this city) 85,718 $64,504
Town 'n' Country 86,544 $68,350
Deerfield Beach 86,742 $56,976
Largo 82,506 $60,465
Census ACS 5-year FIPS FL NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Melbourne, FL?

What is the population of Melbourne, FL? +

The population of Melbourne, FL stands at 85,718 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Melbourne, FL? +

In Melbourne, the typical household earns $64,504 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Melbourne? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Melbourne; the closest available measure is the Florida state average, a cost of living index of 103.4 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Florida vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Melbourne, FL? +

Homes in Melbourne carry a median value of $272,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Melbourne? +

Climate normals put Melbourne's yearly average temperature at 73.1°F, 50.8 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.