City profile · Florida · Census ACS 2023

Merritt Island, FL

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

34,718
Residents
$91,020
Median income
$379,700
Median home
$1,709
Median rent (state)

Merritt Island - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Merritt Island lands in the 72nd percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

72nd
percentile, household income
75th
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: Merritt Island, FL

Florida's Merritt Island is a small city, with 34,718 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Merritt Island brings in $91,020 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.9%. Typical homes in Merritt Island are valued around $379,700, and the median resident age is 49.8 years. Educational attainment runs 41.8% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 52.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 9 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,709 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Florida, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 20.3 minutes, with 75.3% driving alone and 17.4% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 98.4 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

34,718 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Florida

Median Household Income

$91,020 /yr

Poverty 5.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.4 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Florida average

How does Merritt Island compare to other US cities?

Merritt Island measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 72% higher than other cities
Home value 75% 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 Merritt Island'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.

72ndIncome percentile

72nd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Merritt Island's home value compares nationally

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

$379,700 25th percentile more affordable than 25% 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%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Merritt Island $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 - Merritt Island, FL Merritt Island, FL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Merritt Island, 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 Merritt Island, FL median $91,020/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%
Merritt Island, 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 Merritt Island, FL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 41.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.1%

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

Population
34,718
Median Income
$91,020
Median Home Value
$379,700
Median Age
49.8
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Labor force participation
52.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
41.8%

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
20.3 minutes
Drive Alone
75.3%
Carpool
4.8%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
0.3%
Work from Home
17.4%
Other
2.0%

Based on 15,279 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 Merritt Island 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

Golden Glades
35,042 people
Panama City
34,211 people
Cooper City
34,166 people
Kendall West
35,492 people
Fruit Cove
35,609 people
Carrollwood
35,645 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Merritt Island's 34,718 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Long Beach, NY
34,741 people
Randolph, MA
34,683 people
University City, MO
34,655 people
Northbrook, IL
34,642 people
Del Rio, TX
34,638 people
Canton, GA
34,587 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Merritt Island's $91,020 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hooksett, NH
$91,005 median income
Linden, NJ
$91,036 median income
Glenaire, MO
$91,000 median income
Swedesboro, NJ
$91,000 median income
Garden Valley, ID
$91,042 median income
Peekskill, NY
$91,042 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Merritt Island, 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 Merritt Island, FL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.2% White 86.8% Black or African American 2.2% Asian 3.2% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.7% Two or more races 6.0% 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 Merritt Island 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
Merritt Island (this city) 34,718 $91,020
Golden Glades 35,042 $49,932
Panama City 34,211 $61,125
Cooper City 34,166 $122,565
Census ACS 5-year FIPS FL NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Merritt Island, FL?

What is the population of Merritt Island, FL? +

34,718 people live in Merritt Island, FL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Merritt Island, FL? +

The median household income in Merritt Island is $91,020 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Merritt Island? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Merritt Island; 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 Merritt Island, FL? +

A typical home in Merritt Island is worth $379,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, 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.