City · Florida
Palm Bay, Florida
Palm Bay, city, in Brevard County, Florida. Palm Bay had 148,092 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 23.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 119,760 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 130,132 (±54). GEOID 1254000.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
148,092
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 119,760 · ACS 2020-2024: 130,132 ±54
Median household income
$72,614
±$3,753 (90% margin)
Florida: $74,568
Median home value
$283,200
±$6,762 (90% margin)
Florida: $359,000
Median gross rent
$1,601
±$71 (90% margin)
Florida: $1,669
Where is Palm Bay and what county is it in?
Palm Bay is a city in Brevard County, Florida. It covers 86.7 square miles of land, 1,382 residents per square mile in 2020.
Palm Bay is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Palm Bay, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 148,092 people lived in Palm Bay on July 1, 2025, up 23.7% since 2020, faster than Florida (+8.9%). The 2020 Census counted 119,760 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 130,132 (±54).
| Measure | Palm Bay | Brevard County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 130,132 ±54 | 632,780 | +18,135 |
| Households | 45,850 ±1,108 | 257,695 | +7,364 |
| Average household size | 2.82 ±0.07 | 2.42 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 50,147 ±955 | 299,305 | +6,760 |
Palm Bay's population since 2000
From 79,413 in 2000 to 148,092 in 2025: up 86.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Palm Bay as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Palm Bay?
The median resident of Palm Bay is 41.0 years old; 22.1% are under 18 and 19.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 50.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 20.6%. 16.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Palm Bay | Brevard County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 ±0.8 | 46.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.1% ±0.9 pts | 18.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.0% ±0.8 pts | 24.5% | – |
| Male | 48.1% ±0.9 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 20.6% ±1.4 pts | 12.2% | +3.5 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 50.8% ±2.0 pts | 70.2% | −9.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 18.5% ±1.3 pts | 9.4% | +1.8 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.2% ±0.5 pts | 2.4% | +0.7 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.8% ±1.1 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±0.5 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 16.0% ±1.3 pts | 9.7% | +3.9 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 18.7% ±1.6 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.9% ±0.9 pts | 12.6% | – |
| With a disability | 16.0% ±1.1 pts | 16.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 12.8% ±1.2 pts | 9.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.0% ±0.9 pts | 93.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 24.0% ±1.6 pts | 34.2% | +4.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.3% ±1.2 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.8% ±1.3 pts | 87.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.1% ±0.7 pts | 3.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Palm Bay earn?
Half of Palm Bay's 45,850 households earn less than $72,614 a year (±$3,753), against $78,476 in Brevard County and $74,568 in Florida. In 2015-2019 the median was $63,268 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $9,346 after inflation. 11.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Palm Bay | Brevard County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,614 ±$3,753 | $78,476 | +$9,346 |
| Mean household income | $94,793 ±$10,659 | $105,193 | – |
| Per capita income | $34,813 ±$3,490 | $44,108 | +$6,134 |
| People below the poverty line | 11.7% ±1.5 pts | 10.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.2% ±3.3 pts | 13.9% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.6% ±1.8 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.4% ±0.8 pts | 96.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.8% ±1.1 pts | 93.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Palm Bay?
Owners occupy 79.7% of Palm Bay's occupied homes and renters 20.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $283,200 by its owner (±$6,762). The median renter pays $1,601 a month including utilities, and 52.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Palm Bay | Brevard County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $283,200 ±$6,762 | $339,600 | +$92,196 |
| Median gross rent | $1,601 ±$71 | $1,556 | +$298 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 52.5% ±5.4 pts | 47.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,549 ±$48 | $1,805 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 79.7% ±1.6 pts | 76.7% | +5.2 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 20.3% ±1.6 pts | 23.3% | – |
| Housing units | 50,147 ±955 | 299,305 | +6,760 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.2% ±0.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.3% ±2.6 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 83.5% ±1.0 pts | 65.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.2% ±0.5 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 5.2% ±0.8 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.1% ±1.1 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.4% ±0.2 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.7% ±1.1 pts | 4.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Palm Bay building?
Builders took permits for 2,455 new housing units in Palm Bay in 2025 (1,908 in single-family houses), 16.6 per 1,000 residents against 7.6 across Florida.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Palm Bay work and get to work?
74.5% of Palm Bay's workers drive alone and 11.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.1%.
| Measure | Palm Bay | Brevard County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.2% ±1.2 pts | 56.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% ±1.1 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 74.5% ±1.9 pts | 74.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.0% ±1.4 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.5% ±0.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 0.7% ±0.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.0% ±1.0 pts | 14.6% | +5.9 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.8 min ±0.9 | 25.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Palm Bay?
22 census tracts lie mostly in Palm Bay, and 6 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $32,196 (Tract 651.28) to $94,213 (Tract 713.46).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 713.39Brevard County | 9,658 | $79,819 |
| Tract 713.48Brevard County | 9,472 | $84,050 |
| Tract 713.46Brevard County | 8,923 | $94,213 |
| Tract 713.41Brevard County | 8,005 | $76,576 |
| Tract 713.45Brevard County | 7,903 | $69,574 |
| Tract 713.47Brevard County | 7,897 | $72,336 |
| Tract 713.37Brevard County | 6,866 | $88,326 |
| Tract 652.02Brevard County | 6,388 | $65,810 |
| Tract 713.50Brevard County | 6,345 | $74,557 |
| Tract 713.43Brevard County | 5,888 | $82,212 |
| Tract 713.49Brevard County | 5,285 | $72,935 |
| Tract 713.35Brevard County | 5,492 | $90,833 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Palm Bay) · Census block assignment files
How does Palm Bay compare with other places in Florida?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Palm Bay is the 187th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 14th-most populous of 411 in Florida.
Palm Bay ranks 371st of 754 places in Florida with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 14th | 411 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 23rd | 328 |
| Residents per square mile | 486th | 770 |
| Median household income | 371st | 754 |
| Per capita income | 461st | 763 |
| Median home value | 497th | 749 |
| Median gross rent | 362nd | 710 |
| Poverty rate | 328th | 634 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 481st | 733 |
| Median age | 453rd | 762 |
| Owner-occupied share | 267th | 760 |
| Work from home | 462nd | 596 |
| Travel time to work | 362nd | 764 |
Palm Bay's figures with every place in Florida (CSV)
Every place in Florida, sortable · Compare Palm Bay with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Palm Bay?
2 of the 57 figures for Palm Bay on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Palm Bay are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Palm Bay.