The Town FilesMerritt Island, Florida
Community in Brevard County · population 34,518 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $402,900
- Household income
- $94,012
- Jan low / Jul high
- 51° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 42
- Median age
- 50.2
Merritt Island is a community of 34,518 people in Brevard County, Florida. The median home is worth $402,900, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks more seaside character than 93% of Florida towns, better for families than 77% of Florida towns, more upscale than 77% of Florida towns.
How Merritt Island ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Merritt Island is worth $402,900, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $94,012, which is more affordable than 58% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,441 a month. 80.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Merritt Island | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $402,900 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,441 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $94,012 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 80.0% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.4% | — |
Who lives in Merritt Island
| People | Merritt Island | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.2 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.6% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.0% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 13.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.7% | — |
| Work from home | 19.0% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.5% | 92.4% |
Weather in Merritt Island
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 50.5°F. About 55.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 76 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
42 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Merritt Island since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 4, 1966 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 9, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 29, 2023.
Severe weather in Brevard County since 1996
Brevard County has been included in 45 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4806: Hurricane Debby |
| August 3, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3605: Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 31, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4734: Hurricane Idalia |
Jobs and pay in Brevard County
Brevard County had 242,124 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,051 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Merritt Island itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Public schools in Merritt Island
10 public schools with 5,731 students, about 16.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MERRITT ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,483 | 20.6 |
| EDGEWOOD JR/SR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 935 | 18.7 |
| LEWIS CARROLL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 628 | 14.6 |
| TROPICAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 619 | 16.3 |
| THOMAS JEFFERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL | 7-8 | 543 | 18.7 |
| ROBERT L. STEVENSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-6 | 505 | 15.8 |
| MILA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 431 | 12.3 |
| AUDUBON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 420 | 12.4 |
| NORTH/CENTRAL AREA ALTERNATIVE LEARNING CENTER | 3-12 | 93 | 13.3 |
| GARDENDALE SEPARATE DAY SCHOOL | K-12 | 74 | 4.4 |
Towns near Merritt Island
- Cocoa Beach, FL3.3 mi · 11,354 people · home $503,200
- Rockledge, FL3.9 mi · 27,678 people · home $338,100
- Viera East, FL4.0 mi · 11,687 people · home $396,700
- Viera West, FL5.9 mi · 16,688 people · home $546,600
- Cocoa West, FL6.7 mi · 5,939 people · home $158,700
- Cocoa, FL7.1 mi · 19,041 people · home $246,100
- Cape Canaveral, FL7.2 mi · 9,972 people · home $372,400
- South Patrick Shores, FL8.2 mi · 6,496 people · home $443,600
Merritt Island questions
Is Merritt Island, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Merritt Island scores better for retirees than 68% of Florida towns and quieter than 51%. 27.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.2).
How much does a house cost in Merritt Island?
The median owner-occupied home in Merritt Island is valued at $402,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $94,012, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,441 a month.
What is the weather like in Merritt Island?
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 50.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Merritt Island get tornadoes?
42 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Merritt Island since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 4, 1966. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)