Residential comparison · 13 facts
Merritt Island, FL vs Palm Bay, FL
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Merritt Island needs about $88,500 in Palm Bay to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Palm Bay, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $81,500 in Merritt Island.
A few differences
- Merritt Island is higher on median household income ($94,012 vs $72,614).
- Palm Bay is lower on cost of living index (97 vs 102).
- Merritt Island is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,397/mo vs $1,495/mo).
Merritt Island vs Palm Bay · facet by facet
| Facet | Merritt Island, FL | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $402,900 | $283,200 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,397/mo | $1,495/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| State & local income tax | 0% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 7% | 7% |
| Cost of living index | 102 | 97 |
| Groceries index | 103 | 103 |
| Utilities | $180/mo | $180/mo |
| Median household income | $94,012 | $72,614 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| Crime index | 45/100 | 45/100 |
| School rating | 5.8/10 | 5.8/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 240 days | 240 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Merritt Island, FL · Palm Bay, FL
Questions & answers
- Is Merritt Island cheaper than Palm Bay?
- Palm Bay has the lower day-to-day cost index (97 vs 102 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Palm Bay equals $85,000 in Merritt Island?
- A household earning $85,000 in Merritt Island needs about $88,500 in Palm Bay to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Palm Bay lifestyle costs about $81,500 in Merritt Island.