Brevard County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $353,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $242,000 |
What this means
Values in Brevard County are about flat (−0.4% in a year), now 5.9% below the Apr 2024 peak.
Treat these as area figures and confirm rent with comps. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Brevard County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 663,982 | 2.8% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 9.5% | +0.6 pts |
| Median home value | $339,600 | 5% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,556 | 7% lower |
| Median household income | $78,476 | 5% higher |
| Owner occupied homes | 76.7% | +9.1 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 24.5% | +3.2 pts |
| Average commute | 25 min | 9% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 10.9% | -3.3 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 7.0 | 8% lower |
| Veterans, share of adults | 12.6% | +5.2 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $2,311 | 15% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $3,532 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Brevard County
Three things set apart Brevard County: a large veteran community (12.6% of adults); fewer renters than most of Florida (23.3% of homes); and an older population (24.5% age 65 or older).
Atlantic coast county in east Central Florida known as the Space Coast. Titusville is the county seat, and the county dates to 1844.
Largest communities: Palm Bay, Melbourne and Titusville. Palm Bay alone has about 130,132 residents.
What anchors the area
- Colleges: Florida Institute of Technology (Melbourne); Eastern Florida State College (Cocoa)
- Commercial airports: Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB)
- Military: Patrick Space Force Base; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
- Economy: aerospace; tourism; Port Canaveral cruise and cargo; largest employers include Kennedy Space Center, Brevard Public Schools and L3Harris Technologies
- Known for: Kennedy Space Center; Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge; Canaveral National Seashore
Growth and where it is heading
The Census counts 663,982 residents as of July 2025, versus 606,616 in 2020, a 9.5% change. The 2024 to 2025 change was +1.18%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 3,376 |
| 2 to 4 units | 18 |
| 5 or more units | 1,230 |
| Total | 4,624 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 7.0 (close to Florida, 7.6) |
What the regional research shows
The Space Coast market cooled in 2026: the median list price was $389,990 in August, down 2.3% from a year earlier, and 47.3% of listings had a price cut (HousingWire, Aug 2026). Demand rests on aerospace, manufacturing and the high tech corridor.
See the Central Florida investor guide for regional corridors.
Risks to price in
No hurricane landfall in Brevard County since 2000 in the record we use. Wind and rain from storms still reach inland.
Brevard County homeowners paid $3,532 a year on average for coverage that includes wind (state insurance regulator, March 2026).
Flood zone and elevation drive coastal insurance costs; check them per address.
32.1% of homes predate 1980, so expect four point inspections and roof questions from insurers. Insurance and inspections
With 8.1% of homes in large buildings, read reserve studies and minutes before buying a condo. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
| Brevard County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 17,068 (6.8%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 29,365 (11.8%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 47% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 4,407, $66,334,388 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Irma ($19,632,684); Tropical Storm Fay ($19,198,315); Other or unnamed flooding ($9,443,948) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 16 (12 hurricane, 1 tropical storm, 1 biological) |
Federal flood policies in high risk zones get 10% off here, thanks to the county (unincorporated areas)'s CRS class 8 rating. Current map: 01/29/21.
Where people work: health care and social assistance (15%), retail (14%), hotels and restaurants (13%), out of 205,503 private jobs in Brevard County (2023). The visitor economy (hotels and restaurants) is 13% of private jobs, close to the Florida share.
Buying a home in Brevard County
| 2026 loan limit, one unit | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA | $541,287 |
| Conforming (above this is jumbo) | $832,750 |
The median priced home fits under the FHA limit with room to spare. FHA limits
The median home equals 4.3 years of median household income (4.8 for the state).
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 11,849 | 67.4% | 72.2% | $264,630 |
| FHA | 2,905 | 16.5% | 17.8% | $306,026 |
| VA | 2,805 | 16% | 9.9% | $410,458 |
| USDA | 13 | 0.1% | 0.2% | $92,692 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 57.3% |
| Cash out refinance | 15.5% |
| Rate and term refinance | 10.9% |
| Home improvement | 8.4% |
Total loans rose 3.7% from 2024 (16,943 to 17,572). VA loans are unusually common here.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: 67.4% of local loans.
- FHA: lower scores and higher debt ratios allowed; limit $541,287.
- VA: veterans are 12.6% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
Down payment help and taxes
Statewide help is available through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Property taxes run about 0.68% of value for current owners (median bill $2,311); a new buyer's bill resets to the purchase price. Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Brevard County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Brevard County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 23.3% | -9.1 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 33.3% | -1.9 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 10.8% | +3.2 pts |
More rentals sit empty than the state average.
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 5% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 7.1% (-0.7 pts vs Florida) |
| Commercial airport | Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) |
Vacation rental towns with guides: Cocoa Beach. A home only works as a vacation rental if zoning and the HOA both allow it. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 65.9% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 17.5% |
| Manufactured homes | 7.2% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 0.63% |
Largest cities and towns in Brevard County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, Viera West has the highest median value ($546,600) and Cocoa the lowest ($246,100); Port St. John shows the best rent to price ratio (7.55% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Bay | 130,132 | $283,200 | $1,601 | $72,614 |
| Melbourne | 86,576 | $306,400 | $1,525 | $66,991 |
| Titusville | 49,385 | $266,600 | $1,334 | $66,192 |
| Merritt Island | 34,992 | $402,900 | $1,441 | $94,012 |
| Rockledge | 29,133 | $338,100 | $1,820 | $84,255 |
| West Melbourne | 28,795 | $377,100 | $1,845 | $92,986 |
| Port St. John | 25,120 | $281,300 | $1,771 | $87,736 |
| Cocoa | 19,554 | $246,100 | $1,274 | $63,105 |
| Viera West | 17,984 | $546,600 | $2,182 | $109,170 |
| Viera East | 12,570 | $396,700 | $1,681 | $92,467 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
1 of its 5 neighbors is cheaper by median value.
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brevard County | $339,600 | $1,556 | 9.5% |
| Indian River County | $351,500 | $1,357 | 8.1% |
| Orange County | $390,100 | $1,775 | 6.9% |
| Osceola County | $353,300 | $1,746 | 23.9% |
| Seminole County | $386,900 | $1,783 | 4.5% |
| Volusia County | $313,000 | $1,467 | 9.6% |
Other Florida markets
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5 year estimates. 2020 to 2024.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025. July 1, 2025.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual. 2025.
- FFIEC HMDA Data Browser, originated loans. 2025 and 2024.
- LendingTree: 2026 FHA loan limits in Florida by county (HUD figures). 2026.
- Florida Realtors: FHFA sets 2026 conforming loan limits. 2026.
- Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research: 2026 local option tourist tax rates. 2026.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, July 2026 Insurance Stability Unit report (average homeowners premium with wind, as of March 31, 2026). March 31, 2026.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. week of October 22, 2026.
- Wikipedia: List of counties in Florida. checked October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file. 2024.
- Wikipedia county article and statewide lists (colleges, teams, airports); Florida Defense Support Task Force installation map. checked October 2026.
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), all homes, middle tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted. September 2026.
- Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (county annual, metro and state quarterly, all transactions). through Q2 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, January to September 2026 and 2025. September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Residential Penetration Rates. as of August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims (2000 to 2026). as of September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book (Community Rating System class). August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries (2000 to 2026). October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. 2023.
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024, median gross rent by bedrooms (B25031). 2020 to 2024.
- Hurricane landfalls: Wikipedia, List of Florida hurricanes (2000 to present). checked October 2026.
Estimates from public data; they change over time. General information, not investment, tax or legal advice, and not a loan offer. Methods and assumptions.