Cocoa Beach today
What this means
Home values here climbed 3.2% in a year.
Builders are pulling back: 7 homes permitted so far in 2026, down 42%.
Treat these as area figures and confirm rent with comps. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Cocoa Beach | vs Brevard County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,314 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | -0.4% | -9.9 pts | -9.3 pts |
| Median home value | $503,200 | 48% higher | 40% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,569 | 1% higher | 6% lower |
| Median household income | $87,990 | 12% higher | 18% higher |
| Owner occupied homes | 78.8% | +2.1 pts | +11.2 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 36.3% | +11.8 pts | +15.0 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 26 | about the same | 9% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 1.8% | -9.1 pts | -12.4 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $3,481 | 51% higher | 28% higher |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in Cocoa Beach
Brevard County barrier island city between the Atlantic and the Banana River, next to Cape Canaveral.
Cocoa Beach is an incorporated city in Brevard County, with its own zoning and rental rules.
Known for: Cocoa Beach Pier; Ron Jon Surf Shop; East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame
Development and roads: Grew with the space program in the 1950s and 1960s; State Roads A1A and 520 are the main routes.
Next to the rest of Brevard County, more of the housing is in apartment and condo buildings (57.6% vs 17.5%); more homes are seasonal or vacation homes (24.8% vs 7.1%); homes are pricier than the county median ($503,200 vs $339,600) and the population is older (36.3% age 65 or older vs 24.5%).
If you like the numbers here, also look at Edgewood ($501,800, $1,487), Belle Isle ($526,600, $1,452), The Acreage ($524,800, $1,710).
Growth and housing
Cocoa Beach changed -0.4% in population from 2020 to 2025 (county 9.5%, Florida 8.9%).
| 2025 building permits | Cocoa Beach |
|---|---|
| Single family | 23 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total units | 23 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 2.0 |
Median year built: 1975. This is a multifamily heavy market (57.6% in buildings of 5+ units). Average household size is 1.89.
7.7% of residents moved in from another state in the past year (county 3.7%).
Risks to price in
| Risk item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County average homeowners insurance with wind | $3,532 a year |
| Coastal county | check flood zone and elevation per address |
Older homes (62.3% built before 1980) draw insurer questions about roofs and wiring. Inspections
40.1% of homes are in buildings of 20 or more units; condo reserves and inspections decide financing. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
Flood premiums in Cocoa Beach get a 05% discount in high risk zones because the city holds CRS class 9. Since 2000, flood insurance has paid $1,600,158 on 240 claims inside Cocoa Beach. The Brevard County guide covers storms, flood claims and employers; 6.8% of county homes are in high risk flood zones.
Buying a home in Cocoa Beach
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $541,287 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $503,200 |
Homes cost 5.7 times median household income here (Brevard County 4.3, Florida 4.8).
- Conventional: the most common loan in Brevard County.
- FHA: $38,087 of room between the median home and the FHA limit.
- VA: veterans are 13.8% of adults.
Investing in Cocoa Beach
Long term rentals
| Cocoa Beach | vs Brevard County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 21.2% | -2.1 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 15.1% | +4.3 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 32.6% | -0.7 pts |
Short term rentals
Vacation demand is real here, with 24.8% of homes held for seasonal use, and so is the competition.
| Short term rental taxes | Rate |
|---|---|
| County tourist development tax | 5% |
| State sales tax | 6% plus any county surtax |
Confirm zoning, registration and HOA rules for the exact address. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 29% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 57.6% |
| Manufactured homes | 0% |
Nearby
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.
- Wikipedia article for this place (history, setting, roads). 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.