Melbourne today
What this means
Melbourne prices barely moved in the past year (−0.4%), now 6.5% below the Apr 2024 peak.
Permits January to September 2026: 541 homes, 1076% more than 2025.
Treat these as area figures and confirm rent with comps. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Melbourne | vs Brevard County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 87,097 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 2.8% | -6.7 pts | -6.1 pts |
| Median home value | $306,400 | 10% lower | 15% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,525 | 2% lower | 9% lower |
| Median household income | $66,991 | 15% lower | 10% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 59.7% | -17.0 pts | -7.9 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 22.5% | -2.0 pts | +1.2 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 23 | 10% lower | 19% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 9.4% | -1.5 pts | -4.8 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $2,075 | 10% lower | 24% lower |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in Melbourne
Space Coast city in Brevard County about 72 miles southeast of Orlando, mostly inland of the Indian River Lagoon, incorporated in 1888.
Melbourne is an incorporated city in Brevard County, with its own zoning and rental rules.
Known for: L3Harris headquarters; Florida Institute of Technology; Melbourne Orlando International Airport; Eau Gallie Arts District
How it has grown: Doubled in size after merging with Eau Gallie in 1969; Interstate 95 runs through it.
Next to the rest of Brevard County, fewer homes are owner occupied (59.7% vs 76.7%); it grew slower than the county since 2020 (2.8% vs 9.5%); more of the housing is in apartment and condo buildings (25.9% vs 17.5%) and household incomes are lower ($66,991 vs $78,476).
Cities with similar prices and rents: Sanford ($309,300, $1,609), Bradenton ($309,400, $1,618), University (Orange County) ($298,900, $1,445).
Growth and housing
The Census estimates 87,097 residents in 2025, up from 84,733 in 2020: 2.8% growth.
| 2025 building permits | Melbourne |
|---|---|
| Single family | 48 |
| 5 or more units | 0 |
| Total units | 64 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 0.7 |
The typical home here was built around 1985. The housing mix is 57.2% detached houses and 25.9% larger buildings. Average household size is 2.24.
4.6% 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 |
Insurers will want a four point inspection on most older homes here (39% predate 1980). Inspections
Flood, storms and jobs
Flood premiums in Melbourne get a 15% discount in high risk zones because the city holds CRS class 7. Since 2000, flood insurance has paid $8,433,537 on 465 claims inside Melbourne. 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 Melbourne
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $541,287 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $306,400 |
Homes cost 4.6 times median household income here (Brevard County 4.3, Florida 4.8).
- Conventional: the default for buyers with solid credit and 5% or more down.
- FHA: works for the typical $306,400 home here.
- VA: veterans are 11.5% of adults.
Investing in Melbourne
Long term rentals
| Melbourne | vs Brevard County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 40.3% | +17.0 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 6.2% | -4.6 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 34.5% | +1.2 pts |
Short term rentals
Seasonal and vacation homes: 3.7% of the stock, against 7.1% countywide.
| 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 | 57.2% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 25.9% |
| Manufactured homes | 4.1% |
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.