Cocoa Beach Parade, 1962
Cocoa Beach’s story
101 years in pictures
Census counts: 31 in 1930, 11,354 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1962 and 3 maps from 1949 on.
- 1925Cocoa Beach is settled
Photo: Connor J Williams · CC BY 2.0
Population
11,314
2025 Census estimate · −0.4% since 2020
Typical home
$456K
+0.4% in a year
Household income
$88K
median
Median age
59.2
years
Jobs based here
6,802
A job hub
TownGrade
C+
#229 of 634 in FL
Is Cocoa Beach a good place to live?
Cocoa Beach's standout: it has 10 miles of trail. Overall it grades C+, ranked 229th of 634 in Florida. Residents are healthier than 77% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and it is more walkable than 85% of U.S. towns. Its weakest subject is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $456K, 5.8 years of the Palm Bay metro’s $78K median household income. 36% of residents are 65 or older in Cocoa Beach, against 20% in Florida’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 84% of U.S. communities, with hurricanes at the top. The biggest park or preserve is Lori Wilson Park, at 30 acres.
What makes Cocoa Beach stand out
Where Cocoa Beach beats most towns.
Get outside
10 miles of trails in Cocoa Beach
17.7% of the town is conserved land, across 5 parks and preserves.
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Cocoa Beach grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Cocoa Beach is from typical.
Cost of livingDOpen →Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.7 of 20; 7.6% of households have no carAOpen →HealthCape Canaveral Hospital 2 miles awayA−Open →SchoolsB+Open →Jobs & incomeC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors18% conserved landA+Open →History8 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life4.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 90° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market$456K typical home, up 0.4% in a year; 85 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 59.2; 50% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 63 attractions →Windover Archaeological Site and 21 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Cocoa Beach. Close and well known come first.
20 mi Ancient siteWindover Archaeological Site
14 mi MuseumKennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
39 mi Stadium & arenaAcrisure Bounce House
14 mi LandmarkSpace Mirror Memorial
9 mi Zoo & aquariumBrevard Zoo
14 mi MuseumUnited States Astronaut Hall of FameSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Windover Archaeological Site: ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex: Bill White, Public domain · Acrisure Bounce House: DampFrijoles, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Space Mirror Memorial: Seth Buckley, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Brevard Zoo: Rusty Clark from merritt usland FLA, CC BY 2.0 · United States Astronaut Hall of Fame: Håkan Dahlström from Malmö, Sweden, CC BY 2.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Cocoa Beach: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cocoa Beach, and how to reach them.
PowerFPL14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Cocoa water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Florida you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBrevard Supervisor of ElectionsBrevard County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024
ZIP code3293132931 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Cocoa Beach.
Cocoa Beach is a second-home town, draws workers from Merritt Island and beyond and has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
About one in six working residents works right in Cocoa Beach
6,802 jobs are based in Cocoa Beach, 1.7 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. 24.8% of workers work from home, against 15.7% across Florida.
25% of Cocoa Beach workers work from home. Jobs based in Cocoa Beach grew to 6,802 in 2023, 1,398 more than in 2013. Cocoa Beach’s median household income is $88,000.
18%work in town
| Cocoa Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 25% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $88,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Cocoa Beach18%
Melbourne6%
Palm Bay6%
Orlando6%
Cape Canaveral3%
16 mi
median commute distance
6,802
jobs based in Cocoa Beach
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 85% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB+
Cocoa Beach’s public schools outperform 74% of Florida districts
Its public schools are run by the Brevard school district. Three of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Cocoa Beach Junior/Senior High School, with 1,049 students.
74%of FL districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom 7 Elementary School of International StudiesLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 408 | A+ |
| Cocoa Beach Junior/Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 1,049 | A− |
| Theodore Roosevelt Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 275 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
OutdoorsA+
17.7% of Cocoa Beach is conserved land
Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #2 of 638 in Florida.
9.5 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves.
#178for trails in FL
17.7%
conserved · 1,720 of 9,699 acres
9.5 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lori Wilson Park | 0.7 mi | 30 |
| 2. Sidney Fischer Park | — | 6 |
| 3. Ramp Road Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Very high risk in Cocoa Beach, with hurricanes at the top
Since 1979, 103 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Cocoa Beach.
84risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland flooding
103
paid flood claims since 1979
14
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA−
Cocoa Beach’s grade for health is an A−
30% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Cocoa Beach. Cocoa Beach beats the Florida average on 17 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 13% of adults report frequent mental distress in Cocoa Beach.
77%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Cocoa Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 37% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 37% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 16% |
31 measures vs. Florida
17 better9 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Cocoa Beach | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.1% | 15.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.5% | 13.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 14.5% | 9.1% |
Cape Canaveral Hospital
2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
77th
percentile among FL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade D
Cocoa Beach’s grade for cost of living is a D
The typical Cocoa Beach home is worth about $456,000, about the same as a year ago, 22% above the Florida typical home. The median rent in Cocoa Beach is $1,569 a month.
$456KZillow home value
| Cocoa Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 79% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,569 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Cocoa Beach$456K
Florida$375K
Market temperature
85
days on market
95.9%
sale-to-list price
+0.4%
value change, 1 year
39
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Cocoa Beach, expect mild winters and hot summers
January nights average 53.3°, milder than in 99% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 89.6°. The Melbourne Wfo weather station, 15 miles away, records that about 76 days a year reach 90°: more than most of the country, but fewer than 89% of Florida places with climate records.
Cocoa Beach has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
90°summer high
| Cocoa Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 53°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 90°F | 91°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter55–72°
Spring65–80°
Summer75–89°
Fall70–83°
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
90°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cocoa Beach
19pages on Cocoa Beach
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Cocoa Beach
About 5 of every 100 Cocoa Beach residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Florida.
A job hub
Every workday, about 6,071 people come to Cocoa Beach for work
Where Cocoa Beach’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
6,802jobs based in Cocoa Beach
18%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Cocoa Beach
8 notable people were born in Cocoa Beach.
J
John PescatoreAmerican rower · born 1964
M
Melanie Harrison OkoroMarine estuarine and environmental scientist · born 1982About Cocoa Beach
City in the United States
Cocoa Beach is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,354 at the 2020 United States census, up from 11,231 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1925
- Area
- 15 sq mi
- Elevation
- 0 ft
- ZIP code
- 32931, 32932
- Area code
- 321
Cocoa Beach’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Cocoa Beach.
Merritt IslandCape CanaveralCocoa Beach
How the neighbors grade
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cocoa Beach | #229 | C+ | D | — | B+ | A− |
| Merritt Island | #125 | B | C− | — | B+ | B+ |
| Cape Canaveral | #121 | B | C− | — | B+ | B+ |
Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island and Cape Canaveral report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Cocoa Beach with a neighbor →
Questions about Cocoa Beach
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cocoa Beach, FL a good place to live?
Cocoa Beach grades C+ overall, better than 43% of U.S. towns and #229 of 634 in Florida. It grades A− for health and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Cocoa Beach, FL expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
What is Cocoa Beach, FL known for?
8 notable people were born here, including Jan Davis and Kelly Slater.