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Cocoa Beach FLPhoto: Connor J Williams · CC BY 2.0
Town Hall · Cocoa Beach

Cocoa Beach spent more per resident in 2022 than 82% of similar cities

Cocoa Beach’s city government spent $37.3 million on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2024, about $3,286 per resident. The airport ($786,000) are counted separately.

Town website
Election Day

Today

General election in Florida.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2024
$37.3M
year to September 30, 2024
Per resident, 2024
$3,286
In 2022: $2,336, more than 82% of 67 similar cities
Long-term debt
$33.3M
end of FY2024, reported
City staff, 2025
207
full-time · 53 part-time · March payroll $1.2M
Typical tax bill
$3,481
0.69% of home value · FL 0.76%

What stands out about how Cocoa Beach is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Spends more than most similar citiesIn 2022: $2,336 per resident, more than 82% of 67 similar cities.A shared school districtShares Brevard County School District with 6+ other towns.Its own police and fire38 sworn officers and 30 full-time firefighters on the payroll.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Cocoa Beach’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2024 budget

About $3,286 per resident a year, or $9.00 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 24%.

Where the money comes from
Fees & charges 46%Property taxes 32%Sales taxes 6%Other taxes & licenses 5%Interest, fines & other 4%From the federal government 3%From the state 2%From other local governments 1%Utility sales <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $7.7 million; interest on debt $769,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $47.7 million.
Compared with similar places

$2,336 per resident in 2022: more than 82% of them

Cocoa Beach’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($2,336 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 67 Florida cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,525, and the middle half spent $1,160–$2,146. Cocoa Beach spent more than 82% of them.

Middle half of the group, $1,160–$2,146Median $1,525Cocoa Beach

Includes sewer and trash ($3.7 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
67

Florida cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Cocoa Beach itself left out).

Over the years

Day-to-day spending is up 37% since 2022

Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Cocoa Beach reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.

Day-to-day spending by fiscal year

2022$27.2 million
2023$32.9 million
2024$37.3 million

Per resident: 2022: $2,336 · 2023: $2,906 · 2024: $3,286.

City staff
207

full-time in March 2025, up from 174 in 2022.

Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $3,481 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.69% of the home’s value, vs 0.76% across Florida.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Cocoa Beach$3,481
Florida$2,730
Merritt Island$2,557
Cape Canaveral$2,398
$3,481
typical bill a year
0.69%
effective rate
$503,200
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Cocoa Beach’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Tax bills are one input to Cocoa Beach’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Cocoa Beach →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Cocoa Beach

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See cityofcocoabeach.com for Cocoa Beach’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Cocoa Beach yet.cityofcocoabeach.com ↗
Who works for Cocoa Beach

One full-time city employee for every 55 residents

On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (11,341).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025

Parks & libraries26 + 49 pt
Police45
Fire39 + 3 pt
Administration & buildings27
Sewer & trash27
Roads & transportation10
Housing & development10
Other23 + 1 pt
207
full-time
53
part-time
$1.2M
payroll for March 2025
$14.7M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$67,400
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
38
sworn police officers
30
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Cocoa Beach had 14.9 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 53 of the 67 Florida cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 9.7: Cocoa Beach had more than 85% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Brevard County School District

Cocoa Beach’s K–12 school district, shared with Cape Canaveral, Cocoa, Grant-Valkaria, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Cocoa Beach →
$11,956
per pupil · FL $13,006
73,810
students
$303.9 million
long-term debt

Of the $11,956 per pupil, $7,112 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 53%State 34%Federal 14%

Florida districts overall: 55% local, 29% state, 15% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Cocoa Beach’s votes are counted by county

Florida reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Cocoa Beach alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Brevard County’s results.

President · Brevard County’s results363,015 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican59.6%216,533 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat38.9%141,233 votes

Others: 1.4% (5,249 votes).

Most votes in Brevard County: Donald J Trump

Florida: Trump 56.1%, Harris 43.0%

The county’s page

100% of Cocoa Beach lies in Brevard County. Every 2024 race in Brevard County is on the county’s page.

Brevard County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents Cocoa Beach

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Cocoa Beach.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cityofcocoabeach.com ↗
  2. 2
    Florida HouseState representatives
    Tyler Sirois
  3. 3
    Florida SenateState senator
    Debbie Mayfield
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Ron DeSantis
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Mike Haridopolos
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Florida
    Rick ScottAshley Moody

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Cocoa Beach compares with the towns next door

Cocoa Beach spent $2,336 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $1,369. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Merritt Island: unincorporated, no town budgetCape Canaveral: $1,369 per resident (2022)Merritt IslandCape CanaveralCocoa Beach
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Cape Canaveral$1,369$2,398
Cocoa Beach$2,336$3,481

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach Cocoa Beach’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitecityofcocoabeach.com ↗

Questions about Cocoa Beach’s government

How much does Cocoa Beach spend per resident?

About $3,286 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $2,336 was more than 82% of 67 Florida cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Cocoa Beach?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,481 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.69% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.76% across Florida. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityofcocoabeach.com.

Who runs Cocoa Beach’s government?

See cityofcocoabeach.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Cocoa Beach yet.

How did Cocoa Beach vote in 2024?

Florida counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Cocoa Beach alone. Brevard County, where 100% of Cocoa Beach lies, voted Trump 59.6%, Harris 38.9% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Cocoa Beach?

207 full-time and 53 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $1.2M (about $14.7M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Cocoa Beach in the state legislature?

State Senate District 19 (Debbie Mayfield) and State House District 31 (Tyler Sirois). The House district also covers four other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Cocoa Beach?

The next posted meeting is City Commission on Thursday, November 5, at 6:00 pm in 2 South Orlando Avenue, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Cocoa Beach’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →