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

Cocoa spent more per resident in 2022 than 90% of similar cities

Cocoa’s city government spent $40.5 million on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2024, about $2,072 per resident. Water and other utilities ($57.2 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Next public meeting

Cocoa Community Redevelopment Agency

6:00 pm · Cocoa City City Hall, 65 Stone St.

All meetings →
Day-to-day spending, 2024
$40.5M
year to September 30, 2024
Per resident, 2024
$2,072
In 2022: $2,637, more than 90% of 67 similar cities
Long-term debt
$95.9M
end of FY2024, reported
City staff, 2022
460
full-time · 10 part-time · March payroll $2.7M
Typical tax bill
$1,645
0.67% of home value · FL 0.76%

What stands out about how Cocoa 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: $2,637 per resident, more than 90% of 67 similar cities.Runs its own water & sewer61% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2024).A shared school districtShares Brevard County School District with 6+ other towns.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

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

Recent meetings

  • Oct27
    City CouncilTuesday · 6:00 pm · Cocoa City City Hall, 65 Stone St.City Council MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct21
    Board of AdjustmentWednesday · 6:00 pm · 65 Stone St.Board of Adjustment Meeting- CANCELLEDMeeting page ↗
  • Oct20
    GeneralTuesday · 6:00 pmDistrict 4 Town Hall MeetingMeeting page ↗
  • Oct19
    Diamond Square Community Redevelopment AgencyMonday · 6:00 pm · Cocoa City City Hall, 65 Stone St.Diamond Square Community Redevelopment Agency MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct15
    Code Enforcement BoardThursday · 6:00 pm · Cocoa City City Hall, 65 Stone St.Code Enforcement Board MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
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 $2,072 per resident a year, or $5.68 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 31%.

Where the money comes from
Utility sales 53%Interest, fines & other 17%Fees & charges 12%Property taxes 7%Sales taxes 3%Other taxes & licenses 3%From other local governments 2%From the state 2%From the federal government 1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $3 million; interest on debt $4.2 million. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $104.9 million.
Compared with similar places

$2,637 per resident in 2022: more than 90% of them

Cocoa’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($2,637 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 spent more than 90% of them.

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

Includes sewer and trash ($2.1 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 itself left out).

Over the years

Day-to-day spending is down 18% since 2022

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

Day-to-day spending by fiscal year

2022$49.3 million
2023$40.1 million
2024$40.5 million

Per resident: 2022: $2,637 · 2023: $2,074 · 2024: $2,072.

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 $1,645 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.67% of the home’s value, vs 0.76% across Florida.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Florida$2,730
Merritt Island$2,557
Rockledge$2,088
Sharpes$1,843
Cocoa$1,645
Cocoa West$1,239
$1,645
typical bill a year
0.67%
effective rate
$246,100
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Cocoa’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’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Cocoa →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Cocoa

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

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

One full-time city employee for every 43 residents

On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (19,559).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022

Water & other utilities160
Police93 + 2 pt
Administration & buildings66 + 8 pt
Fire45
Sewer & trash40
Housing & development12
Roads & transportation5
Other39
460
full-time
10
part-time
$2.7M
payroll for March 2022
$32.0M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$69,100
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
73
sworn police officers
41
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Cocoa had 24.6 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 had more than 96% 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’s K–12 school district, shared with Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Grant-Valkaria, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Cocoa →
$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’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 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 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

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Cocoa.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cocoafl.org ↗
  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 compares with the towns next door

Cocoa spent $2,637 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $890. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Cocoa West: unincorporated, no town budgetRockledge: $890 per resident (2022)Sharpes: unincorporated, no town budgetMerritt Island: unincorporated, no town budgetCocoa WestRockledgeSharpesMerritt IslandCocoa
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Rockledge$890$2,088
Cocoa$2,637$1,645

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’s government

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

The Handbook →
Official websitecocoafl.org ↗

Questions about Cocoa’s government

How much does Cocoa spend per resident?

About $2,072 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 $2,637 was more than 90% of 67 Florida cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Cocoa?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,645 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.67% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.76% across Florida. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cocoafl.org.

Who runs Cocoa’s government?

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

How did Cocoa vote in 2024?

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

How many people work for Cocoa?

460 full-time and 10 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $2.7M (about $32.0M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Cocoa 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?

The next posted meeting is Cocoa Community Redevelopment Agency on Monday, November 2, at 6:00 pm in Cocoa City City Hall, 65 Stone St., from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Cocoa’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 →