Short answer: Merritt Island is an unincorporated Brevard County community, and the Census Bureau reports it as the Merritt Island CDP. In the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates its median age is 50.2, the median household income is $94,012 (Brevard: $78,476), 7.4% of residents are below the poverty level, 13.1% of civilian adults are veterans, median gross rent is $1,441 and the median home dates from 1973.
Last verified: October 22, 2026, against the sources listed at the end of this page.
Why are Merritt Island figures reported for a CDP, and how old are residents?
Merritt Island is not an incorporated city, so the Census Bureau publishes its figures for the Merritt Island CDP, where the median age is 50.2 (±1.8) against 46.7 for Brevard County and 42.6 for Florida (ACS DP05: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida).
In the Census Bureau's geography glossary, a census designated place, or CDP, is the statistical counterpart of an incorporated place, delineated to provide data for a settled community identifiable by name that is not legally incorporated, and its boundaries have no legal status (Census Bureau geography glossary). The DP05 table names the area "Merritt Island CDP, Florida" (Merritt Island CDP DP05), and every Merritt Island figure on this page refers to that statistical area.
| Survey item | Merritt Island CDP, estimate and margin | Brevard County total | State of Florida |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 34,992 (±2107) | 632,780 | 22,416,077 |
| Males | 17,530 (±1159) | 311,716 | 11,016,080 |
| Females | 17,462 (±1198) | 321,064 | 11,399,997 |
| Sex ratio (males per 100 females) | 100.4 (±6.1) | 97.1 | 96.6 |
| Median age in years | 50.2 (±1.8) | 46.7 | 42.6 |
| Share under age 18 | 17.2% (±1.4) | 18.1% | 19.5% |
| Share aged 45 to 54 | 13.0% (±1.4) | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| Share aged 55 to 59 | 8.2% (±1.5) | 7.5% | 6.6% |
| Share aged 65 to 74 | 14.6% (±1.5) | 13.8% | 11.7% |
| Share aged 75 to 84 | 9.8% (±1.4) | 7.7% | 7.0% |
| Share aged 85 or more | 3.2% (±0.8) | 3.0% | 2.6% |
| Share aged 65 or more | 27.6% (±1.8) | 24.5% | 21.3% |
Residents 65 to 74 are 14.6% (±1.5) of the CDP and those 75 to 84 are 9.8% (±1.4), against Florida shares of 11.7% and 7.0% (ACS DP05: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida). Children under 18 are 17.2% (±1.4) of Merritt Island residents. The survey counts 17,530 (±1159) males and 17,462 (±1198) females, a sex ratio of 100.4 (±6.1).
What do Merritt Island households earn, and how many live in poverty?
The median household income in the Merritt Island CDP is $94,012 (±$8,215) in 2024 dollars, where Brevard County's is $78,476 and Florida's $74,568, and 7.4% (±1.7) of Merritt Island residents live below the poverty level (ACS DP03: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida).
| Survey item | Merritt Island CDP, estimate and margin | Brevard County total | State of Florida |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median income of households | $94,012 (±$8,215) | $78,476 | $74,568 |
| Mean income of households | $134,726 (±$9,896) | $105,193 | $105,967 |
| Median income of families | $115,448 (±$5,230) | $95,102 | $89,891 |
| Mean income of families | $160,952 (±$12,981) | $123,176 | $123,165 |
| Income per capita | $56,114 (±$3,960) | $44,108 | $42,609 |
| Families at $200,000 or more | 23.3% (±3.4) | 14.2% | 14.1% |
| Families at $100,000 to $149,999 | 22.4% (±3.5) | 22.0% | 20.2% |
| Residents in poverty | 7.4% (±1.7) | 10.2% | 12.6% |
| Children under 18 in poverty | 8.0% (±3.6) | 13.9% | 16.5% |
| Households on SNAP | 7.3% (±1.8) | 9.4% | 12.6% |
| Households with retirement income | 35.0% (±2.6) | 33.3% | 25.7% |
Families in Merritt Island have a median income of $115,448 (±$5,230) and a mean of $160,952 (±$12,981). Families reporting $200,000 or more are 23.3% (±3.4) of the CDP's families, against 14.2% in the county and 14.1% in the state (ACS DP03: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida). Per capita income is $56,114 (±$3,960).
Among children under 18 in the Merritt Island CDP, 8.0% (±3.6) live in poverty, beside 13.9% countywide (Merritt Island CDP DP03, Brevard DP03). SNAP benefits reach 7.3% (±1.8) of Merritt Island households, retirement income 35.0% (±2.6) and Social Security 43.7% (±2.6). DP03's health insurance rows show 91.4% (±1.9) of the civilian noninstitutionalized population with coverage and 8.6% (±1.9) with none.
Where do Merritt Island residents work, and how far do they travel?
Government workers are 17.2% (±2.9) of employed Merritt Island residents, beside 12.9% in Brevard County, and the mean travel time to work is 25.3 (±1.9) minutes (ACS DP03: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida).
| Survey item | Merritt Island CDP, estimate and margin | Brevard County total | State of Florida |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share of 16+ in the labor force | 52.8% (±2.8) | 56.7% | 59.8% |
| Civilian unemployment rate | 4.1% (±1.6) | 4.8% | 4.8% |
| Government workers | 17.2% (±2.9) | 12.9% | 11.7% |
| Private wage and salary workers | 77.1% (±3.0) | 81.2% | 81.6% |
| Public administration industry | 10.2% (±2.8) | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Educational services, health care, social assistance | 17.9% (±2.2) | 21.2% | 21.0% |
| Professional, scientific, administrative services | 14.1% (±2.3) | 14.0% | 14.2% |
| Manufacturing | 8.9% (±1.9) | 12.4% | 5.3% |
| Retail trade | 11.2% (±2.0) | 11.6% | 12.0% |
| Drove to work alone | 72.1% (±2.6) | 74.6% | 70.2% |
| Worked at home | 19.0% (±2.7) | 14.6% | 15.7% |
| Mean minutes to work | 25.3 (±1.9) | 25.4 | 28.0 |
Public administration employs 10.2% (±2.8) of working residents of the CDP, against 5.2% across the county and 4.3% statewide (ACS DP03: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida). Educational services, health care and social assistance employ 17.9% (±2.2), professional, scientific and administrative services 14.1% (±2.3), and manufacturing 8.9% (±1.9). Private wage and salary workers make up 77.1% (±3.0).
In the Merritt Island CDP, 52.8% (±2.8) of residents 16 and older are in the labor force and the civilian unemployment rate is 4.1% (±1.6) (Merritt Island CDP DP03). For the trip to work, 72.1% (±2.6) of Merritt Island workers drove alone, 6.4% (±1.7) carpooled and 19.0% (±2.7) worked at home, where Florida's work-at-home share is 15.7% (Florida DP03).
What are Merritt Island homes worth, and what is the rent?
Merritt Island renters pay a median gross rent of $1,441 (±$77), against $1,556 across Brevard County and $1,669 in Florida, and the median owner-occupied home in the CDP is valued at $402,900 (±$16,436) (ACS DP04: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida).
| Survey item | Merritt Island CDP, estimate and margin | Brevard County total | State of Florida |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupied homes, owner | 80.0% (±2.2) | 76.7% | 67.6% |
| Occupied homes, renter | 20.0% (±2.2) | 23.3% | 32.4% |
| Housing units vacant | 16.7% (±2.4) | 13.9% | 14.7% |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.7 (±1.4) | 1.0 | 1.4 |
| Rental vacancy rate | 18.3 (±5.7) | 10.8 | 7.6 |
| Owned homes with a mortgage | 51.1% (±3.2) | 56.3% | 56.3% |
| Median value of owned homes | $402,900 (±$16,436) | $339,600 | $359,000 |
| Monthly owner costs, median, with mortgage | $2,070 (±$145) | $1,805 | $1,959 |
| Monthly owner costs, median, no mortgage | $698 (±$43) | $608 | $673 |
| Gross rent, median | $1,441 (±$77) | $1,556 | $1,669 |
| Rent under 15% of income | 18.7% (±7.2) | 9.7% | 8.1% |
| Rent at 35% of income or above | 44.1% (±8.5) | 47.2% | 50.2% |
Owners occupy 80.0% (±2.2) of Merritt Island's occupied homes and 51.1% (±3.2) of owned homes carry a mortgage. Median monthly costs for owners are $2,070 (±$145) with a mortgage and $698 (±$43) without, next to Brevard medians of $1,805 and $608 (ACS DP04: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida).
The CDP's rental vacancy rate prints at 18.3 (±5.7), against 10.8 for the county, and its homeowner vacancy rate at 1.7 (±1.4) (Merritt Island CDP DP04, Brevard DP04). Gross rent takes 35% or more of income for 44.1% (±8.5) of Merritt Island renters and under 15% for 18.7% (±7.2).
How old are the homes in Merritt Island?
The median year built for Merritt Island CDP housing is 1973 (±3) in Census table B25035, against 1988 for both Brevard County and Florida (B25035: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida).
| Survey item | Merritt Island CDP, estimate and margin | Brevard County total | State of Florida |
|---|---|---|---|
| All housing units | 17,006 (±653) | 299,305 | 10,256,470 |
| One-unit detached structures | 77.9% (±2.0) | 65.9% | 54.7% |
| Structures of 20 or more units | 7.7% (±1.5) | 8.1% | 14.4% |
| Mobile home units | 2.8% (±0.8) | 7.2% | 8.0% |
| Median number of rooms | 5.8 (±0.1) | 5.5 | 5.2 |
| From 2010 to 2019 | 3.2% (±0.9) | 8.0% | 11.0% |
| From 2000 to 2009 | 10.9% (±1.6) | 18.7% | 18.1% |
| From 1990 to 1999 | 8.2% (±1.7) | 14.6% | 14.6% |
| From 1980 to 1989 | 18.3% (±2.9) | 23.8% | 19.0% |
| From 1970 to 1979 | 13.4% (±2.1) | 11.0% | 15.8% |
| From 1960 to 1969 | 35.6% (±2.6) | 13.4% | 8.0% |
| From 1950 to 1959 | 8.8% (±2.0) | 6.2% | 6.5% |
35.6% (±2.6) of Merritt Island housing units were built from 1960 to 1969, where the county figure is 13.4% and the state figure 8.0% (ACS DP04: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida). Units from the 1950s are 8.8% (±2.0) of the CDP's stock and units from the 1980s 18.3% (±2.9). Construction since 2020 accounts for 0.4% (±0.3).
One-unit detached structures are 77.9% (±2.0) of the 17,006 (±653) Merritt Island housing units, mobile homes 2.8% (±0.8) and structures of 20 or more units 7.7% (±1.5), against Brevard shares of 65.9%, 7.2% and 8.1% (Merritt Island CDP DP04, Brevard DP04). The median Merritt Island unit has 5.8 (±0.1) rooms.
What do Merritt Island households look like?
The Merritt Island CDP has 14,166 (±678) households, 54.9% (±3.3) of them headed by married couples and 43.9% (±2.3) with at least one member 65 or older (ACS DP02: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida).
| Survey item | Merritt Island CDP, estimate and margin | Brevard County total | State of Florida |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total households | 14,166 (±678) | 257,695 | 8,752,810 |
| Married-couple share | 54.9% (±3.3) | 48.3% | 46.7% |
| Cohabiting-couple share | 5.9% (±1.5) | 7.4% | 7.5% |
| Male householder, no spouse or partner | 17.1% (±2.0) | 18.4% | 17.7% |
| Female householder, no spouse or partner | 22.1% (±2.6) | 26.0% | 28.1% |
| With members under 18 | 23.8% (±2.2) | 23.2% | 26.5% |
| With members 65 and over | 43.9% (±2.3) | 41.5% | 37.8% |
| Mean household size | 2.44 (±0.09) | 2.42 | 2.51 |
| Same residence one year before | 87.5% (±3.5) | 87.3% | 86.3% |
| Born abroad | 6.7% (±1.1) | 9.7% | 21.9% |
| Spanish spoken at home (5+) | 4.8% (±1.2) | 7.6% | 22.6% |
Households with someone under 18 are 23.8% (±2.2) of the Merritt Island total, beside 23.2% in Brevard and 26.5% in Florida (ACS DP02: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida). A household in the CDP holds 2.44 (±0.09) people on average. 87.5% (±3.5) of residents lived at the same address a year earlier.
Residents born abroad are 6.7% (±1.1) of the Merritt Island CDP, and 4.8% (±1.2) of residents 5 and over speak Spanish at home (Merritt Island CDP DP02). In DP05, 82.7% (±2.3) of Merritt Island residents are white alone and not Hispanic, 6.6% (±1.5) are Hispanic or Latino, 3.2% (±1.0) are Asian alone and not Hispanic, 2.7% (±1.0) are Black alone and not Hispanic, and Puerto Rican residents are 3.8% (±1.5); German, a DP05 detail row under white alone, is listed for 6.5% (±1.2) (Merritt Island CDP DP05). The Brevard figures for the first four groups are 70.2%, 12.2%, 2.4% and 9.4% (Brevard DP05).
How many Merritt Island adults hold degrees or served in the military?
There are 3,771 (±352) civilian veterans in the Merritt Island CDP, 13.1% (±1.3) of its civilians 18 and older, and 41.0% (±2.4) of Merritt Island adults 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or more (ACS DP02: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida).
| Survey item | Merritt Island CDP, estimate and margin | Brevard County total | State of Florida |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residents 25 and older | 26,868 (±1428) | 474,168 | 16,228,400 |
| Finished high school or more | 95.2% (±1.2) | 93.3% | 89.9% |
| Stopped at high school or equivalency | 20.6% (±1.9) | 25.8% | 27.2% |
| Attended college, no degree | 21.4% (±2.0) | 21.1% | 18.5% |
| Associate's as highest degree | 12.2% (±1.1) | 12.2% | 10.1% |
| Bachelor's as highest degree | 23.7% (±1.9) | 20.4% | 21.3% |
| Graduate or professional as highest degree | 17.3% (±1.7) | 13.8% | 12.9% |
| Hold a bachelor's or more | 41.0% (±2.4) | 34.2% | 34.1% |
| Civilian residents 18 and older | 28,846 (±1525) | 515,859 | 17,963,898 |
| Veterans among them | 3,771 (±352) | 65,035 | 1,327,071 |
| Veteran percentage | 13.1% (±1.3) | 12.6% | 7.4% |
The veteran percentage for Brevard County is 12.6% and for Florida 7.4% (ACS DP02: Merritt Island CDP, Brevard County, Florida). Active Armed Forces members are 0.4% (±0.3) of Merritt Island residents 16 and older (Merritt Island CDP DP03).
On schooling, a graduate or professional degree is the highest level for 17.3% (±1.7) of Merritt Island adults, a bachelor's for 23.7% (±1.9) and an associate's for 12.2% (±1.1). College without a degree is the highest level for 21.4% (±2.0), and high school or its equivalent for 20.6% (±1.9), where the Brevard value is 25.8% (Merritt Island CDP DP02, Brevard DP02).
Last verified: October 21, 2026, with the Merritt Island CDP (place 1244275), Brevard County and Florida editions of DP02 through DP05 and B25035 read again cell by cell, and the CDP definition rechecked in the Census geography glossary.
Frequently asked questions
Is Merritt Island a city in the Census data?
No. Merritt Island is unincorporated, so the Census Bureau publishes its American Community Survey figures for the Merritt Island CDP, a census designated place.
What is the median household income in Merritt Island, FL?
The Merritt Island CDP median household income is $94,012 (±$8,215) in 2024 dollars, by the 2020-2024 American Community Survey.
How old is the median Merritt Island resident?
The median age in the Merritt Island CDP is 50.2 (±1.8) years, and 27.6% of residents are 65 or older.
What is the median rent in Merritt Island?
Median gross rent in the Merritt Island CDP is $1,441 (±$77) a month in the 2020-2024 survey, against $1,556 for Brevard County.
When were Merritt Island homes built?
The median home dates from 1973, and 35.6% of the CDP's housing units were built from 1960 to 1969.
Sources
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP02, Merritt Island CDP https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP02&g=160XX00US1244275 Used for: households, schooling, veterans, mobility, birthplace, Spanish at home
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP02, Brevard County https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP02&g=050XX00US12009 Used for: households, schooling, veterans, mobility, birthplace, Spanish at home
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP02, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP02&g=040XX00US12 Used for: households, schooling, veterans, mobility, birthplace, Spanish at home
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP03, Merritt Island CDP https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=160XX00US1244275 Used for: income, poverty, benefits, health insurance rows, labor force, class of worker, industries, commuting, Armed Forces
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP03, Brevard County https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=050XX00US12009 Used for: income, poverty, benefits, health insurance rows, labor force, class of worker, industries, commuting, Armed Forces
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP03, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=040XX00US12 Used for: income, poverty, benefits, health insurance rows, labor force, class of worker, industries, commuting, Armed Forces
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP04, Merritt Island CDP https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=160XX00US1244275 Used for: housing units, structure, rooms, year built, tenure, value, owner costs, rent, rent burden, vacancy
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP04, Brevard County https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=050XX00US12009 Used for: housing units, structure, rooms, year built, tenure, value, owner costs, rent, rent burden, vacancy
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP04, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=040XX00US12 Used for: housing units, structure, rooms, year built, tenure, value, owner costs, rent, rent burden, vacancy
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP05, Merritt Island CDP https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=160XX00US1244275 Used for: CDP name, population, sex, age groups, race and Hispanic origin, ancestry
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP05, Brevard County https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=050XX00US12009 Used for: CDP name, population, sex, age groups, race and Hispanic origin, ancestry
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP05, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=040XX00US12 Used for: CDP name, population, sex, age groups, race and Hispanic origin, ancestry
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year B25035, Merritt Island CDP https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDT5Y2024.B25035&g=160XX00US1244275 Used for: median year structure built
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year B25035, Brevard County https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDT5Y2024.B25035&g=050XX00US12009 Used for: median year structure built
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year B25035, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDT5Y2024.B25035&g=040XX00US12 Used for: median year structure built
- Census Bureau geography program glossary https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/about/glossary.html Used for: definition of a census designated place (CDP)
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