Short answer: Sebastian's median household income of $69,409 (ACS 2020-2024) sits between Melbourne ($66,991) and Palm Bay ($72,614) and near Vero Beach ($69,758). Its median home value of $317,000 trails Vero Beach but tops the Brevard cities, and its 2025-26 city millage of 3.4455 is far below Melbourne (7.0112) and Palm Bay (6.7000). Wages are lower on the Indian River County side: $28.25 an hour on average in May 2025, against $32.31 in the Brevard metro.
Last verified: October 12, 2026, against the sources listed at the end of this page.
How does Sebastian compare with Vero Beach, Melbourne, Palm Bay and Fellsmere?
Sebastian is the oldest of the five cities by median age (58.2) and the most owner-occupied (85.2 percent), with a median household income of $69,409 that sits between Melbourne and Palm Bay in ACS 2020-2024 estimates.
All figures in this table come from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates for each city, with Indian River County and Florida added for scale. Sebastian counted 26,262 residents and a median age of 58.2 (ACS DP05, Sebastian), against 86,576 residents and a median age of 42.5 in Melbourne (ACS DP05, Melbourne). Older Digital Towns pages for Sebastian quote the ACS 2019-2023 5-year estimates, which put Sebastian at 25,759 residents (ACS 2019-2023 DP05, Sebastian) and a $68,863 median household income (ACS 2019-2023 DP03, Sebastian); this page uses the newer 2020-2024 estimates throughout.
| Measure | Sebastian | Vero Beach | Fellsmere | Melbourne | Palm Bay | Indian River County | Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,262 | 17,042 | 4,953 | 86,576 | 130,132 | 166,936 | 22,416,077 |
| Median age | 58.2 | 52.5 | 32.0 | 42.5 | 41.0 | 55.3 | 42.6 |
| Share aged 65 and over | 36.8% | 28.9% | 8.8% | 22.5% | 19.0% | 34.8% | 21.3% |
| Median household income | $69,409 | $69,758 | $55,893 | $66,991 | $72,614 | $73,491 | $74,568 |
| People below poverty level | 10.1% | 16.1% | 18.8% | 15.8% | 11.7% | 11.1% | 12.6% |
| Median home value | $317,000 | $391,900 | $175,400 | $306,400 | $283,200 | $351,500 | $359,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,451 | $1,221 | $1,158 | $1,525 | $1,601 | $1,357 | $1,669 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 85.2% | 64.4% | 74.0% | 59.7% | 79.7% | 80.1% | 67.6% |
| Mean travel time to work | 31.1 min | 18.4 min | 31.9 min | 22.8 min | 27.8 min | 23.8 min | 28.0 min |
The income column is close at the top. Sebastian's $69,409 (ACS DP03, Sebastian) is $349 below Vero Beach ($69,758, ACS DP03, Vero Beach), $2,418 above Melbourne ($66,991, ACS DP03, Melbourne) and $3,205 below Palm Bay ($72,614, ACS DP03, Palm Bay). Each gap is a simple subtraction of the two published medians, and each estimate carries a margin of error in the Census tables, so differences of a few hundred dollars between Sebastian and Vero Beach are not meaningful.
How do home values, rents and owner costs compare with Sebastian?
Sebastian's median home value of $317,000 is above Melbourne and Palm Bay but $74,900 below Vero Beach, while its median gross rent of $1,451 is higher than in either Indian River County neighbor (ACS DP04, Sebastian).
Home values follow the ACS owner estimates for 2020-2024. Vero Beach leads at $391,900 (ACS DP04, Vero Beach), Sebastian follows at $317,000, Melbourne sits at $306,400 (ACS DP04, Melbourne), Palm Bay at $283,200 (ACS DP04, Palm Bay) and Fellsmere at $175,400 (ACS DP04, Fellsmere). The $74,900 gap between Vero Beach and Sebastian is $391,900 minus $317,000. These are values reported by owners, not sale prices.
Rents run the other way across the county line. Palm Bay has the highest median gross rent of the five at $1,601 and Melbourne the next at $1,525, while Sebastian's $1,451 is $230 above Vero Beach ($1,221) and above Fellsmere ($1,158). The rent figures also show strain: 56.2 percent of Sebastian renters paid 35 percent or more of household income on rent in the same ACS release, against 49.3 percent in Melbourne and 52.5 percent in Palm Bay.
| Place | Owner costs with a mortgage | Owner costs without a mortgage | Renters paying 35%+ of income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sebastian | $1,613 | $494 | 56.2% |
| Vero Beach | $1,988 | $958 | 43.2% |
| Fellsmere | $1,071 | $361 | 52.2% |
| Melbourne | $1,689 | $569 | 49.3% |
| Palm Bay | $1,549 | $519 | 52.5% |
| Indian River County | $1,722 | $692 | 48.8% |
| Florida | $1,959 | $673 | 50.2% |
Owner costs are where Sebastian stands out. The median Sebastian owner without a mortgage reported $494 a month in selected owner costs, compared with $958 in Vero Beach. With 85.2 percent of occupied Sebastian homes owner-occupied, that owner figure says more about the cost of staying put in Sebastian than the rent figure does.
How do property tax rates in Sebastian compare with the other cities?
The City of Sebastian adopted 3.4455 mills for fiscal 2025-26, above Vero Beach (2.9816) but well below Fellsmere (5.3500), Palm Bay (6.7000) and Melbourne (7.0112), according to Florida Department of Revenue levy tables (FDOR, Indian River County).
A mill is $1 of tax per $1,000 of taxable value. The Indian River County table shows Sebastian raising its rate from 3.1955 mills in 2024-25 to 3.4455 in 2025-26, while the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners levy stayed at 3.5475 (FDOR, Indian River County). In Brevard, Melbourne adopted 7.0112 mills and Palm Bay 6.7000, and the Brevard County BCC general levy was 2.8643 (FDOR, Brevard County).
| City | County | City millage 2025-26 | County BCC general levy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sebastian | Indian River | 3.4455 | 3.5475 |
| Vero Beach | Indian River | 2.9816 | 3.5475 |
| Fellsmere | Indian River | 5.3500 | 3.5475 |
| Melbourne | Brevard | 7.0112 | 2.8643 |
| Palm Bay | Brevard | 6.7000 | 2.8643 |
City millage is only one line of a tax bill. The Department of Revenue's 2025 Indian River County tax-area list adds school, hospital, mosquito, emergency services and other levies. The City of Sebastian's tax area 2 totals 16.4994 mills, including 0.1555 for the Sebastian Inlet District (FDOR TACD, page 2); Vero Beach's tax area 8 totals 15.8800 and carries no Sebastian Inlet District line (FDOR TACD, page 11); Fellsmere's tax area 4 totals 18.4039 (FDOR TACD, page 4); and tax area 1, which carries the county municipal services (MSTU) levy in place of a city levy, totals 14.2045 (FDOR TACD, page 1).
Worked through on $100,000 of taxable value, the 2025 totals come to about $1,650 in Sebastian (16.4994 times 100), $1,588 in Vero Beach (15.8800 times 100), $1,840 in Fellsmere (18.4039 times 100) and $1,420 in Indian River County tax area 1. The FDOR tables used here do not give full Brevard tax-area totals, so a matching Melbourne or Palm Bay bill is not computed on this page.
Sebastian vs. Melbourne and Palm Bay: what changes across the Brevard line?
Crossing from Sebastian into Brevard County means a metro with higher average pay, $32.31 an hour against $28.25 in May 2025, more engineering and computer jobs, and a slightly lower unemployment rate (BLS, Sebastian metro).
These are metro figures, not city figures. BLS defines the Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor metro as Indian River County, and the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metro as Brevard County (BLS, Palm Bay metro). In the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the Sebastian metro's mean hourly wage of $28.25 was $4.06 below the Palm Bay metro's $32.31, and both trailed the national $33.54. Computer and mathematical jobs were 1.2 percent of Sebastian metro employment against 5.1 percent in the Palm Bay metro, and architecture and engineering 1.3 percent against 5.6 percent.
| Measure | Sebastian-Vero Beach metro (Indian River County) | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metro (Brevard County) |
|---|---|---|
| Mean hourly wage, all occupations (May 2025) | $28.25 | $32.31 |
| Food preparation and serving share of jobs | 12.0% | 10.6% |
| Healthcare practitioners share of jobs | 8.6% | 6.4% |
| Unemployment rate (Aug 2026, preliminary) | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| FHFA house price index, 2026 Q2 | 457.46 | 454.30 |
| FHFA index change, 2025 Q2 to 2026 Q2 | +3.0% | +2.2% |
| FHFA index change, 2021 Q2 to 2026 Q2 | +47.3% | +40.5% |
The unemployment line comes from BLS Economy at a Glance: 5.6 percent for the Sebastian metro in August 2026 (BLS) and 4.8 percent for the Palm Bay metro (BLS), both preliminary. Prices moved faster on the Indian River County side. The FHFA all-transactions index for the Sebastian-Vero Beach metro rose from 444.12 in the second quarter of 2025 (FHFA) to 457.46 in the second quarter of 2026 (FHFA), and 457.46 divided by 444.12 is a 3.0 percent gain. Over five years it rose from 310.48 (FHFA), a 47.3 percent gain.
For the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metro, the same index went from 444.66 (FHFA) to 454.30 (FHFA), up 2.2 percent, and from 323.43 in 2021 (FHFA), up 40.5 percent. Index levels show change over time within each metro; they do not mean a Sebastian house and a Melbourne house cost the same.
Sebastian vs. Fellsmere: how do the two Indian River County cities differ?
Fellsmere is younger, lower-income and cheaper to buy into than Sebastian, but its 2025 property tax total of 18.4039 mills is the highest of the Indian River County cities compared here (FDOR TACD, page 4).
The age gap is the widest in the comparison. Fellsmere's median age was 32.0 and 8.8 percent of its residents were 65 or older in ACS 2020-2024 estimates (ACS DP05, Fellsmere), against 58.2 and 36.8 percent in Sebastian. Fellsmere's median household income of $55,893 (ACS DP03, Fellsmere) was $13,516 below Sebastian's, and 18.8 percent of its residents were below the poverty level, against 10.1 percent in Sebastian.
Housing in Fellsmere costs less on every census measure. The median home value of $175,400 is $141,600 below Sebastian's $317,000, median gross rent is $1,158 against $1,451, and the median owner with a mortgage reported $1,071 a month against $1,613 in Sebastian. Both cities show long drives to work: a mean of 31.9 minutes from Fellsmere and 31.1 minutes from Sebastian, each above the Indian River County mean of 23.8 minutes.
Taxes narrow the housing gap. Fellsmere adopted a city rate of 5.3500 mills for 2025-26, up from 5.0000 in 2024-25, and its tax area 4 total of 18.4039 mills is 1.9045 mills above the Sebastian tax area 2 total of 16.4994. On $100,000 of taxable value, that difference is about $190 a year (1.9045 times 100).
Frequently asked questions
Is Sebastian cheaper than Melbourne?
On housing, it depends on the measure. ACS 2020-2024 estimates put Sebastian's median gross rent at $1,451 against $1,525 in Melbourne, but its median home value at $317,000 against $306,400. Sebastian's 2025-26 city millage of 3.4455 is less than half of Melbourne's 7.0112.
Do wages in Sebastian match those in Brevard County?
No. BLS May 2025 estimates put the mean hourly wage at $28.25 in the Sebastian-Vero Beach metro and $32.31 in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metro, a gap of $4.06. The Brevard metro has a larger share of computer, math, architecture and engineering jobs.
Which Indian River County city has the highest property tax total?
Of the three compared here, Fellsmere. The Department of Revenue 2025 tax-area list totals 18.4039 mills for Fellsmere tax area 4, 16.4994 for Sebastian tax area 2 and 15.8800 for Vero Beach tax area 8.
Why do some Sebastian pages show 25,759 residents?
Those pages use the ACS 2019-2023 5-year estimates, which counted 25,759 Sebastian residents. This comparison uses the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, which put Sebastian at 26,262 residents with a median household income of $69,409, so the newer figures differ from older pages.
Are HUD fair market rents included in this Sebastian comparison?
No. HUD figures for the Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor area are covered on the Digital Towns rental market and cost of living pages for Sebastian. This page compares census rents, which measure what renters reported paying.
Sources
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, Sebastian city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=160XX00US1264825 Used for: Sebastian city DP03 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, Vero Beach city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=160XX00US1274150 Used for: Vero Beach city DP03 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, Melbourne city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=160XX00US1243975 Used for: Melbourne city DP03 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, Palm Bay city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=160XX00US1254000 Used for: Palm Bay city DP03 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, Fellsmere city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=160XX00US1222100 Used for: Fellsmere city DP03 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, Indian River County, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=050XX00US12061 Used for: Indian River County DP03 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, Florida, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=040XX00US12 Used for: Florida DP03 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP04 Selected Housing Characteristics, Sebastian city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=160XX00US1264825 Used for: Sebastian city DP04 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP04 Selected Housing Characteristics, Vero Beach city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=160XX00US1274150 Used for: Vero Beach city DP04 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP04 Selected Housing Characteristics, Melbourne city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=160XX00US1243975 Used for: Melbourne city DP04 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP04 Selected Housing Characteristics, Palm Bay city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=160XX00US1254000 Used for: Palm Bay city DP04 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP04 Selected Housing Characteristics, Fellsmere city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=160XX00US1222100 Used for: Fellsmere city DP04 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP04 Selected Housing Characteristics, Indian River County, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=050XX00US12061 Used for: Indian River County DP04 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP04 Selected Housing Characteristics, Florida, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=040XX00US12 Used for: Florida DP04 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP05 Demographic and Housing Estimates, Sebastian city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=160XX00US1264825 Used for: Sebastian city DP05 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP05 Demographic and Housing Estimates, Vero Beach city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=160XX00US1274150 Used for: Vero Beach city DP05 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP05 Demographic and Housing Estimates, Melbourne city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=160XX00US1243975 Used for: Melbourne city DP05 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP05 Demographic and Housing Estimates, Palm Bay city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=160XX00US1254000 Used for: Palm Bay city DP05 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP05 Demographic and Housing Estimates, Fellsmere city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=160XX00US1222100 Used for: Fellsmere city DP05 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP05 Demographic and Housing Estimates, Indian River County, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=050XX00US12061 Used for: Indian River County DP05 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP05 Demographic and Housing Estimates, Florida, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=040XX00US12 Used for: Florida DP05 figures, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- Table 1, Comparison of Taxes Levied, Indian River County, FY 2024-25 and 2025-26, Florida Department of Revenue https://floridarevenue.com/property/dataportal/Documents/PTO%20Data%20Portal/County%20Municipal%20Reports/Table%201-Comparison%20of%20Levies/25table1/Indian%20River%20Table%201.pdf#page=1 Used for: adopted city and county millage 2025-26
- Table 1, Comparison of Taxes Levied, Brevard County, FY 2024-25 and 2025-26, Florida Department of Revenue https://floridarevenue.com/property/dataportal/Documents/PTO%20Data%20Portal/County%20Municipal%20Reports/Table%201-Comparison%20of%20Levies/25table1/Brevard%20Table%201.pdf#page=1 Used for: Melbourne, Palm Bay and Brevard BCC millage 2025-26
- 2025 Indian River County Taxing Authority Code Descriptions, page 1, Florida Department of Revenue https://floridarevenue.com/property/dataportal/Documents/PTO%20Data%20Portal/TACD%20History/2025%20Taxing%20Authority%20Code%20Descriptions/2025%20Indian%20River%20TACD.pdf#page=1 Used for: unincorporated tax area 1 total millage
- 2025 Indian River County Taxing Authority Code Descriptions, page 2, Florida Department of Revenue https://floridarevenue.com/property/dataportal/Documents/PTO%20Data%20Portal/TACD%20History/2025%20Taxing%20Authority%20Code%20Descriptions/2025%20Indian%20River%20TACD.pdf#page=2 Used for: Sebastian tax area 2 total millage
- 2025 Indian River County Taxing Authority Code Descriptions, page 4, Florida Department of Revenue https://floridarevenue.com/property/dataportal/Documents/PTO%20Data%20Portal/TACD%20History/2025%20Taxing%20Authority%20Code%20Descriptions/2025%20Indian%20River%20TACD.pdf#page=4 Used for: Fellsmere tax area 4 total millage
- 2025 Indian River County Taxing Authority Code Descriptions, page 11, Florida Department of Revenue https://floridarevenue.com/property/dataportal/Documents/PTO%20Data%20Portal/TACD%20History/2025%20Taxing%20Authority%20Code%20Descriptions/2025%20Indian%20River%20TACD.pdf#page=11 Used for: Vero Beach tax area 8 total millage
- FHFA House Price Index, all-transactions, metropolitan areas, CBSA 42680, 2026 Q2 https://www.fhfa.gov/hpi/download/quarterly_datasets/hpi_at_metro.csv#row=70246 Used for: metro house price index level
- FHFA House Price Index, all-transactions, metropolitan areas, CBSA 42680, 2025 Q2 https://www.fhfa.gov/hpi/download/quarterly_datasets/hpi_at_metro.csv#row=70242 Used for: metro house price index level
- FHFA House Price Index, all-transactions, metropolitan areas, CBSA 42680, 2021 Q2 https://www.fhfa.gov/hpi/download/quarterly_datasets/hpi_at_metro.csv#row=70226 Used for: metro house price index level
- FHFA House Price Index, all-transactions, metropolitan areas, CBSA 37340, 2026 Q2 https://www.fhfa.gov/hpi/download/quarterly_datasets/hpi_at_metro.csv#row=57886 Used for: metro house price index level
- FHFA House Price Index, all-transactions, metropolitan areas, CBSA 37340, 2025 Q2 https://www.fhfa.gov/hpi/download/quarterly_datasets/hpi_at_metro.csv#row=57882 Used for: metro house price index level
- FHFA House Price Index, all-transactions, metropolitan areas, CBSA 37340, 2021 Q2 https://www.fhfa.gov/hpi/download/quarterly_datasets/hpi_at_metro.csv#row=57866 Used for: metro house price index level
- Occupational Employment and Wages in Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL, May 2025, BLS https://www.bls.gov/regions/southeast/news-release/occupationalemploymentandwages_sebastian.htm Used for: mean hourly wage and job mix, Sebastian metro
- Occupational Employment and Wages in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL, May 2025, BLS https://www.bls.gov/regions/southeast/news-release/occupationalemploymentandwages_palmbay.htm Used for: mean hourly wage and job mix, Palm Bay metro
- Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL Economy at a Glance, BLS https://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.fl_sebastian_msa.htm Used for: unemployment rate Aug 2026 preliminary
- Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL Economy at a Glance, BLS https://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.fl_palmbay_msa.htm Used for: unemployment rate Aug 2026 preliminary
- ACS 2019-2023 5-year DP05 Demographic and Housing Estimates, Sebastian city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2023.DP05&g=160XX00US1264825 Used for: Sebastian total population DP05_0001E = 25,759 (older vintage quoted on earlier pages)
- ACS 2019-2023 5-year DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, Sebastian city, U.S. Census Bureau https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2023.DP03&g=160XX00US1264825 Used for: Sebastian median household income DP03_0062E = $68,863 (older vintage quoted on earlier pages)
