United States › Florida › Merritt Island CITY
Merritt Island Florida · 34,992 residents · 17.0 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Merritt Island is a city of 34,992 people in Florida. At a median age of 50.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. That puts it in the top 9% of US cities for household income. 80% of homes are owner-occupied. That is roughly 26% ahead of the Florida median. Density works out to 2,062 people per square mile.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 50.2
US median: 38.9
More educated
41% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 96%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth 2,062 / sq mi
+1%since 2009
from 2,044 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 42.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
32K 34K 35K 36K 37K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Merritt Island Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $94,012
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,532 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $23,961 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 36.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.459 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.4%
Public administration 4.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.1%
Education & health services 0.1%
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$402,900
+96%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $113,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,441
+40%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $566 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 74.9% in 2000
20.0% rent
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.41 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 30.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.3 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 87.5%(31,565)
Hispanic / Latino 3.8%(1,381)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 82.7%(28,943)
Hispanic / Latino 6.6%(2,293)
from 33 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data from 28.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 88.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 10.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 85.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 71.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 40.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 17.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 83.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 94.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 90.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 5.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 28.9%(4,431)
Women 15+
Never married 20.8%(3,125)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 55.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 12.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 71.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 37.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 26.9%(1,015)
Gulf War (1990s) 25.6%(966)
Share of the 3,771 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Merritt Island, Florida? Merritt Island, Florida has about 34,992 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Merritt Island, Florida? The typical household in Merritt Island, Florida earns about $94,012 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Merritt Island, Florida expensive? In Merritt Island, Florida, the median home is worth about $402,900, and the typical rent is about $1,441 a month.
How educated are people in Merritt Island, Florida? About 41.0% of adults age 25 and over in Merritt Island, Florida hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Merritt Island, Florida? About 7.4% of people in Merritt Island, Florida live below the federal poverty line.
Has Merritt Island, Florida grown since 1990? Yes, Merritt Island, Florida has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,106 residents, a change of about 6 percent over that period.
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