Living in Merritt Island

In Merritt Island, unemployment is 4.1% (2024).

Residents of Merritt Island numbered 34,518 at the end of 2020. The unemployment rate was 4.14% at the end of 2024. A foreign population count of 2,346 was recorded at the end of 2024.

Last checked 2026-10-0722 sources

Population34,518people31 Dec 2020Official source · U.S. Census Bureau, TIGERweb Census 2020

Median gross salary3,774EUR/month31 Dec 2020Official source · 2024 American Community Survey 5-year detailed tables

Median rent1,331EUR/month31 Dec 2020Official source · ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B25064 (Median Gross Rent), place records

Unemployment rate4.14%country median 4.6% — 9% belowOfficial source · Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)

Which United States-wide rules apply when you move to Merritt Island?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in United StatesNational rates and thresholds that apply in Merritt Island.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€60

Mobile plan, 10 GB€22

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	60.38 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	Verizon 300 Mbps home internet¹⁴Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB	21.57 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	Visible unlimited mobile plan¹⁵Official · national market
Average monthly rent (whole dwelling)	1,390 EUR/month	31 Dec 2020	ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent)³Official
Median monthly rent	1,331 EUR/month	31 Dec 2020	ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B25064 (Median Gross Rent), place records²Official

Is Merritt Island a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker34%strong on work, weak on air quality · range 24–44%

Skilled employee61%strong on work, weak on safety · range 52–70%

Student37%strong on legal route, weak on safety · range 26–48%

Family57%strong on family, weak on safety · range 46–68%

Retirement35%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 22–48%

Worked out from these numbers

How international is the population?

6.8% of residents hold a foreign nationality — 2,346 of 34,518 people. This counts nationality, not place of birth, so long-settled residents who naturalised are not in it.

Work and income

Unemployment across cities in United StatesUnemployment in Merritt Island is 4.1%. Of 2,153 cities with data, 1,250 have unemployment of 0 to under 5%.

1,250

778

0–55–1010–1515–2020–2525–30

Merritt Island 4.1%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Median gross salary	3,774 EUR/month	31 Dec 2020	2024 American Community Survey 5-year detailed tables¹Official
Unemployment rate	4.14 %country median 4.6%	31 Dec 2024	Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)⁵Official

What does a salary buy in Merritt Island?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

Left over each month€1,478of €2,950 take-home

Rent
Internet
Mobile
Left over

Line-by-line breakdown and sources

Each month	€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.	€2,950
Rentaverage rent of a whole dwelling · official · ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent) · 2020-12-31	− €1,390
Internet€60 · official · Verizon 300 Mbps home internet · 2026-09-30	− €60
Mobile plan€22 · official · Visible unlimited mobile plan · 2026-09-30	− €22
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities	—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish	€1,478

Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Merritt Island Salary needed to live in Merritt Island

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Merritt Island. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

American Job Centers — Public employment service

U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration

Job Search

Open official service

Open the United States service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Merritt Island. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Healthcare

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Physicians per 100,000 residents	220.5 per 100,000	31 Dec 2023	Area Health Resources Files (AHRF), County 2024-2025 release⁴Official · county

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Merritt Island when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Mobility and administration

Merritt Island's nearest airport was MLB, 29 km away and offered 2 direct destinations.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Direct destinations from the nearest major airport	2 count	3 Aug 2026	OpenFlights⁸Official
Distance to the nearest major airport	29 km	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports⁹Official
Nearest major airport (IATA code)	MLB	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports⁹Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Merritt Island. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Adult Education and English Language Acquisition (AEFLA) — State Language Course

U.S. Department of Education

For adult learners, adult English-language learners.

EnglishIn Person, Online, HybridCost varies

Open official information

USCIS English and citizenship class finder — Civic Orientation

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

For immigrants, future citizens.

EnglishIn Person, OnlineCost varies

Open official information

Open the full United States section

National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Merritt Island.

Find courses near Merritt Island

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperatures were 17.6°C in January and 27.8°C in July. Monthly precipitation was 62.7 mm in January and 169.4 mm in July.

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

199

169

194

237

130

JFMAMJJASOND

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Monthly extreme high temperature	Jan 27.71 · Feb 28.79 · Mar 30.68 · Apr 31.81 · May 33.23 · Jun 34.07 · Jul 34.28 · Aug 34.13 · Sep 32.87 · Oct 31.5 · Nov 29.41 · Dec 27.62 °C	31 Dec 2001	NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center⁶Official · coordinate grid
Monthly extreme low temperature	Jan 3.61 · Feb 4.07 · Mar 7.39 · Apr 11.56 · May 16.15 · Jun 21.9 · Jul 23.5 · Aug 23.62 · Sep 21.51 · Oct 11.12 · Nov 9.17 · Dec 2.54 °C	31 Dec 2001	NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center⁶Official · coordinate grid
Average temperature by month	Jan 17.63 · Feb 18.88 · Mar 20.53 · Apr 23.05 · May 25.41 · Jun 27.19 · Jul 27.81 · Aug 28.07 · Sep 27.42 · Oct 25.25 · Nov 21.94 · Dec 19.61 °C	31 Dec 2001	NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center⁶Official · coordinate grid
Average precipitation by month	Jan 62.74 · Feb 64.77 · Mar 91.44 · Apr 69.34 · May 86.61 · Jun 198.6 · Jul 169.4 · Aug 194.3 · Sep 237.5 · Oct 130.3 · Nov 57.66 · Dec 67.31 mm	31 Dec 1991	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information⁷Official · nearest-station reading

Population and city profile

The total area of Merritt Island was 44 km² at the end of 2025. The city recorded a population density of 796.1 people per km² at the end of 2024.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport93.2%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	43.96 km²	31 Dec 2025	U.S. Census Bureau (TIGERweb ArcGIS REST service)¹⁰Official
Foreign-resident share	6.7 %	31 Dec 2024	Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)⁵Official
Foreign residents	2,346 people	31 Dec 2024	Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)⁵Official
Population density	796.1 people/km²	31 Dec 2024	Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS)⁵Official
Population	34,518 people	31 Dec 2020	U.S. Census Bureau, TIGERweb Census 2020¹³Official

Alternatives for people set on Merritt Island

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Viera West as a Merritt Island alternative in the same region

13 km away, better on 3 of 4 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0.

Median gross pay, city: €4,740 Viera West vs €3,774 Merritt Island+26%
Foreign residents: 11.3% Viera West vs 6.7% Merritt Island+68%
Unemployment: 2.9% Viera West vs 4.1% Merritt Island−31%
Residents: 16,688 Viera West vs 34,518 Merritt Island−52%

Full comparison More about Viera West

North Bethesda as a Merritt Island alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 1232 km, better on 3 of 4 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0.

Foreign residents: 34.1% North Bethesda vs 6.7% Merritt Island+409%
Median gross pay, city: €6,119 North Bethesda vs €3,774 Merritt Island+62%
Residents: 50,094 North Bethesda vs 34,518 Merritt Island+45%
Unemployment: 3.6% North Bethesda vs 4.1% Merritt Island−12%

Full comparison More about North Bethesda

Cities near Merritt Island

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Cocoa West 7.7 km away

Rent: 1,074 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
Salary: 2,286 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31

Viera East 11.1 km away

Rent: 1,553 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
Salary: 3,850 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31

Viera West 13.4 km away

Rent: 2,016 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
Salary: 4,740 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31

Port Saint John 16.7 km away

Rent: 1,636 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
Salary: 3,289 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31

Alternative cities in United States

Other cities in United States to compare with Merritt Island, nearest in population first.

All United States cities

Bella Vista34,518 residents Goshen34,525 residents Del Rio34,496 residents Spring Valley34,482 residents SeaTac34,578 residents Lexington34,454 residents

How does Merritt Island compare?

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Put Merritt Island's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

What is the unemployment rate in Merritt Island?

The unemployment rate is 4.14 %. Source: Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS).

How many people live in Merritt Island?

The published population is 34,518 people. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, TIGERweb Census 2020.

How many foreign residents live in Merritt Island?

2,346 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS).

Is Merritt Island a good place to live?

Merritt Island may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Which cities are near Merritt Island?

Cocoa, Rockledge, Cocoa Beach, Cocoa West, Cape Canaveral are near Merritt Island. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Merritt Island, United States: population, rent, salary [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 64775b1a2e49d2a3740e3fb6ee633b9a]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/merritt-island/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_merritt-island-united-states-population-rent-salary_56710222ecb2,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Merritt Island, United States: population, rent, salary},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {64775b1a2e49d2a3740e3fb6ee633b9a},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/merritt-island/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Merritt Island, United States: population, rent, salary](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/merritt-island/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 64775b1a2e49d2a3740e3fb6ee633b9a; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

2024 American Community Survey 5-year detailed tables api.census.gov · checked 2026-10-04
ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B25064 (Median Gross Rent), place records www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-18
ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent) www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-19
Area Health Resources Files (AHRF), County 2024-2025 release data.hrsa.gov · checked 2026-10-04
Census Reporter (underlying U.S. Census ACS) api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-08-03
NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-08-05
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-05
OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
U.S. Census Bureau (TIGERweb ArcGIS REST service) tigerweb.geo.census.gov · checked 2026-08-03

Show 12 more sources

U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb Places (layer 4 incorporated places, layer 5 CDPs; identical query) tigerweb.geo.census.gov · checked 2026-09-11
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey api.census.gov · checked 2026-08-07
U.S. Census Bureau, TIGERweb Census 2020 tigerweb.geo.census.gov · checked 2026-08-05
Verizon 300 Mbps home internet verizon.com · checked 2026-09-15
Visible unlimited mobile plan visible.com · checked 2026-09-15
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06

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