Life is a little more laid back in Melbourne Beach, where commercial areas are few and the ocean is steps away from home. This community of just over 3,000 sits on the barrier island between the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. "It's secluded and private here, but it's still a very friendly, family-oriented, accessible community. It's not a cold place," says Realtor and resident Kellie Bowling, who has been selling homes for 17 years and works with Compass Florida. "We have a slower pace here. The roads go down to single traffic lanes, and Ocean Avenue is the only retail area." While Melbourne Beach enjoys its privacy, just a few miles up A1A are more commercially developed areas, like Indialantic and Satellite Beach. A little farther north on the Space Coast are Patrick Space Force Base and the Kennedy Space Center, which attract defense contractors to Brevard County. "On a clear day, you can see Cape Canaveral and the rocket launches. Those launches rattle our house even all the way out here."
Beachgoers enjoy sandcastles and volleyball along Melbourne Beach’s scenic shoreline.
Juan Ponce de Leon is believed to have landed near Melbourne Beach in 1513.
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Aerospace is the primary industry in Melbourne Beach
Melbourne Beach is in the Cape Canaveral Spaceport Technologies Triangle. Patrick Space Force Base and NASA's Kennedy Space Center are major employers, as are defense contractors like L3Harris and Northrop Grumman. Many workers are also employed in education and healthcare. Because Melbourne Beach is mostly residential, it's more attractive to retirees than to tourists.
Kennedy Space Center launches are visible from nearby Merritt Island.
Titusville became part of the Space Coast during NASA’s 1960s operations.
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Steps from miles of beach on the Atlantic coast
Melbourne Beach has 12 parks serving the community and several miles of public beachfront. Most residents are within a quarter mile of beach access points, which line the A1A and have public parking. "My kids will get up and go to the beach every day," says Bowling. "My daughter goes surfing with her friends before school, and it's close enough that she has plenty of time to get ready." Bowling also notes how active the community is in Melbourne Beach. "You see people outside all year long, whether it's running, walking, cycling, swimming, windsurfing or boating. My husband often takes his boat out for fishing excursions around the Bahamas." Events like the Rotary Pineapple Man Triathlon and the Military Surf Contest are local favorites. Other public parks offer fishing, like Ryckman Park, which has a pier extending onto the Indian River Lagoon, or playgrounds, like the Mikey Goodwin Memorial Playground at Nance Park.
Fun, directional signs at Ryckman Park show the direction of other cities and towns.
Ryckman Park in Melbourne Beach is a favorite spot for sunset gatherings.
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Melbourne Beach offers private, million-dollar homes
Melbourne Beach is the island's most residential and secluded community, and housing comprises most of the city's enclaves. "Pretty foliage and palm trees surround the homes so there's a lot of privacy, and the streets don't have a lot of car traffic, so it's a quiet area," says 22-year Realtor and broker associate Monica McKune with Keller Williams Brevard. Some homes are directly on the river or the oceanfront, though those are rarely on the market. According to Niche, the median sale price for a home here is $563,300, nearly double the national median sale price of $281,900. There is a mix of three-to-four-bedroom midcentury homes and 21st-century builds, with prices that range between $650,000 and $1 million. Custom beachfront homes will occasionally hit the market, with prices over $2 million. Two- to three-bedroom condos are another option in Melbourne Beach and typically list between $385,000 and $900,000, depending on the building's proximity to the ocean.
Mediterranean style homes are common in Melbourne Beach’s residential areas.
Melbourne Beach offers ocean views and a relaxed vibe for surfing and fishing.
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National Blue-Ribbon awards for Brevard Public Schools
Brevard Public Schools serves Melbourne Beach families and has a B-plus grade on Niche. In 2024, the Florida Department of Education designated BPS a Purple Star District, commending the district's support of the county's military families. The town's zoned secondary school, West Shore Junior/Senior High School, was awarded National Blue Ribbon School status in 2024.
Gemini Elementary School serves Melbourne Beach families with public education.
Melbourne High School educates local students from ninth through twelfth grade.
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Longtime favorites on Ocean Avenue
In Melbourne Beach, locally owned restaurants and shops dominate the town's commercial areas on Fifth Avenue and Ocean Avenue. There are few chain shops or restaurants, except for a Publix Super Market on the A1A. Melbourne Beach Market is a go-to for quick conveniences, deli sandwiches or pizza and an impressive international wine collection. Nearby, D'John's is a favorite for inviting, upscale dinners. While Melbourne Beach feels more private, residents can travel up the A1A to access more local shops and beachside restaurants. Nearby Melbourne offers more familiar chain restaurants and big box stores, and downtown Melbourne has lively taverns and upscale bistros. The Avenue Viera is about 20 miles from Melbourne Beach for more retail options
Publix in Melbourne Beach provides groceries and everyday essentials.
Djon’s Steak and Lobster House offers upscale dining on Melbourne Beach’s riverfront.
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Commuting from Melbourne Beach
The A1A Jimmy Buffet Memorial Highway is the town's main artery, connecting it to the other coastal towns, and Interstate 95 is 18 miles away. Fifth Street and Eau Gallie Boulevard connect residents to mainland Melbourne, 5 miles away. Space Coast Area Transit buses operate along the A1A and Fifth Street. Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital is 10 miles from Melbourne Beach. The town is 6 miles from Melbourne Orlando International Airport. Residents can go to Orlando International Airport, 65 miles away, for direct flights.
Crime and weather in Melbourne Beach
While recent crime statistics for Melbourne Beach aren't available, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's 2021 statewide annual county report dictates that the overall crime rate in Brevard County decreased by 13% percent from 2020 to 2021.
Melbourne Beach has humid, hot summers and mild, dry winters. The community sits on the Atlantic Ocean, providing an ocean breeze that keeps Melbourne Beach slightly warmer in the winter and somewhat cooler in the summer than cities farther inland. Due to the threat of damage from hurricanes, residents must purchase flood insurance and have a mandatory evacuation plan in place during storms.
Written By
Micaela Green
Photography Contributed By
Rodrigo Betancor
Video By
Adam Barkley
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Vance Brinkerhoff,
an experienced agent in this area.
On average, homes in Melbourne Beach, FL sell after 82 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Melbourne Beach, FL over the last 12 months is $686,250, down 9% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Welcome to Riverfront living at its finest in the coveted Wexford community of Melbourne Beach. This beautifully updated 3BR/2.5BA 4th-floor condo boasts stunning water views from every room—river and ocean! The main balcony, accessible from the living room and primary suite, overlooks the peaceful river and showcases amazing sunsets. A second balcony off the guest bedrooms offers ocean views and
Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Indian River Lagoon, this beautifully furnished three-bedroom, two-bath half-duplex sits just across the street from the beach in St. Andrews Village, a gated South Melbourne Beach community. Private ocean access is only steps away, with river access nearby—capturing the essence of barrier island living.The home features vaulted ceilings, a bright open
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Welcome to Riverfront living at its finest in the coveted Wexford community of Melbourne Beach. This beautifully updated 3BR/2.5BA 4th-floor condo boasts stunning water views from every room—river and ocean! The main balcony, accessible from the living room and primary suite, overlooks the peaceful river and showcases amazing sunsets. A second balcony off the guest bedrooms offers ocean views and
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Outstanding views of the river from the comfort of your back porch. The Ocean to River community offers this home FURNISHED along with a community pool, fishing pier, dock, boat ramp, direct ocean access, and a clubhouse featuring weekly activities. Two bedrooms and two full baths, one up and one on the main floor. Large screened lanai and oversized one-car garage. Completely updated kitchen,
Gorgeous, completely remodeled home in Aquarina available to lease. Pool, fire pit and views of the 10th hole of the golf course welcome you in the courtyard. Chef's kitchen with Thermador refrigerator and Wolf range, massive island open to the family and dining room surrounded with windows and glass doors for tons of light. Elevator leading to the second floor guest bedrooms. bonus space, 2
Escape the cold and enjoy the BEACH LIFE in the resort-style gated GOLF community of Aquarina Beach and Country Club in Melbourne Beach, Florida. Located on Florida's east coast south of Kennedy Space Center and north of Vero Beach. Main floor primary suite, living, dining, kitchen, laundry and two additional bedrooms and a loft upstairs. Covered screened patio and upper balcony overlook the 18th
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