What it's like to live in Cocoa
Cocoa is a small city in Florida with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Cocoa deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Clean air
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- High rent burden for renters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Cocoa compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Cocoa
Based on Cocoa's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,548
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $50,960 a year
- 59% of Cocoa renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$49,220
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,610
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,274/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,274 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $246,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $246,100 · 59% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.2% county unemployment
Unemployment in Brevard County is 4.2%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Brevard County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 179% above US
919 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2444/100k · Cocoa Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.6 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 88°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 52°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 24% below US
27% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 7 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Canaveral National Seashore (28 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Cocoa's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,274/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. Whether it fits comes down to the specifics: the neighborhood, the job, and what matters most in the move.
Other places near Cocoa
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