Brevard County, Florida, is a dynamic region featuring over 600,000 population and a wealth of attractions, including the famed Kennedy Space Center, the Brevard Zoo, and the Cocoa Beach Pier. Nonetheless, the county’s desirability and safety are not consistent throughout its areas.
Utilizing the most recent crime statistics from the FBI and the Census Bureau, we have found the five communities in Brevard County with the greatest rates of violent crime, property crime, and poverty.
1. Cocoa Beach
Cocoa Beach, which is in the eastern part of Brevard County and has a population of about 12,000 people, is a famous place for tourists to visit and for surfing. Unfortunately, it has the highest rates of crime and poverty in the county.
In 2019, the serious crime rate in Cocoa Beach was 1,542 per 100,000 people, and the property crime rate was 7,142 per 100,000 people. These numbers were more than six times the national average. The Census Bureau says that 17.3% of people in Cocoa Beach lived in poverty and that the median family income was $60,833. This is less than the county average but more than the state average.
2. Palm Bay
Palm Bay is the biggest city in Brevard County, home to about 118,000 people. It is in the southern part of the county and has a diverse population and a growing economy. But it has to deal with a lot of crime and a lot of poor people.
The FBI says that in 2019, Palm Bay had a serious crime rate of 507 per 100,000 people and a property crime rate of 2,461 per 100,000 people. These numbers were higher than the national averages by more than twice as much. The poverty rate was 14.4% and the median family income was $53,447 in 2021, which were both lower than the county and state standards.
3. Melbourne
Melbourne is an eastern city in Brevard County with about 82,000 people. It has a lively center area and a lot going on in the arts. But it has a lot of problems, like a lot of crime and a lot of poor people.
Melbourne had a serious crime rate of 692 per 100,000 people in 2019 and a property crime rate of 3,349 per 100,000 people. These numbers were more than three times the national average. In 2021, the Census Bureau found that 15.6% of people lived in poverty and the median family income was $48,670. These numbers were lower than the county and state standards.
4. Titusville
About 46,000 people are living in Titusville, which is in the northern part of Brevard County. It is close to both the Kennedy Space Center and the Canaveral National Seashore. Even though these sites are close to Titusville, the city has a high crime rate and a high poverty rate.
The FBI says that there were 1,003 serious crimes and 3,571 property crimes per 100,000 people in the state in 2019. These rates are more than three times the national standards. The Census Bureau says that in 2021, 16.7% of people in Titusville were living in poverty and the median family income was $47,917. These numbers are lower than the county and state standards.
5. Cocoa
The city of Cocoa, which has about 18,000 people, is in the middle of Brevard County and has a unique center area along the Indian River. But it has to deal with a lot of crime and a smaller median income.
In 2019, the serious crime rate in Cocoa was 1,072 per 100,000 people, and the property crime rate was 4,841 per 100,000 people. Both of these rates were more than four times the national average. In 2021, the Census Bureau found that 23.8% of households were living in poverty and the median family income was $38,008, which was much less than the county and state standards.
Final Words
There are many things to do and see in Brevard County, Florida. Crime and poverty are higher in five areas of the county than they are in the rest of the state, county, and country. These are Cocoa, Palm Bay, Melbourne, Titusville, and Cocoa Beach. To make these places safer and better places to live, they need more help and care.