01 · the cities
Melbourne
Palm Bay is part of the Space Coast, which means you can watch SpaceX and NASA rocket launches from the backyard on a clear day. The Indian River Lagoon is right there for fishing, kayaking, and manatee spotting. It's quieter and more affordable than the bigger Florida metros, with quick access to Cocoa Beach and Kennedy Space Center. Suburban in a Florida way.
full dispatch→Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is a three-mile boardwalk, a giant Neptune statue keeping watch, and Atlantic surf that's warm in August and gentle in September. The military presence (Navy and Air Force) gives the city a structured, welcoming feel. False Cape and Back Bay nature areas are wild marshland just south of the high-rises. October on the boardwalk might be the prettiest month on the East Coast.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,895/mo
$1,819/mo
$76/mo less than Melbourne (4%)
Median home price
Median home price
$351k
$375k
$24k more than Melbourne
State income tax
State income tax
0%
5.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,438/mo
$6,035/mo
Melbourne has $403/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
254 days
211 days
43 fewer than Melbourne
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 days
days below 20°F per year
Melbourne edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
55 / 100
57 / 100
2.0 pts ahead of Melbourne
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
2 routes
17 routes
15 more direct routes than Melbourne
Metro size
Metro size
644k metro
1.8M metro
the verdict
4
Melbourne
categories won
3
Virginia Beach
categories won
Melbourne wins on money and weather. Virginia Beach has the edge on lifestyle.
run your numbers
How far does your Melbourne salary go?
Enter your salary to see a full ranked list of cities where you would live better.
see your top citiesWe use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.
Walk Score® is a trademark of Walk Score, a Redfin company. How Walk Score works