Population
The Villages
82,108
Merritt Island
34,718
Median Income
The Villages
$76,523
Merritt Island
$91,020
Home Value
The Villages
$375,100
Merritt Island
$379,700
Rent
The Villages
$1,541
Merritt Island
$1,348
Crime Rate
The Villages
N/A
Merritt Island
N/A
Cost of Living
The Villages
135.9
Merritt Island
135.6
Avg Temp
The Villages
N/A
Merritt Island
N/A
Unemployment
The Villages
4.2%
Merritt Island
4.2%
How Similar Are The Villages & Merritt Island?
Merritt Island is The Villages's #3 most similar city
5 of 8 key metrics match within 10%
Population
The Villages
82,108
Merritt Island
34,718
The Villages (82,108) is about 2.4x larger than Merritt Island (34,718).
Political Leaning
The Villages
65.5%
Merritt Island
59.9%
Both cities lean Republican with similar vote shares — 8% difference.
Unemployment
The Villages
4.2%
Merritt Island
4.2%
Both cities have similar unemployment — just a 1% difference.
Median Income
The Villages
$76,523
Merritt Island
$91,020
Merritt Island has a 16% higher median income than The Villages.
Home Values
The Villages
$375,100
Merritt Island
$379,700
Both cities have similar home values — just a 1% difference.
Education
The Villages
42.6%
Merritt Island
31.8%
The Villages has a 25% higher education than Merritt Island.
Demographics
The Villages
96.3%
Merritt Island
86.8%
Both cities have similar demographics — just a 10% difference.
Cost of Living
The Villages
135.9
Merritt Island
135.6
Both cities have similar cost of living — just a 0% difference.
5 out of 8 key metrics match within 10%. The Villages and Merritt Island share several key characteristics.
At a Glance
0
The Villages
0
Merritt Island
Cost of Living & Affordability — The Villages leads
Source: City Stats Index / HUDThe Villages has a fair market rent (1br) of $1,172 vs $1,478 in Merritt Island (21% lower). The Villages has a fair market rent (2br) of $1,373 vs $1,709 in Merritt Island (20% lower). Merritt Island scores 160.8 on the housing index (100 = national avg) vs 176.7 in The Villages.
Overall Cost Index
Housing Index
Food Index
Transportation Index
Healthcare Index
Utilities Index
Living Wage (1 Adult)
Living Wage (Family of 4)
Fair Market Rent (1BR)
Fair Market Rent (2BR)
Housing Market
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSMerritt Island has a median property tax of $2,495 vs $3,324 in The Villages (33% lower). The Villages has a single-family homes of 96.4% compared to 79.7% in Merritt Island. The Villages has a owner-occupied of 94.2% compared to 81.0% in Merritt Island.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Property Tax
Owner-Occupied
Vacancy Rate
Single-Family Homes
Jobs & Economy
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSThe Villages has a work from home of 29.7% compared to 17.4% in Merritt Island. The Villages has a poverty rate of 4.3% compared to 7.4% in Merritt Island. Merritt Island: 16,202 vs The Villages: 9,707 for labor force.
Median Household Income
Per Capita Income
Poverty Rate
Unemployment Rate
Labor Force
Mean Commute
Work from Home
Private Sector
Government Sector
Crime & Safety
Source: FBI UCRViolent Crime Rate (per 1K)
Property Crime Rate (per 1K)
Murder Rate (per 1K)
Robbery Rate (per 1K)
Assault Rate (per 1K)
Burglary Rate (per 1K)
Larceny Rate (per 1K)
Violent Crime Clearance
Property Crime Clearance
Weather & Climate
Source: NOAA / Open-MeteoAvg Annual Temperature
Avg Annual High
Avg Annual Low
Sunny Days per Year
Annual Rainfall
Annual Snowfall
Avg Humidity
Schools & Education — The Villages leads
Source: NCES / U.S. Census BureauThe Villages has a high school diploma or higher of 65.5% compared to 47.9% in Merritt Island. The Villages has a bachelor's degree or higher of 42.6% compared to 31.8% in Merritt Island.
Public Schools
Avg Student-Teacher Ratio
Colleges & Universities
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
High School Diploma or Higher
Demographics & Community
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSThe Villages has a population of 82,108, about 2.4x the size of Merritt Island (34,718). Merritt Island skews younger with a median age of 49.8 vs 73.6.
Population
Median Age
Avg Household Size
Married Population
Foreign Born
White
Black
Hispanic
Asian
The Villages
Merritt Island
Healthcare — Merritt Island leads
Source: CMS Hospital CompareMerritt Island: 5 vs The Villages: 3 for with emergency services. Merritt Island: 3.8 vs The Villages: 2.5 for avg cms rating (out of 5).
Nearby Hospitals
Avg CMS Rating (out of 5)
With Emergency Services
Transportation & Commute — Merritt Island leads
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACSMerritt Island has a bicycle of 0.4% compared to 0.0% in The Villages. The Villages has a work from home of 29.7% compared to 17.4% in Merritt Island. Merritt Island has a public transit of 0.2% compared to 0.1% in The Villages.
Mean Commute Time
Drive Alone
Public Transit
Bicycle
Work from Home
Airports
Cities Similar to The Villages, FL
Compare The Villages against its closest statistical matches across demographics, income, crime, health, and more.
City Comparison
8-axis fingerprint: population, income, housing, crime, education, age, climate, and cost of living. Click legend items to toggle.