Living in Palm Bay, FL
Mid-size city in Florida
Palm Bay is a mid-size city in Florida, home to about 125,000 people, with 554,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.
Is Palm Bay a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Low taxes: no state income tax, 0.62% property tax
- Strong healthcare: 4 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $284k and rents for $2,330 a month
- Easy flying: MCO is 51 mi away
👎 Cons
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Fewer graduates: 23% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
- Smaller job market: about 554,000 people live within 31 mi
- Fewer family amenities than most places
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Palm Bay ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Palm Bay: common questions
What is the cost of living in Palm Bay?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $284k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,330 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 100, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Palm Bay?
Florida has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 0.62% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Palm Bay safe?
Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.9× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Palm Bay?
Palm Bay is warm all year: winter days average around 74°F and summer days around 91°F.
Does Palm Bay get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from hurricanes and flooding: 15 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.46 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Palm Bay?
The nearest major airport is MCO, about 51 mi away.
How Palm Bay scores
Each bar compares Palm Bay with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Palm Bay right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.