Living in West Melbourne, FL
College town in Florida
West Melbourne is a college town in Florida, home to about 28,000 people, with 544,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses.
Is West Melbourne a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Low taxes: no state income tax, 0.69% property tax
- Safe: violent crime is 0.4× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Strong healthcare: 3 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Easy flying: MCO is 47 mi away
👎 Cons
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Smaller job market: about 544,000 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 West Melbourne ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in West Melbourne: common questions
What is the cost of living in West Melbourne?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $349k, 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 West Melbourne?
Florida has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 0.69% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is West Melbourne safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.4× in FBI 2019 data).
How are the schools in West Melbourne?
Public schools in West Melbourne test above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 16 students per teacher.
What is the weather like in West Melbourne?
West Melbourne is warm all year: winter days average around 73°F and summer days around 89°F.
Does West Melbourne 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 0.45 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to West Melbourne?
The nearest major airport is MCO, about 47 mi away.
How West Melbourne scores
Each bar compares West Melbourne with the other 1,990 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).
Places like West Melbourne
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.
The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).
Nearby
See all the best places to live in Florida.
Is West Melbourne right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.