Melbourne : Florida

What Melbourne is like for active adults

Melbourne is a vigorous retirement community of 77,000 located mid-way down the east coast of Florida. Its redevelopment efforts have resulted in a revitalized and growing community.

After the Civil War, Melbourne was founded by former slaves. The first school in Melbourne was built in 1883 and is now part of the Florida Tech campus. Many high-tech companies such as Intersil, Harris Corporation, General Electric, Rockwell Collins, Liberty Aerospace and Northrop Grumman are here. The region is frequently called the “Space Coast”, a reference to its proximity to Cape Canaveral. Melbourne is also home to the Florida Institute of Technology and houses a major campus for Brevard Community College (BCC).

Melbourne represents an alternative to living in the big city or a very affluent community. There are 33 miles of unspoiled beaches along the ocean, plus plenty of waterways connected to the intercoastal. Water sports such as surfing, fishing, and sailing are very popular. The Washington Nationals have their spring training in Melbourne. The city has over 500 acres of parks.

Active adults can live in a community near the water – either on the beach or the intercoastal. There are many apartment buildings that offer carefree living. Or you can choose from many gated communities in the town or surrounding area. This diverse city is warm in the winter, has and has a rich array of choices for retirement living. The average home price in mid-2009 was about $150,000. Here are more resources and information on what is like to retire in Florida.
Photo of Crane Creek courtesy of Wikipidia and Leonard J. DeFrancisci.

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What is special about this retirement community

• Beautiful white sandy beaches • Completely renovated 1925 City Hall • 2 municipal golf courses: Harbor City and Melbourne Indian Hills (Municipal) Golf Course • 6 Community an/or Civic Centers with programs for seniors Many public parks • A busy community calendar of events • 4 Public swimming pools • Three places on the National Register of Historic Places • Many malls and shopping centers. • City of Melbourne.

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What is not special about this retirement community

• Crowds in season • Over development is always a risk in such a sensitive area.

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What kinds of people like retiring here

Melbourne attracts a diverse community of retirees who want to live in an understated, but planned community.

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Local economy is driven by

Tourism, retail, services, and high tech/space are important to the economy. Melbourne has created three redevelopment districts. The Historic Downtown Redevelopment district led to the highly successful revitalization of the historic downtown area centered on New Haven Avenue. The Babcock Street redevelopment district was created encourage the rebirth of a traditional commercial corridor.

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Climate and Physical Environment

Melbourne is midway down the east coast of Florida. It is flat with a barrier island on the Atlantic Ocean to the East, connected to the mainland by a causeway where business and real estate development is concentrated. The Indian River and the Eau Gallie River course through the area. The average July high temperature is 91 and the average January low is 50. The wettest month is September (7")

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Cultural environment

Melbourne is proud to have a number of educational and research facilities as well as Brevard Community College. The Florida Institute Of Technology-Melbourne has over 3000 full-time students. THe city has a surprising roster of cultural resources: Brevard Art Museum, Historic Rossetter House Museum, Liberty Bell Memorial Museum, Henegar Center for the Performing Arts, Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts, and the Brevard Symphony Orchestra.

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Medical facilities

• Healthsouth Sea Pines Hospital • Holmes Regional Medical Center • Circles Of Care Inc

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Transportation

Melbourne International Airport is located in within the town. The Space Coast Area Transit provides bus service.

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Facts about MELBOURNE

State: FL
Environment: Suburban,College Town,Coastal,
City Population: 50,001-100,000
Median age of Population: 25-44
Avg Jan Temperature: 61 +
Median HH Income: 41,001-60,000
Average Home Price (MLS): $100,000-$200,000
Annual Property Tax on a $200,000 house: Less than 2000
Total Crime Index: 111-120 (high)
Cost of Living Index: 91-100 (slightly below average)
Culture Index: 101-110 (slightly above average)
State Sales Tax: Yes
State Income Tax: No
Name of the Guide: Fran

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