“Counties like it” are metro-area counties with a similar population and a median household income near Melbourne Beach's ($77,961). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.
Ahead of similar counties on 1 measure:
Behind similar counties on 3 measures:
About the same on 7: life expectancy, residents per primary care doctor, children in poverty, food insecurity, households with severe housing problems, unemployment, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Melbourne Beach | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 8.2% 608,792 → 658,447 | 2.4% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $11,100 | $16,553 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 population estimates; Census Annual Survey of School System Finances (school year 2023), current spending divided by enrollment across the districts based in the county.
“Counties like it” means other counties in a metro area with a similar number of people and a similar median household income (about $77,961 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Brevard County is furthest behind on residents per mental health provider, adults under 65 without health insurance, drug overdose deaths per 100,000.
| Measure | Brevard County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 behind similar counties | 48.0 | 35.1 | Douglas County, NE 17.1 Kent County, MI 17.5 Tulare County, CA 18.7 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 75.8 years | 77.7 years | Dane County, WI 80.8 years Lee County, FL 80.6 years Sarasota County, FL 80.3 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance behind similar counties | 11.2% | 7.9% | Bristol County, MA 3.4% Monroe County, NY 4.2% Erie County, NY 4.3% |
| Residents per primary care doctor about the same | 1,383 | 1,266 | Multnomah County, OR 680 Dane County, WI 781 Greenville County, SC 896 |
| Residents per mental health provider behind similar counties | 501 | 285 | Multnomah County, OR 87 Spokane County, WA 158 South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT 165 |
| Children in poverty about the same | 15.0% | 15.1% | Dane County, WI 7.7% Seminole County, FL 10.6% Washoe County, NV 11.3% |
| Food insecurity about the same | 12.1% | 12.3% | Dane County, WI 9.2% Delaware County, PA 9.7% Lancaster County, PA 10.1% |
| Households with severe housing problems about the same | 14.8% | 16.1% | York County, PA 12.0% Kent County, MI 12.2% Knox County, TN 12.3% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.0% | 3.3% | Dane County, WI 2.3% Douglas County, NE 2.6% Greenville County, SC 2.6% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 92.1% | 91.0% | Seminole County, FL 93.9% Multnomah County, OR 93.0% Dane County, WI 92.6% |
| Bridges rated poor ahead of similar counties | 0.4% | 4.6% | Lake County, FL 0.0% Osceola County, FL 0.0% Sarasota County, FL 0.0% |
“Behind” or “ahead” means more than 15% worse or better than the typical (median) similar county; small differences can be noise. Sources: County Health Rankings 2025 (health, money and internet), Vera Institute (jail, latest year from 2015 on), FHWA National Bridge Inventory 2025, HUD (metro areas), Census 2024 population. What has worked elsewhere on each of these.
“Highest” and “lowest” are just order, not grades: a high rank for poverty or hazard losses means more of it. Each figure's source is in its section below.
Related: By the numbers · The money trail · Audits · What has worked. Spot an error? Report it.