Merritt Island

The history of Merritt Island begins in the mid 1800's and centers on cultivation of citrus cattle pineapple and sugar cane. It remained wide open agricultural land for most of its history. The population boomed in the 1950s and 1960s with the coming of the space program.

The 200 Census shows 36,090 people living in Merritt Island, with a median household income of $43,532. Most of the residents are middle-aged couples with school-aged and adult children.

Merritt Island was originally a true island covering about 47 square miles. It was connected to a mainland peninsula due to construction of the "Crawlerway" to move NASA space vehicles to the launch pad.

Merritt Island is separated from Cocoa, Rockledge, and Melbourne on the mainland by the Indian River Lagoon to the west. It is separated from Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral by the Banana River to the east.

To the north is the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore. This is an unpopulated and protected buffer zone for the space shuttle launching site of Kennedy Space Center. Established in 1963, it is owned by NASA and covers 140,000 acres. There you will find huge amounts of migratory birds and over 500 species of wildlife including alligators, manatee, dolphin, sea turtles, bald eagles, osprey, bobcats, and Florida panthers.

Merritt Island does not have a municipal government, and falls under Brevard County jurisdiction. There are no local taxes.

The central location makes Merritt Island a commercial hub with a mall, shops, restaurants and businesses.

To find a home in Merritt Island, or anywhere in Brevard County, please search our properties.