Brevard County · Space Coast
Merritt Island
Two rivers, one island — boater's paradise between the mainland and the beach.
The short answer
Merritt Island is a 45,000-resident island community between the Indian and Banana Rivers, minutes from both the beaches and Kennedy Space Center. It's Brevard's waterfront-home heartland — deep-water canals, riverfront estates, and family neighborhoods — sharing the island with a 140,000-acre national wildlife refuge.
Merritt Island, Florida
~45,000
Population
island CDP
≈ $420K
Typical home price
approx. market median
140,000 acres
Wildlife refuge
shared with Kennedy Space Center
≈ 10 min
To the beach
over the SR-520 causeway
The market right now
The typical home in Merritt Island is valued around $433K down 0.1% in a year, and homes are going under contract in about 41 days.
Zillow Research data, July 2026 · not an appraisal of any individual home
Homes for sale in Merritt Island
189 homes for sale right now — straight from the Space Coast MLS. Save the search and we'll email you the moment something new hits.
Listing information provided by the Space Coast Association of REALTORS® IDX program. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS.
See all 189 homes in Merritt IslandLife in Merritt Island
Merritt Island is where Space Coast living gets a backyard dock. Laced with canals off the Banana and Indian Rivers, it offers everything from starter homes in established neighborhoods to deep-water estates where a sailboat sits behind the pool. The beaches are one causeway east; Kennedy Space Center is literally on the island's north end.
The north half of the island is one of America's great wild places — the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, where bald eagles, manatees, and roseate spoonbills live next door to launch pads. Locals get wilderness, water, and a 20-minute drive to everything.
What makes Merritt Island worth it
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
The Space Coast's crown jewel — Saturn V, Space Shuttle Atlantis, and live launch viewing, right on the island.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
140,000 acres of lagoon, marsh, and hammock with more endangered species than almost any refuge in the country.
Ulumay Wildlife Sanctuary
A locals-only-feeling paddle trail through mangrove flats on the Banana River.
Kiwanis Island Park
Ballfields, boat ramps, and manatee sightings in the heart of the island.
Historic Crooked Mile
Tropical Trail's oak-canopied riverfront drive along the island's narrow south spine — one of Brevard's prettiest roads.
🎪 Around town · Updated weekly
What's happening in Merritt Island
Farmers markets, festivals, live music, art shows, and holiday traditions — our events guide tracks it all for Merritt Island, with dates, directions, and one-tap add-to-calendar.
Merritt Island fun facts
- NASA's launch complex shares Merritt Island with a national wildlife refuge — rockets and roseate spoonbills are neighbors.
- Merritt Island is home to more protected species than nearly any other place in the continental U.S.
- The island's south end narrows to the "Crooked Mile," a strip so slim you can see both the Indian and Banana Rivers from the road.
- The Indian River Lagoon bordering the island is one of the most biodiverse estuaries in North America — 4,000+ species.
Scenes from Merritt Island
Photos by the credited photographers via Wikimedia Commons.
Where the locals eat
Our team's picks — independent, unpaid, and argued over in the office. Tell us what we got wrong.
Dolphins Waterfront Bar & Grill
$$Old-Florida marina dining carrying on a tradition that started sixty years ago.
Merritt Island Pancake House
$The hometown weekend-breakfast line — worth standing in.
Living like a local in Merritt Island
The parks, kid spots, coffee counters, and hidden gems our team actually uses — independent picks, argued over in the office, pruned when places close.
Parks & playgrounds
Kiwanis Island Park
An island park in the Banana River — ball fields, playgrounds, ramps, and a dog park all in one spot.
Dog-friendly
Kiwanis Island Dog Park
Fenced runs on their own river island — dogs get water views the rest of the county pays waterfront prices for.
Hidden gems
Pine Island Conservation Area
Trails, wetlands, and a manatee-favored lagoon shoreline that most of the county has never walked.
Field Manor
A preserved 1880s riverfront homestead on north Merritt Island — old Florida, still standing on its original ground.
Moving to Merritt Island: what we tell our buyers
Waterfront buying
Canal depth, bridge clearance, and seawall condition decide what boat you can actually keep — we verify all three before you fall in love with a dock. Sailboat water (no fixed bridges to the river) carries a premium.
Insurance & flood
Much of the island sits in AE flood zones; elevation and construction year drive premiums. Newer builds and remodels with hurricane openings often insure surprisingly well.
Schools
Brevard Public Schools; Edgewood Jr./Sr. High on the island is routinely ranked among Florida's top public schools.
Commute & getting around
SR-520 and SR-528 cross the island, putting both the beach and I-95 about ten minutes away. KSC workers often live here for the five-minute reverse commute.
Meet Merritt Island before you move
The fastest way to learn a town is to listen to the people already living in it. These are the local groups we point Merritt Island buyers to — join a few months before you close and you'll know the good roofer, the real traffic, and the best breakfast before you ever unpack a box.
The independent groups listed here set their own rules and approve their own members — they aren’t affiliated with or moderated by us.
Merritt Island questions, answered
Is Merritt Island a good place to live?
Yes — it's the Space Coast's waterfront sweet spot: canal and riverfront homes, top-rated Edgewood Jr./Sr. High, ten minutes to the beach, and Kennedy Space Center on the island itself. Boaters in particular rarely find better value anywhere in coastal Florida.
Is Merritt Island actually an island?
Yes — it sits between the Indian River Lagoon and the Banana River, connected by causeways to Cocoa on the mainland and Cocoa Beach on the barrier island. Technically it's a peninsula at its far north end, but everyone — including the map — calls it an island.
What does waterfront cost on Merritt Island?
Canal-front homes typically start in the $500s–$600s, direct river frontage runs higher, and deep-water sailboat estates can reach seven figures. Non-waterfront family neighborhoods start much lower — approximate island-wide median is around $420,000.
How far is Merritt Island from Kennedy Space Center?
KSC occupies the north end of Merritt Island itself — the Visitor Complex is about 15–20 minutes from central Merritt Island neighborhoods.
What are the best Facebook groups for Merritt Island?
Merritt Island Community 411 is the most welcoming general group — road closures, storm prep, and recommendations. EMICA (East Merritt Island Community Association) has advocated for the east side since 1963 and is the one to follow for zoning and drainage news that affects property values. Worth knowing: some island groups ask people planning a move to message an admin before requesting to join.
More about Merritt Island
Everything else we've written that covers Merritt Island — buyer guides it appears in, head-to-head comparisons with the towns next door, and posts from the blog.
Guides featuring Merritt Island
Nearby areas we serve
Ready to make waves in Merritt Island?
Browse live Merritt Island listings, run your payment on real local numbers, see what Merritt Island homes are fetching and what yours is worth, or talk to an agent who actually lives this coast.