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Melbourne, FL

Frequently asked questions

Melbourne, FL

Melbourne is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It is located 72 miles (116 km) southeast of Orlando and 175 miles (282 km) northwest of Miami. The municipality is the second-largest in the county by both size and population. Melbourne is a principal city of the Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1969, the city was expanded by merging with nearby Eau Gallie.

Evidence for the presence of Paleo-Indians in the Melbourne area during the late Pleistocene epoch was uncovered during the 1920s. C. P. Singleton, a Harvard University zoologist, discovered the bones of a mammoth (Mammuthus columbi) on his property along Crane Creek, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Melbourne, and brought in Amherst College paleontologist Frederick B. Loomis to excavate the skeleton. Loomis found a second elephant, with a "large rough flint instrument" among fragments of the elephant's ribs. Loomis found in the same stratum mammoth, mastodon, horse, ground sloth, tapir, peccary, camel, and saber-tooth cat bones, all extinct in Florida since the end of the Pleistocene 10,000–8,000 BCE. At a nearby site, a human rib and charcoal were found in association with Mylodon, Megalonyx, and Chlamytherium (ground sloth) teeth. A finely worked spear point found with these items may have been displaced from a later stratum. In 1925 attention shifted to the Melbourne golf course.

The first settlers arrived after 1877. They included Richard W. Goode, his father John Goode, Cornthwaite John Hector, Captain Peter Wright, Balaam Allen, Wright Brothers, and Thomas Mason. Three of these men, Wright, Allen, and Brothers were black freedmen.

The city, formerly called "Crane Creek", was named Melbourne in honor of its first postmaster, Cornthwaite John Hector, an Englishman who had spent much of his life in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (which was in turn named after the British Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne). He is buried in the Melbourne Cemetery, along with many early residents in the area. The first school in Melbourne was built in 1883 and is on permanent exhibit on the campus of the Florida Institute of Technology. By 1885, the town had 70 people. The Greater Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1885 and is still active.

Melbourne is located approximately 60 miles (97 km) southeast of Orlando on the Space Coast, along Interstate 95. It is approximately midway between Jacksonville and Miami. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 39.6 square miles (102.5 km²), of which 33.9 square miles (87.7 km²) is land and 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²) (14.42%) is water.

The east-west street named Brevard Drive was historically the "center" of town; with addresses called "north" and "south" of this street. The north-south Babcock Street provided the same centerline for "east" and "west" directions.

Melbourne Beachside has a small presence on the South Beach Barrier Island. It is often confused with Melbourne Beach, a separate political entity.

Health and wellness are essential components of Melbourne's community. The city is home to several healthcare facilities, including the Holmes Regional Medical Center, providing comprehensive medical services to residents. Crunch Fitness offers a diverse range of workouts including group fitness classes, personal training, and specialized programs like HIIT and yoga. Select Physical Therapy offers comprehensive physical therapy services, including orthopedic rehabilitation, sports medicine, manual therapy, and specialized programs for various conditions. CORA Physical Therapy provides personalized physical therapy programs for musculoskeletal injuries, post-surgical rehabilitation, balance and fall prevention, and occupational therapy services. Results Physiotherapy offers evidence-based physical therapy treatments for pain management, sports injuries, spine conditions, and neurological disorders. Physiotherapy Associates (now ATI Physical Therapy) provides individualized rehabilitation programs, sports performance enhancement, work injury prevention, and wellness services.

Top sites in Melbourne, FL are Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria - Melbourne Gardens, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Immigration Museum (Museums Victoria), and Old Melbourne Gaol.

Population: 86,960 (2023). ZIP codes: 32901, 32934, 32935, 32940, 32902, 32912, 32936, 32941, 32904. Area code: 321. Elevation: 20 ft (6 m). Area: 49.97 sq mi (129.43 km²).

FAQs

Is Melbourne, FL a nice place to live?

Melbourne is a town in Florida with a population of 84,982. Melbourne is in Brevard County and is one of the best places to live in Florida. Living in Melbourne offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Melbourne, there are a lot of restaurants and parks.

Is Melbourne, FL expensive to live in?

One of the significant advantages of living in Melbourne is the low cost of living, allowing residents to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle without breaking the bank. Compared to other cities in Florida, Melbourne offers affordable housing, transportation, and other basic amenities. Housing costs are relatively low, with a median sale price of $331,250 in Melbourne as of March 2023, nearly $70,000 below the national median.

What is the closest major city to Melbourne, FL?

Melbourne is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It is located 72 miles (116 km) southeast of Orlando and 175 miles (282 km) northwest of Miami. It had a population of 84,678 at the 2020 United States Decennial Census, up from 76,068 at the 2010 census.

Sources

City of Melbourne

Wikipedia

Holmes Regional Medical Center

Crunch Fitness

Select Physical Therapy

CORA Physical Therapy

Results Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy Associates (now ATI Physical Therapy)

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria - Melbourne Gardens 

Melbourne Cricket Ground

Immigration Museum (Museums Victoria) 

Old Melbourne Gaol

Niche

Redfin

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