Melbourne vs Plantation
The short version
- Melbourne is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 12% lower than in the Plantation area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $306,400 in Melbourne and $483,500 in Plantation.
- Households earn more in Plantation ($92,541 vs $66,991 median).
- Plantation is growing faster: +8.2% since 2020 vs +2.8%.
- Commutes are shorter in Melbourne (23 vs 28 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Melbourne, FL | Plantation, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 87,097 | 99,183 |
| Growth since 2020 | +2.8% | +8.2% |
| People per square mile | 1,971 | 4,560 |
| Median age | 42.5 | 40.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35% | 46% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $66,991 | $92,541 |
| Median home value | $306,400 | $483,500 |
| Home value to income | 4.6× | 5.2× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,525 | $2,240 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.0 | 114.2 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 111.7 | 155.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,000 | $85,600 |
| Homeowners | 60% | 64% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 6.98% | 6.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.8 | 27.6 |
| Work from home | 14% | 18% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.6% | 4% |
| Poverty rate | 15.8% | 10% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 72° / 52° | 76° / 58° |
| July high / low | 90° / 74° | 90° / 76° |
| Precipitation per year | 51 in | 69 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 63 | 75 |
| Nights below freezing | 2 | 0 |
| Comfortable months | 7 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.4 | 99.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 91% | 53% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.2% | +0.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +40.5% | +49.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Melbourne: November to May. Plantation: December to April.
Full monthly tables: Melbourne weather by month and Plantation weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $75,000 in Melbourne and $85,600 in Plantation. Moving from Melbourne to Plantation, you would need about $85,600 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Melbourne and Plantation
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Melbourne and Plantation.
Which would you pick?
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