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'{{Distinguish|Broward County, Florida}} {{Infobox U.S. County | county = Brevard County | state = Florida | seal = Seal of Brevard County, Florida.jpg | seal size = 150px | flag = | map = Brevard County Florida.png | founded = March 14, 1844 | seat = [[Titusville, Florida|Titusville]] | area_total_sq_mi = 1556.95 | area_land_sq_mi = 1018.19 | area_water_sq_mi = 538.76 | area percentage = 34.60% | census yr = 2010 | pop = 543376 | density_km2 = 206.05 | web = www.brevardcounty.us/ }} '''Brevard County''' is a [[county (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Florida]], along the coast of the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. As of the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], the population was 543,376,<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov| title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Brevard County, Florida| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=January 27, 2012}}</ref> making it the 9th most populous county in the state.<ref>{{Cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov| title=Age Groups and Sex, 2010: State-County/County Equivalent. 2010 Census Summary File 1 (GCT-P2): Florida| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=January 27, 2012}}</ref> Influenced by the presence of the [[Kennedy Space Center|John F. Kennedy Space Center]], Brevard County is also known as the [[Space Coast]]. As such, it was designated with the telephone area code 321, as in [[Countdown#Rocketry|3-2-1 liftoff]]. The official [[county seat]] has been located in [[Titusville, Florida|Titusville]] since 1894, although most of the county's administration is performed from [[Viera, Florida|Viera]]. Brevard County has more than one county courthouse and [[County sheriff (Florida)|sheriff's]] office because of its length. Hence, government services are not centralized in one location, as they are in many American counties. The county is coextensive with the '''Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area''', a [[metropolitan statistical area]] (MSA) designated by the [[Office of Management and Budget]] and used for statistical purposes by the Census Bureau and other agencies. [[Palm Bay, Florida|Palm Bay]], [[Melbourne, Florida|Melbourne]] and [[Titusville, Florida|Titusville]] are designated as the principal cities of the MSA. The '''Melbourne-Titusville-Cocoa, Florida Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area''' was first defined in 1973. [[Cocoa, Florida|Cocoa]] was removed as a principal city in 1983, and Palm Bay was added, with the name changed to '''Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area'''. The MSA name was changed to its present form in 2003.<ref>[http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/metrodef.html Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Definitions] - retrieved July 18, 2006</ref> {{TOC limit|3}} ==History== {{main|History of Brevard County}} ===Precolumbian=== {{further|Windover Archaeological Site|Crane_Creek_(Melbourne,_Florida)#History}} The first [[Paleoindians]] arrived in the area near Brevard County between 12,000 and 10,000 years ago.<ref name="Historic Brevard Landmark guide">{{cite web |url= http://www.brevardcounty.us/history/documents/LandmarkGuide2010.pdf |title= Historic Brevard Landmark guide |publisher = Brevard County Historical Commission |accessdate=2010-09-15}}</ref> The Paleoindians were semi-nomadic people who lived in smaller groups. At the time, the earth was going through its most recent [[ice age]] and the climate of the area was much different than it is now;<ref name="Historic Brevard Landmark guide"/> it was similar to that of [[Great Britain]] today. The area which today is Brevard County was probably not coastal at this period in time. The coast of Florida was about {{convert|100|mi|km}} wider,<ref name="Historic Brevard Landmark guide"/> and the [[Indian River (Florida)|Indian River]] was simply a lower point on dry land. After a few thousand years, perhaps by around 3000 B.C., peninsular Florida resembled the land of today in shape, climate, fauna, and flora. The ocean had risen enough to flood the Indian River with salt water.<ref>[http://www.flbrevard.com/History/10K-1820.html]</ref> About this time, a new group of settlers appeared, known as the [[Archaic period in the Americas|Archaic people]].<ref name="Historic Brevard Landmark guide"/><ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web |url= http://www.brevardcounty.us/history/history-summary.cfm |title= Brevard County History - A Brief Introduction |publisher = Brevard County Historical Commission |accessdate=2010-09-15}}</ref> These people were primarily fishermen, as opposed to the hunting and gathering way of life which characterized the Paleoindians.<ref name="Historic Brevard Landmark guide"/> ===From Spanish rule to statehood=== The [[Ais people|Ais]] and the [[Timucua]]ns were the dominant tribes in the area when [[Juan Ponce de León]] arrived at the shores near [[Melbourne Beach, Florida|Melbourne Beach]] in 1513.<ref name="Historic Brevard Landmark guide"/><ref>{{Cite news | first=Norman | last=Moody | title=Naming barrier island would honor state find | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110421/NEWS01/104210318/Some-want-Brevard-barrier-island-named-Spanish-conquistador-Ponce-de-Leon | work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=April 21, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> There were about 10,000 of these natives in the area.<ref name="ft110430">{{Cite news | first=Diane | last=Barile | title=Guest columnist: A people lost in time | url=| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=April 30, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In the year of [[Timeline of Florida History|1601]] the Spanish King commissioned a map of Florida indicating his desires for a fort to be built in Miami. On the map he indicated the land we know as Brevard county as the 'Province of Ais', as it was typical in those days to designate a region of specific tribal domination and generally took its name from the ruling cacique.<ref name="RiverArchaeology">{{cite book|title=Survey of Indian River Archaeology |series=Yale University Publications in Anthropology 25 |first=Irving |last=Rouse |isbn=978-0-404-15668-8}}</ref> Later in [[Timeline of Florida History|1605]], [[Alvaro Mexia]] was dispatched from [[St. Augustine, Florida|St. Augustine]] to the "Province of the Ais"area on a diplomatic mission to the Ais Indian nation. He helped establish a "Period of Friendship" with the Ais [[cacique]]s (chiefs) and made a color map of the area.<ref name="Map">{{Cite book|title=Cape Canaveral |series=Images of America |page=15 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=gP8sHFpNXugC&dq=Images+of+America:+Cape+Canaveral&source=gbs_navlinks_s |last=Osborne |first=Ray |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-7385-5327-6}}</ref> Heavy [[mosquito]] infestation and the threat of Indian attacks kept the area from having any permanent European settlements. The [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]] intermittently settled the area. In 1763, the Spanish relocated the local population to [[Cuba]], reduced to 80 natives who had survived exposure to European diseases. The Spanish briefly passed the sovereignty of Florida to the British in the Treaty of Paris.<ref name="ft110430"/> [[Creek Indians]] from the north quickly swept down from [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] and [[the Carolinas]] to fill the void. These Indians became known as the [[Seminole]]. Their activity in Brevard County was intermittent and usually not permanent. The Spanish ceased control of Florida once again in 1821, ceding the territory to the United States. In [[Timeline of Florida History|1837]], Fort Ann was established on the eastern shore of the Indian River on a narrow strip of land on [[Merritt Island, Florida|Merritt Island]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/> During the construction of the Hernandez-Capron Trail, [[Joseph Marion Hernández|General Joseph Hernández]] and his militiamen encamped near present-day [[Mims, Florida|Mims]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/> These settlements were short-lived and were abandoned shortly thereafter. ===Statehood to 1900=== [[File:Boatbuilding.jpg|175px|thumb|left|Boathouse, Titusville, Florida 1885]] In 1845, Florida became the 27th state of the Union. How and when Brevard County was founded and its history in the 19th century is much more complicated. During the 19th century, the state of Florida was constantly changing the names and borders of counties. Indeed, St. Lucia County was split off from Mosquito (later [[Orange County, Florida|Orange]]) County in 1844.<ref name="Brevard County Maps">{{cite web |url= http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/galleries/county/stlucia/index.php |title= Brevard County Maps |publisher = University of South Florida |accessdate=2010-09-15}}</ref> St. Lucia County was renamed Brevard County in 1856, but this "Brevard County" contained very little of present-day Brevard County. Most of present-day Brevard north of [[Melbourne, Florida|Melbourne]] was part of either [[Volusia County, Florida|Volusia]] or Orange counties.<ref name="Brevard County Maps"/> Brevard County in 1856 extended as far west as [[Polk County, Florida|Polk County]] and as far south as coastal [[Broward County, Florida|Broward County]]. Complicating the discussion of Brevard County in the 19th century is that an early county seat was located at [[Port St. Lucie, Florida|(Port) St. Lucie]], which took its name from the original county name and was eventually split off from Brevard to form a new county, [[St. Lucie County, Florida|St. Lucie County]], in 1905. Gradually, the borders of Brevard County were shifted northward while the county got "pinched" eastward.<ref name="Brevard County Maps"/> The portions of Brevard County in present-day Broward and [[Palm Beach County, Florida|Palm Beach]] counties were given to [[Miami-Dade County, Florida|Dade County]], western areas of the county were given to Polk and [[Osceola County, Florida|Osceola]] counties, and parts of Volusia and Orange counties were given to Brevard, including the eventual county seat of [[Titusville, Florida|Titusville]]. Later, the southern portion of the county was cut off to form St. Lucie County, which in turn spawned [[Martin County, Florida|Martin]] and [[Indian River County, Florida|Indian River]] counties.<ref name="Brevard County Maps"/> The first permanent settlement in present day Brevard was established near [[Cape Canaveral]] in 1848.<ref name="Historic Brevard Landmark guide"/> After the establishment of a [[Cape Canaveral Light|lighthouse]], a few families moved in, and a small but stable settlement was born. Gradually, as the threat of Seminole Indian attacks was becoming increasingly unlikely, people began to move into the area around the Indian River. In the 1850s a small community developed at Sand Point which eventually became the city of Titusville.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Unlike other areas of Florida, the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] had little effect on Brevard County, other than perhaps to slow the movement of settlers to the area. By the 1880s, the cities along the Indian River included [[Melbourne, Florida|Melbourne]], [[Eau Gallie, Florida|Eau Gallie]], Titusville, [[Rockledge, Florida|Rockledge]], and [[Cocoa, Florida|Cocoa]].<ref name="Historic Brevard Landmark guide"/> Unlike cities further inland in Florida, these cities did not have to rely as heavily on roads. The primary way of traversing the county was by water. In 1877 commercial [[steamboat]] transportation became a reality as the ''Pioneer'' was brought to the area.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> The first real boom to the area occurred with the extension of [[Henry Flagler]]'s [[Florida East Coast Railroad]] into the area.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> The railroad reached Titusville in 1886 and Melbourne in 1894. With the railroad came increased settlement and the first tourists. ===20th century to present=== [[File:Melbourne.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Crane Creek, Melbourne, circa 1900]] The advent of the [[automobile]] age brought even more growth to Brevard County, as resorts and hotels popped up all around the county.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> As the automobile became increasingly important as a means of transportation, roads connecting Brevard County to the rest of Florida and ultimately to the rest of the nation were built. The first major [[land boom]] began in the 1920s with the end of [[World War I]].<ref name="Historic Brevard Landmark guide"/> People flooded into the state of Florida as land prices soared, only to bust as the [[Great Depression]] temporarily stopped growth in Florida. Before the start of [[World War II]], the largest industries in Brevard were commercial fishing, citrus, and tourism.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> In 1940, the [[Naval Air Station Banana River]] (now [[Patrick Air Force Base]]) was built. This began a new era in the development of Brevard County. Later, in the late 1950s, the [[Long Range Proving Ground]] was opened.<ref name="Historic Brevard Landmark guide"/> This later became the [[Kennedy Space Center]]. This changed the entire complexion of the county; where Brevard had once been considered a "backwoods" area of Florida, it instantly became the launching pad into [[outer space]]. What had once been a primarily low-tech farmer/fisherman economy was transformed into a high-tech engineering and computer economy. In 1982, [[Windover Archaeological Site]] was discovered by a backhoe operator who was working on a housing development. As a very long, but not very wide county, there had been a lot of complaints from people in the southern, more populous side of the county about being so distant from the county seat. A trip to conduct county business in Titusville was {{convert|50|mi|km}} from the most populous city in the county, [[Palm Bay, Florida|Palm Bay]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl |title= Google Maps driving Directions Palm Bay to Titusville |publisher =Google |accessdate=2010-09-15}}</ref> There was talk of secession on the southern end of the county,<ref name="The Orlando Sentinel">{{cite web |url= http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1993-12-15/news/9312150103_1_titusville-brevard-palm-bay |title= An Idea Whose Time Has Come Yet Again |publisher = The Orlando Sentinel |accessdate=2010-09-15}}</ref> and the county decided to build a new county administration complex at [[Viera, Florida|Viera]] near the geographical center of the county. This complex was started in 1989, and resulted in a counter-threat of secession from the Titusville end of the county.<ref name="The Orlando Sentinel"/> This proposal to form a new county, Playalinda County, had some momentum in the early 1990s. The county made a few concessions to the people in the northern part of the county, and agreed not to "officially" move the county seat. Viera, however, is for all intents and purposes the ''de facto'' seat of Brevard County. The summer of 1998 produced some of the worst [[brush fire]]s on record.{{convert|70000|acres|km2 sqmi}} were burned.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Jim | last=Waymer | title=Danger seen in advance | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110302/NEWS01/110302001/Brush-fire-danger-seen-advance| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 6A | date=2 March 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Prior to instituting [[controlled burn]]s, the county forests and pastures burned for months during the [[dry season]]. From the 1940s to the 1970s, the state assumed control of burning that prevented uncontrolled fires.<ref>[http://firehistory.asu.edu/dof-floridas-fire-fulcrum]</ref> In 2006, the state burned a record {{convert|72065|acres|km2 sqmi}} in the county.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Jim | last=Waymer | title=Despite burns, fire threat still high | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110314/NEWS01/103140320/Despite-prescribed-burns-Brevard-s-fire-threat-still-high| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=14 March 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> ==Geography== In federal maps constructed before 2012, nearly half of Brevard was prone to flooding. Most of this was in the relatively undeveloped low-lying areas, west of Interstate 95, on the banks of the [[St. Johns River]]. About 18,900 homes out of 164,000 single-family homes were in that area.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Jim | last=Waymer | title=Flood zones ebb and flow | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012302110017| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A-3A | date=February 11, 2012 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!--soft title is different than hard copy but is same article---> ===Geographic features=== {{merge from|Ponce de León Island|date=January 2012}} [[File:Monument US 1 Brevard Volusia county line.jpg|thumb|The Brevard-Volusia county line]] According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of {{convert|1556.95|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1018.19|sqmi}} (or 65.40%) is land and {{convert|538.76|sqmi}} (or 34.60%) is water,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.census.gov/tiger/tms/gazetteer/county2k.txt |title=Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties |publisher=United States Census |accessdate=2011-02-13 }}</ref> primarily the [[Atlantic Ocean]], the [[St. Johns River]] and the [[Indian River Lagoon]]. The county is larger in area than the nation of [[Samoa]] and nearly the same size, and population, as [[Cape Verde]].<ref>[http://www.mongabay.com/igapo/world_statistics_by_area.htm List of Countries by Land Mass - Ranked by Area] retrieved May 22, 2007</ref> It is one-third the size of the state of [[Rhode Island]]. Located halfway between [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]] and [[Miami]], Brevard County is an extra-long county, extending {{convert|72|mi|km}} from north to south, but averages {{convert|26.5|mi}} inland from the seacoast at any point. In marshes in the western part of this county is the source of the St. Johns River. Emphasizing its position as "halfway" down Florida is the presence of two roads that are halfway down Florida's numbering system, State Road 50 and State Road 500. The [[Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway]] along the eastern edge of Brevard County is the major [[waterway]] route in Brevard County. It includes the [[Indian River (Florida)|Indian River]]. Additional waterways include [[Lake Washington (Florida)|Lake Washington]], [[Lake Poinsett]], [[Lake Winder]], [[Sawgrass Lake]], the St. Johns River, and the [[Banana River]]. Brevard County is the sole county in the [[Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area]] (formerly the Melbourne-Titusville-Cocoa, Florida Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area and Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area). There is no major urban center.<ref>{{Cite news | first= | last= | title=Keep SCAT rolling | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101202/OPINION/12020307/Keep-SCAT-rolling| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 10A | date=2 December 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The county is unofficially divided into three section, North County, comprising [[Titusville, Florida|Titusville]], [[Mims, Florida|Mims]] and [[Port St. John, Florida|Port St. John]]; Central Brevard, which includes [[Cocoa, Florida|Cocoa]], [[Rockledge, Florida|Rockledge]], [[Merritt Island, Florida|Merritt Island]], and [[Cocoa Beach, Florida|Cocoa Beach]]; and South County, which includes [[Melbourne, Florida|Melbourne]], [[Palm Bay, Florida|Palm Bay]], [[Grant, Florida|Grant]], [[Valkaria, Florida|Valkaria]], and the [[South Beaches]]. The South Beaches is a term that measures direction south from the dividing line of [[Patrick Air Force Base]], and includes [[South Patrick Shores, Florida|South Patrick Shores]], [[Satellite Beach, Florida|Satellite Beach]], [[Indian Harbour Beach, Florida|Indian Harbour Beach]], [[Indialantic, Florida|Indialantic]], and [[Melbourne Beach, Florida|Melbourne Beach]]. The county government has historically labeled the beach areas differently. The North Reach includes {{convert|9.4|mi}} in Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach. The Patrick Air Force Base beach is {{convert|4.1|mi}}. The Mid Reach includes the {{convert|7.6|mi}} in Satellite Beach. The South Reach includes the {{convert|3.8|mi}} in Indialantic and Melbourne Beach. The South Beaches include {{convert|14.5|mi}} south of Melbourne Beach to [[Sebastian, Florida|Sebastian]].<ref>{{Cite news| first=Virginia | last=Barker | title=Beach and Dune Erosion | url=http://www.brevardcounty.us/natres/BeachErosionStaffReport.pdf.pdf| work= | publisher=Brevard County Board of Commissioners | location=Melbourne, Florida | page=5 | date=31 October 2007 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The [[United States Board on Geographic Names]] is considering two proposals to officially name the [[barrier island]] extending from [[Port Canaveral]] to [[Sebastian Inlet]]. The {{convert|45|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} island includes the city of Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, Patrick Air Force Base, and Satellite Beach. The American Indian Association of Florida submitted in October 2011 a proposal to name the island after the [[Ais people]]. The United Third Bridge and the Florida Puerto Rican/Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Melbourne submitted in January 2012 a proposal to name the island after [[Juan Ponce de León]]. The Board of Geographic Names usually takes at least eight months to decide on a new name for a geographical feature.<ref>{{cite news|last=Neale|first=Rick|title=Lines drawn over naming of Brevard's barrier island: Ponce de León and Ais Indians in the running|url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120114/NEWS01/301140020/Lines-drawn-over-naming-Brevard-s-barrier-island?odyssey=nav%7Chead|accessdate=14 January 2012|newspaper=Florida Today|date=January 14, 2012}}</ref> There are 16 municipalities. The largest by population is Palm Bay, the smallest Melbourne Village.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Rick | last=Heale| title=Brevard's 17th municipality? | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100121/NEWS01/1210329/-1/mmxbillboardtest/South-Brevard-s-Barefoot-Bay-seeks-city-status| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 3A| date=21 January 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The county has eight canals<ref>[http://florida.hometownlocator.com/features/cultural,class,canal,scfips,12009.cfm]</ref> for transportation and drainage: *[[Canaveral Barge Canal]], [[Courtenay, Florida|Courtenay]] - transportation *Faulk Canal, Cocoa *Grand Canal, [[Tropic, Florida|Tropic]] *[[Haulover Canal]], Mims - transportation *Melbourne Tillman Canal, Melbourne West - drainage *Old Canal, Wilson *C-1 (Canal 1), which is maintained by the Melbourne-Tillman Water Control District<ref>[http://www.floridaswater.com/upperstjohnsriver/C1rediversion.html]</ref> *C-54 Canal - on the south Brevard County Line - drainage *L-15 Canal - [[Crane Creek (Melbourne, Florida)|Crane Creek]] Drainage District<ref>[http://www.melbourneflorida.org/meet/ccarchive/cc2006_0808.pdf]</ref> ===Geology=== The soil contains high levels of [[phosphorus]].<ref>{{Cite news | first=Jim | last=Waymer | title=Campaign taps kids for water well-being | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012304020042| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1B | date=April 2, 2012 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> ===Climate=== The county has a [[Köppen climate classification]] of Cf with a year-round distribution of rainfall. This means a [[humid subtropical climate]] with hot, humid summers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/?n=wetdryseason |title=The Onset of the Wet and Dry Seasons in East Central Florida- A Subtropical Wet-Dry Climate? |accessdate= |author=Randy Lascody |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=202-03 |year= |month= |work=National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Melbourne, FL |publisher=NOAA |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> There are distinct wet and dry seasons. The dry lasts from December through May, the wet from June through November.this shit is a piece of shit by fucking duncans Temperature varies noticeably in this {{convert|72|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}}, north-to-south, county, particularly in winter. In north county, northern (temperate climate) flora can thrive, like [[deciduous]] trees. In the south county, sub-tropical plants can grow, such as [[royal palm]] trees.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Matt | last=Reed | title=Watchdog column:EEL, chief explains process and prices | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1B | date=18 March 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---not a one-for-one ref but does establish there are two distinct zones---> Progressing from west to east, there is a moderating effect from the ocean and, to a lesser extent, from the Indian River; so eastern low temperatures are higher, and high temperatures are lower, than is measured further west. January is the coldest month, with an average low of {{convert|50.7|°F|°C}} and an average high {{convert|71|°F|°C|abbr=on}}. The warmest months are July and August with average highs of {{convert|90|°F|°C|abbr=on}} and average lows of 72.2. The driest month is April with {{convert|1.6|in|cm}} of rainfall; the wettest is September, with {{convert|6.6|in|cm}}.<ref>Space Coast Visitor's Guide,''Florida Today'',2007 Winter/Sprint Edition</ref> Offshore ocean temperatures have averaged: January - {{convert|64|F}}, February - {{convert|62|F}}, March - {{convert|67|F}} and April - {{convert|72|F}}.<ref>{{Cite news| first= | last= | title=South Brevard County | url=| work=Space Coast Edition | publisher=Travelhost | location=Dallas, TX | page= 26 | date=January–April 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Florida is a large subtropical state that experiences [[hurricane]]s. Although Brevard county is located along Florida's eastern peninsula, it is less frequently impacted by direct hurricane landfalls than portions of the [[Florida Panhandle|Panhandle]] or [[South Florida]]. There are two predominant reasons for this. First, westward moving tropical systems often reach an atmospheric ridge weakness in the [[Azores High|Bermuda High]]<!---yes, they are equivalent.---> by the time they approach Florida at a latitude as northerly as Brevard County. Combined with frontal systems that exit the United States' [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]], many of these tropical systems are steered northwest and eventually curve northward offshore along Florida's East Central Coast. A second reason is that hurricanes landfalling along the Florida peninsular [[Gulf Coast]] often weaken to a tropical storm by the time they move northeast to affect Brevard County (with some exceptions, such as 2004's [[Hurricane Charley|Charley]]). Although Brevardians may refer to past storms as "hurricanes", by the time they strike there, some of them may have subsided to [[tropical storm]]s or [[tropical depression|depressions]]. Because of the threat of [[storm surge]], the beach community on the barrier island is often required to evacuate well in advance of the storm.<ref>[http://www.ocean-beach.com/weather_hurricanes.htm#Areas%20At%20Risk Hurricanes]</ref> The possibility of storm surge is diminished when the storm comes across the state instead of from the Atlantic.<ref name="fl100527">{{Cite news| first=Matt | last=Read | title=Prepare for storm evacuations | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100527/COLUMNISTS0207/5270331/Lay-Prepare-for-storm-evacuations-tar-balls| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1B | date=27 May 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> [[Tornado]]-like eddies spinning off from even small storms can result in severe damage in small areas.<ref>[http://www.wxdude.com/Severe.html Questions on Thunderstorms and Severe Weather]</ref> Generally, summertime tornadoes are brief, are at the [[Enhanced Fujita Scale|EF0]] or EF1 level, and may not actually touch down. During the [[dry season]], they can attain a force of EF2 and touch the ground for miles.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Andrew | last=Knapp | title=Watch our today for rough weather | url=| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=25 January 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Five hurricanes have directly affected Brevard since 1950: [[Hurricane David|David]] (September 3, 1979); [[Hurricane Erin (1995)|Erin]] (August 2, 1995) - made landfall near [[Sebastian Inlet]] and caused mostly minor wind damage and more extensive flooding countywide; [[Hurricane Charley|Charley]] (August 13, 2004) - caused damage in Titusville and North Brevard; [[Hurricane Frances|Frances]] (September 3, 2004) - struck neighboring [[Vero Beach, Florida|Vero Beach]] in [[Indian River County, Florida|Indian River County]] directly and caused widespread wind damage throughout Brevard;<ref>[http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1995erin.html TPC NHC ERIN 1995 PRELIMINARY REPORT]</ref> and [[Hurricane Jeanne|Jeanne]] (September 26, 2004) - struck Vero Beach directly, following very nearly the same path as Frances. The latter two storms caused widespread damage in South Brevard, and resulted in $2.8 billion in claim payments.<ref>{{Cite news| first= | last= | title=Weather, politics shook things up | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20091231/NEWS01/912310317/1086/Stories+of+the+decade++Weather++politics+shook+things+up| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=31 December 2009 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Slightly more than half of one percent (0.6%) of houses were lost.<ref>[http://www.bebr.ufl.edu/FloridaFocus/FloridaFocus1_3_2005.pdf bebr.ufl.edu]</ref> <!--this is true but I can't find it documented online!--usually due to a pane or other small hole in the dwelling Wind blew in water. Electricity was out. Resultant mildew in the heat resulted in total destruction of an outwardly appearing solid structure.---- true but no documentation available online--> The following storms did not affect Brevard County with hurricane force winds: [[Hurricane Floyd|Floyd]] (September 15, 1999),<ref>[http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/floydsum.html Hurricane Floyd Preliminary Summary]</ref> and [[Hurricane Irene (1999)|Irene]] (October 16, 1999).<ref>[http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/irenesum.html Hurricane Irene Preliminary Summary 10-16-99]</ref> [[Tropical Storm Fay (2008)|Tropical Storm Fay]] dropped a record rainfall of {{convert|27.65|in|cm}} in 2008.<ref>[http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081002/NEWS01/810020328/1006/news01&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL] retrieved October 2, 2008</ref> The winter of 2009–2010 was the coldest on record since 1937 when records were first kept.<!---quite frustrating since no figures were given except to say that March was 6 degrees below average. They did not post the article online---><ref>{{Cite news| first=J.D. | last=Gallop | title=Finally! Spring rolls in today | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1B | date=20 March 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Planting season, which normally starts around February 14, came six weeks later instead.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Patrick | last=Peterson | title=Nurseries look for business warm-up | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100324/BUSINESS/3240322/1006/NEWS01/Brevard+nurseries+look+for+business+warm-up| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 6C | date=24 March 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Some flowers and herbs are planted as early as January.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Sally | last=Scalera | title=Chilly weather ideal for gardeners | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110108/LIFE/101080302/Sally-Scalera-Brevard-County-s-chilly-weather-ideal-for-gardeners| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 4D |date=8 January 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> December 2010 was the coldest December on record.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Andrew | last=Knapp | title=warm weather fun is over for Brevard | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 2B | date=12 January 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---no soft copy. They instead rewrote article which is strange and maybe reduces the truth of this statement---> ====Environment==== {{Main|Environmental issues in Brevard County}} [[File:Eel scrub.jpg|thumb|Pine flatwoods and sand pine scrub]] Brevard County works together with the federal and state government to control pollution and preserve wetlands and coastal areas through lands dedicated to conservation and wildlife protection. There are {{convert|250|mi2}} of federally protected [[wildlife refuge]]s.<ref>{{Cite journal |first=Myatt |last=Murphy |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2011 |month=August |title=A Shore Thing |journal=Sky (Delta) |volume= |issue= |page=90 |id= |url= |accessdate= |quote= }}</ref> These lands include [[Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge]], the [[Canaveral National Seashore]], the [[St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge]], the [[Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge]], several conservation areas managed by the [[St. Johns River Water Management District]], Brevard County's Environmentally Endangered Lands Program Sanctuaries,<ref name="About the EEL Program">[http://www.eelbrevard.com/ About the EEL Program]</ref> and lands dedicated by the State as conservation areas. ===Adjacent counties=== *[[Volusia County, Florida]] - north *[[Indian River County, Florida]] - south *[[Osceola County, Florida]] - southwest *[[Orange County, Florida]] - west ===Fauna=== There are 4,000 species of animals locally.<ref>{{Cite journal |first=Myatt |last=Murphy |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2011 |month=August |title=A Shore Thing |journal=Sky (Delta) |volume= |issue= |page=92 |id= |url= |accessdate= |quote= }}</ref> Common mammals include [[North American river otter]]s, [[bobcat]]s, [[white-tailed deer]], [[raccoon]]s, [[marsh rabbit]]s,<ref>[http://www.nbbd.com/photos/Animals1/index.html]</ref> and [[opossum]].<ref name="ft120117">{{Cite news | first=Keith | last=Winsten | title=Florida's wildlife gets its own 'terms of venery' | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120117/NEWS01/301170003/Keith-Winsten-Florida-s-wildlife-gets-turn-terms-venery| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 7B | date=January 17, 2012 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> [[Coyote]]s first entered the county in 2011.<ref>[http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110928/NEWS01/309270012/Coyotes-turn-up-Brevard-s-yards]</ref> [[Lovebug]] season occurs twice annually in May and August–September. Motorists, usually, encounter swarms of these while driving during a four-week period.<ref>[http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0015-4040(197003)53%3A1%3C23%3ABOT%22PN%3E2.0.CO%3B2-5 Biology of the "Love-Bug", Plecias] Nearctica (Diptera: Bibionidae) accessed September 21, 2007</ref><ref>{{Cite news| first=Jim | last=Waymer| title=Lovebugs like it (your car) hot | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=3 May 2009 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> [[Yellow flies]] are particularly noticeable from April through June.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Jim | last=Waymer | title=Conditions feed yellow fly furor | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100603/NEWS01/6030315/Conditions-feed-yellow-fly-furor| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=3 June 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> There were 596 [[manatee]]s in Brevard County in 2009, out of a total of 3,802 in the state. This is a decline from 2007 when there was a total of 859 out of a state total of 2,817.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Jim | last=Waymer | title=Manatees dying at a record pace | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20091212/NEWS01/912120314/Manatees-dying-at-a-record-pace| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=12 December 2009 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---note that online reference does not include box with manatee census in it, as usual. It is in the hardcopy. Web page here only for general article support, not figures---> [[Bottlenose dolphin]] are commonly seen in the intercoastal waterway.<ref>[http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/tm/tm219/462_BODO_IRLES.pdf BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN (Tursiops truncatus) Indian River Lagoon Estuarine System Stock]</ref> [[Wild hog]]s have become a nuisance in some suburbs.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Jim | last=Waymer | title=Wild hogs a nuisance to Suntree residents | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011311010011| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=November 1, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The poisonous [[brown recluse spider]] is not native to the area but has found the environment congenial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcmsonline.org/pdf/may/SummerPerils.pdf |title=Beware the perils of summer |accessdate= |author=Susan Jenks |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2006-05-16 |year= |month= |work= Florida Today |publisher=Florida Today |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> The Florida Butterfly Monitoring Network has counted species of butterflies monthly for a year since 2007. In 2010, it counted 45 species.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Keith | last=Winston | title=Brevard Naturally:Citizen scientists collect vital information | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 4D | date=25 December 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Included are [[Protographium marcellus|zebra swallowtail butterflies]].<ref name="ft120313">{{Cite news | first=Keith | last=Winsten | title=Outing offers peek at how humans, nature can coexist | url=| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 7B | date=March 13, 2012 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Fish and reptiles include [[alligator]]s, [[red snapper (fish)|red snapper]], [[sea turtle]]s,<ref name="ft120117">{{Cite news | first=Keith | last=Winsten | title=Florida's wildlife gets its own 'terms of venery' | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120117/NEWS01/301170003/Keith-Winsten-Florida-s-wildlife-gets-turn-terms-venery| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 7B | date=January 17, 2012 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> and [[Florida Scrub Lizard|scrub lizards]].<ref name="ft120313"/> ====Avian==== [[Turkey vulture]]s, a migrating species, are protected by federal law. They migrate north in the summer and return in September.<ref>[http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090923/NEWS01/909230326/1086/Vultures+migrate+back+to+Brevard Florida Today] retrieved September 23, 2009 {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> The county's most common winter bird is the [[lesser scaup]], a diving duck. In 2008, half a million were counted. In 2010, 15,000 were estimated.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Keith | last=Winsten | title=Brevard Naturally column:Cold weather brings real snowbirds around | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100220/LIFE/2200303/Brevard-Naturally--Cold-weather-brings-real-snowbirds-around| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 4D | date=20 February 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Local bird counts indicate that there are at least 163 species of birds in the county.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Jim | last=Waymer | title='Bird nerds' eager to scour area for figures | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=1 January 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Other birds include the [[red-shouldered hawk]],<ref>{{Cite news | first=Britt | last=Kinnerly | title=Feisty hawks keeping their human neighbors indoors | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110330/NEWS01/103300344/Feisty-hawks-keeping-their-human-neighbors-indoors-Melbourne| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=March 30, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> the [[loggerhead shrike]],<ref>{{Cite news | first=Keith | last=Winsten | title=Keeping tabs on shrikes around Brevard County | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110920/NEWS01/109200301/Keith-Winsten-Keeping-tabs-shrikes-around-Brevard-County| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 9B | date=September 20, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> the endangered [[red-cockaded woodpecker]],<ref>{{Cite news | first=Jim | last=Waymer | title=Stealth species thrill watchers | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120125/NEWS01/301250012/Stealth-species-thrill-watchers| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=January 25, 2012 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> [[Cooper's Hawk]]s, [[pileated woodpecker]]s, and [[Savannah sparrow]]s.<ref name="ft120313"/> Other birds include [[Rallidae|rail]]s (which also includes [[coot]]s), [[scrub jay]]s (an endangered species), [[wood stork]]s, [[grackle]]s,<ref name="ft120117"/> [[great horned owl]]s,<ref>{{Cite news | first=Jim | last=Waymer | title=Rare owl a hoot for Nats fans | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120312/NEWS01/303060048/Rare-owl-hoot-Nats-fans| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=March 12, 2012 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> [[northern mockingbird]]s, [[brown thrasher]]s, and [[catbird]]s.<ref>{{Cite news | first= | last= | title=Brevard Naturally: Is that bird mocking you? | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120410/COLUMNISTS04/304100024/Brevard-Naturally-bird-mocking-you- | work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= | date=April 10, 2012 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Peak migration in the fall is from the last week in September through the first week in October. Fall migration tends to be stronger than spring because birds typically take different flyways.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Keith | last=Winsten | title=Fortune brings birding diversity | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 7B | date=November 1, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> ===Flora=== [[Live oak]] trees, various grasses, and [[juniper]] plants were sufficiently common to generate [[pollen]] noticeable by some people in February.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Jim | last=Waymer | title=Pollen season forecast to be a potent one | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110226/NEWS01/102260317/Pollen-season-forecast-potent-one-Brevard| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=1 February 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Native trees include [[Sabal palmetto|Cabbage Palm]] (the state tree of Florida), [[fringetree]], [[coral bean]], [[sweet acacia]], [[geiger tree]],<ref>[http://www.netpamj.com/10bloomingtrees.htm Sally Scalera, Florida Extension Agent]</ref> [[firebush]], [[beautyberry]], [[honeysuckle|coral honeysuckle]], and [[blanket flower]].<ref>[http://www.netpamj.com/09addnatives.htm]</ref> Native plants include [[Sea Grape]], [[Red Mulberry]], [[Portulaca oleracea|Purslane]], [[Dandelion]], [[Yucca aloifolia|Spanish Bayonet]], [[Blackberry]], [[Jerusalem Artichoke]], [[Dogwood]], and [[Ilex glabra|Gallberry]].<ref>[http://www.nbbd.com/godo/ef/edibles/index.html]</ref> ==Demographics== {{USCensusPop |1860= 246 |1870= 1216 |1880= 1478 |1890= 3401 |1900= 5158 |1910= 4717 |1920= 8505 |1930= 13283 |1940= 16142 |1950= 23653 |1960= 111435 |1970= 230006 |1980= 272959 |1990= 398978 |2000= 476320 |2010= 543376 |footnote = <ref>http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/cencounts/files/fl190090.txt</ref><ref>http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_QTPL&prodType=table</ref><ref>http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/</ref>}} The county grew by 14% between 2000 and 2010, to 543,376 people. West Melbourne grew by 78% and unincorporated Suntree/Viera by 81%. In Beachside, there was a drop in population. Hispanics doubled during the decade. The black population grew by 37%. Non-Hispanic whites rose by 6%.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Dave | last=Berman | title=Data depicts bigger, more diverse county | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110318/NEWS01/103180311/Census-data-depicts-bigger-more-diverse-Brevard| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=18 March 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> As of the [[census]]{{GR|2}} of 2000, there were in the county: * People - 476,230 people * Families - 132,394 * [[population density]] - 181/km² (468/sq&nbsp;mi) * Housing units - 222,072 * Average housing density - 84/km² (218/sq&nbsp;mi) The population grew about 50,000 between 2000 and 2005. From 2005 to 2009, it grew by about 10,000. This helped lead the county to a [[housing bubble]] crisis, since homes were built to accommodate a larger population. From 2007 through 2010, the population has been essentially static.<ref>{{Cite news | first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Builders see lower costs | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110114/BUSINESS/101140315/Home-starts-rise-but-not-by-much| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 7C | date=14 January 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The county's population is larger than that of the state of [[Wyoming]]. The racial makeup of the county was: * [[Race (United States Census)|White]] - 84.81% * [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]] - 10.40% *[[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] - 4.61%. A plurality of Hispanics, 40%, are of [[Puerto Rican people|Puerto Rican]] descent.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Britt | last=Kennerly | title=Vacant homes occupy much of Brevard | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110505/NEWS01/105050306/Vacant-homes-occupy-much-Brevard| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=May 5, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---soft copy does NOT contain accompanying "box score" information about Hispanics and is included here for verisimilitude only---> * two or more races - 1.77% * [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]] - 1.50% * [[Race (United States Census)|other races]] - 1.09% * [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]] - 0.37% * [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]] - 0.06% There were 198,195 households out of which 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.20% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.84. The population was distributed as follows: 22.00% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 19.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males. In 2007, 30% of the population was over 55.<ref>{{Cite book| author = Kim, Eun Kyung |title = Law's impact increases with age | publisher = Florida Today | date = December 17, 2007}}</ref> In 2010, the oldest person in the county was a 110-year-old Titusville man.<!---Albert Plummer---><ref>{{Cite news | first=Dave | last=Berman | title=At 106, woman enjoying life | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101023/NEWS01/10230317/1006/rss01| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1B | date=23 October 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2009, there were 5,172 births in the county.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Rick | last=Neale | title=1961's 'baby' wears his title with pride | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110101/NEWS01/101010316/1006/news01/1961+s++baby++wears+his+title+with+pride| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A,2A | date=1 January 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2009, two percent of the people in the county are over 85.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Susan | last=Jenks | title=Devices help elderly remain in their homes | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20101050306| work=Florida Today | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 4D | date=5 January 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!--note that although url is given, statistics are taken from box scores which DO NOT appear online. Actual values can be validated from print media only--> In 2009, there were 130,508 people 60 and over in the county.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Sara | last=Camodeca | title=Community kitchen by the numbers | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100204/NEWS01/2040324/1086/Kitchen+raising++dough+| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1B | date=4 February 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---as always, "box scores" are omitted from online edition and are only available in print---> 9.50% of the population and 6.80% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.00% of those under the age of 18 and 6.50% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. In 2010, 10% were living in poverty, compared with 13% statewide.<ref name="ft101215"/><!---ref is for the last statement only---> In 2005, the [[Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area]], which consists solely of Brevard County, was estimated to stand 91st in population out of 263 in the country.<ref>See [[List of United States metropolitan areas]].</ref> In 2006, the county stood 10th in population in the state, out of 67.<ref>''Florida Today'', March 22, 2007, page 1A</ref> The increase in population from 2000 was 11.8%, less than the Florida average of 12.7%. In 2010, 90% of residents had a high school degree, compared with 85% statewide.<ref name="ft101215"/> In 2009, 25.7% of residents had an undergraduate degree, below the national average of 27.7%,<ref name="ranking"/> but the same as the rest of Florida.<ref name="ft101215"/> 14.7% of residents over 25 had undergraduate degrees in engineering. This is almost twice the national average.<ref>[http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100929/NEWS01/9290347/Brevardians-hit-the-engineering-books]</ref> According to the 2000 census, the county had about 80,000 veterans. 21% of the population older than 18 is a veteran.<ref>[http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090306/NEWS01/903060329/1006/rss01] retrieved March 6, 2009 {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> This had dropped to 74,000 in 2010. This was 21% of the people in the county.<ref>{{Cite news | first=R. Norman | last=Moody | title=Service a way of life for one Navy family | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101111/NEWS01/11110314/Service-a-way-of-life-for-one-Navy-family| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=11 November 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> An actual count by a local agency in 2010 indicated that 225 of veterans were homeless.<ref>{{Cite news| first=R. Norman | last=Moody | title=Steppingstone for vets | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100215/NEWS01/2150309/1086/Melbourne+housing+facility+puts+homeless+on+path+to+independence| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=15 February 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---information with actual figure in it is in "box" available only in print edition---><!---an editorial in Florida Today 25 February March 2011 guessed 700!---> In 2007, a local census by volunteers counted 1,899 homeless residents.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Rick | last=Neale | title=Grant money clears way for homeless count | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100111/NEWS01/1110309/1006/rss01| work=Florida Today | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 8A | date=11 January 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In the 1950s, the county population was just under 24,000. In 1960, it was just over 111,000. In 1969, at the height of the space program, it was 234,000.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Rebecca | last=Basu | title=Cocoa's class of 1950 shares life stories at reunion | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100314/LIFE/3140303/Cocoa-s-class-of-1950-shares-life-stories-at-reunion| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1D | date=14 March 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---really need old censuses here every ten years like cities---> In 2010, about 5% of Brevardians spoke Spanish at home.<ref name="ft101215">{{Cite news | first=MacKenzie | last=Ryan | title=Census data notes makeup of towns | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101215/NEWS01/12150324/Census-data-notes-makeup-of-towns| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=15 December 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2010, 8% of Brevardians were born outside of the US, compared with 19% for Florida.<ref name="ft101215" /> In 2012, the [[Urban Institute]] ranked the Brevard metro fourth in the country for racial equality between Afro-Americans and whites. Criteria were integration of neighborhoods, income, and the quality of schools minorities attend. The area was ranked first for Hispanic equality with whites.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Suzanne | last=Cervenka | title=Space Coast racial equality rates fourth | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120203/NEWS01/302030024/Space-Coast-racial-equality-rates-among-best-U-S-| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=February 3, 2012 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> ===Religion=== In 2000, the following were counted by denomination:<ref>[http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/counties/12009_2000.asp]</ref> *Catholics 79,847 *Evangelical Protestant 59,301 *Mainline Protestant 35,901 *Other 8,663 *Orthodox 2,804 *Unclaimed 289,714 ==Government== <!---the goal is to shorten this by at least one display page. Please shorten. Ensure that what you are trying to add is already in Government of Brevard County--> {{main|Government of Brevard County}} Brevard county commissioners are elected by the public to establish ordinances and policies for the county. The Commission appoints a [[County manager (United States)|County Manager]], who executes the will of the Commission. The county employed about 2,900 workers in 2009.<ref>[http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=news01] retrieved January 28, 2009</ref> There are 16 autonomous municipal governments within the county. The various cities, towns and villages of Brevard have varying reliance on services provided by the Brevard County government. A centrally located County Government Center in [[Viera, Florida|Viera]] houses the various county government branches, including Housing and Human Services, Juvenile Justice, Public Safety, Public Works and Solid Waste Management. The Brevard County government had annual expenditures just over $1 billion in the fiscal year 2009–2010, exclusive of the municipalities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brevardcounty.us/budgetoffice/budget/2009_2010/pdf/summary%20by%20category.pdf |title=Budget FY 2009–2010 $1,093,543,028 |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2010-03-01 |year= |month= |work=TY 2010 Adopted Budget |publisher=Brevardcounty.us |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> <!---however separate article claims $217 million. do not understand why. The latter is more proportional to taxes. the one here must include garbage, grants, etc--> In 2009, real estate taxes for [[Homestead exemption|homesteaded property]] averaged .83% of the value of the property.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.taxfoundation.org/files/proptaxcounty__bypercentofhomevalue-2005-2008-20090924.pdf |title=Property Taxes on Owner-Occupied Housing, by County* Ranked by Taxes as Percentage of Home Value 2008 |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2010-03-16 |year= |month= |work= |publisher=taxfoundation.org |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> Real estate taxes are levied by each authority. They are collected by the County Tax Collector.<ref>{{Cite news | first= | last= | title=Budget questions and answers | url=| work=Inside Brevard County Government | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | page= 23 | date=1 February 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The total taxable real estate base was $33.7 billion in 2009.<ref name="countbud">{{cite web| url=http://www.brevardcounty.us/budgetoffice/budget/2009_2010/pdf/general%20information.pdf |title=Brevard County School Budget 2009:General information |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year= |month= |work= |publisher= |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> County taxes rose 26.5% in total per capita revenue from 2002 to 2007, and 49.8% in property tax per capita in the same time frame.<ref>{{Cite book| author = Joslin, J. |title = Revenue, population both grow | publisher = Florida Today | date = April 22, 2007}}</ref> Delinquent taxes were $36 million in 2008.<ref>{{Cite news| first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Tardy taxes rech record level | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= A1 | date=14 May 2009 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> [[File:Brevard County Cumulative Percent Growth from 1997.png|thumb|400px|Brevard County Cumulative Percent Growth since 1997]] Brevard County has two unique election districts. One governs [[Port Canaveral]]; the other, the maintenance of the [[Sebastian Inlet]]. ===Elected officials=== County Commissioners: *District 1 - Robin Fisher<ref name="brevardcounty.us">[http://www.brevardcounty.us/commission/ Board of County Commissioners Contact Page]</ref> *District 2 - Chuck Nelson<ref>[http://brevardelections.org/county.htm County Government Officials]</ref> *District 3 - Trudie Infantini<ref name="brevardcounty.us"/> *District 4 - Mary Bolin *District 5 -Andy Anderson<ref name="brevardcounty.us"/> *County Manager - Howard Tipton<ref>[http://www.brevardcounty.us/county_manager/ Board of County Commissioners County Manager Page]</ref> Commissioners were paid $58,308 annually in 2011.<ref>[http://www.votebrevard.com/index.php?id=55]</ref> The following are considered state officials but are elected and paid by the county: *Sheriff - J.R. "Jack" Parker *Clerk of the Courts - Mitch Needelman. The clerk's office had 323 workers, including subcontractors.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Rick | last=Neale | title=Commissioners leery of clerk's outsourcing | url=| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=March 9, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> *Brevard [[Tax assessment|Property Appraiser]]<ref>http://www.brevardpropertyappraiser.com/mainhtml/appraiser_job.asp</ref> - Jim Ford *Tax Collector - Lisa Cullen <ref>[http://www.brevardtaxcollector.com/ Brevard Tax Collector Page]</ref> *Supervisor of Elections - Lori Scott <ref>[http://www.votebrevard.com/ Brevard County Elections Page]</ref> *State Attorney - [[Norm Wolfinger]] *Public Defender - James F. Russo Brevard County lies within [[Florida's 24th congressional district]], which seat is held by [[Sandy Adams]], and within [[Florida's 15th congressional district]], which seat is held by [[Bill Posey]]. The county lies within two state senatorial districts, 24 and 25. They are held by [[Thad Altman]] and [[Mike Haridopolos]]. The county lies within five state representative districts, 29 through 32 and 80. These seats are held by [[Tom Goodson]], [[Rich Workman]], [[John Tobia]], [[Steve Crisafulli]], and [[Debbie Mayfield]]. ===Justice system=== ====Courts==== [[File:Brev justicecenter.jpg|thumb|Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Justice Center in Viera]] The county has centralized most [[County Court of the State of Florida|county]] and circuit courts in Viera which try a variety of cases including felonies, misdemeanors, traffic, and domestic. The courthouse in Titusville provides the venue for circuit and county cases arising in the north part of the county while the courthouse in Melbourne is the venue for county cases arising in the southern portion of the county. An elected [[State Attorney]] prosecutes criminal cases for the State of Florida. Indigent defendants can be represented by the office of the elected [[Public Defender]]. The [[Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida|18th Circuit Court]] includes [[Seminole County, Florida|Seminole County]] as well as Brevard and covers not only the court itself but the State Attorney and the Public Defender.<ref>[http://sa18.state.fl.us State Attorney's Office 18th Circuit Court] accessed January 19, 2008</ref> In 2008, the public defender had a staff of 45 lawyers in Brevard who handled about 24,000 cases annually.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Keyonna | last=Summers | title=Russo running for office yet again | url=| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1B | date=January 5, 2008 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The County elects a [[Sheriff#Florida|sheriff]], directly responsible to the courts but also to the state for the enforcement of state laws. Police chiefs, appointed by their cities or towns, perform the same function locally. There is no overlap in jurisdictions. Some volunteers work alongside paid professionals.<ref>[http://www.tarleton.edu/~english/tw/acrobat/3103/allen_report.PDF tarleton.edu]</ref><!---Can't find a good online reference and don't know how important this is anyway.--Besides an auxiliary force who have no enforcement powers, both the Sheriff and Palm Bay have a reserve status for former officers who wish to work part time.---> Most municipalities are located on at least one waterway. This has resulted in the county and seven cities having a boat or access to one to aid boaters, or to enforce the law in the water in their jurisdiction.<ref>{{Cite news| first=John A. | last=Torres | title=Keeping waterways safe | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100530/NEWS01/5300328/Boat-patrols-help-keep-waterways-safe| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A,9A |date = May 2010| id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---hard copy only has box scores from which these figures are taken. The soft copy contains only the companion article, not the "box" scores---> The county jail is a 1976 facility which rapidly became overcrowded. Voters rejected expanding the jail on four occasions.<ref>{{Cite news | first= | last= | title=Transforming the jail | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110428/OPINION/110427018/Our-views-Transforming-jail-April-28- | work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 10A | date=April 28, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The sheriff solved the problem by the construction of a large but less expensive "hardened tent" to house non-violent offenders. Crowding reached its peak in 2007 at 1,988 inmates, 300 over capacity. The budget for the facility was $42 million in 2010. There were 1,585 residents. Costs for feeding and housing was $72 per inmate daily. There were 475 staff members.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Jeff | last=Schweers | title=Inmate crowding under control | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110220/NEWS01/102200336/Brevard-County-jail-gets-inmate-crowding-under-control| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=20 February 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The county jail retains inmates awaiting trial or those who have been sentenced to a year <!---We need an all-Florida county description. This isn't unique to Brevard.----> or less. Longer sentences must be served in state prisons, such as the facility in [[Sharpes, Florida|Sharpes]] for young men. A unit of the [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]], homeported at Port Canaveral, plays a role in preventing [[illegal immigration]] and is an interdictor of drugs in the area. The States Attorney's Office sponsors the Victim/Witness Services.<ref>[http://sa18.state.fl.us/vicsvcs/vicwit.htm Victim/Witness Services]</ref> This provides advocates to alleged victims of violent crime and their families. The advocate helps the family understand the legal system as they navigate through it. They also seek out financial assistance <!---Again, lack of FlToday database prevents me from citing a ref for the number helped ---> or counseling they might need. In 2005 they helped 8,448 alleged victims in Brevard County. ===Public services=== ====Public safety==== <!---overlap or not of policing mentioned above. Maybe needs merging---> Public safety for unincorporated areas of the county is the responsibility of the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. All but three of the 17 incorporated municipalities, [[Malabar, Florida|Malabar]], [[Cape Canaveral, Florida|Cape Canaveral]] and [[Palm Shores, Florida|Palm Shores]], maintain their own law enforcement services. Those three contract that service to the Sheriff's Office.<ref>http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Florida/palmshores_fl/townofpalmshoresfloridacodeofordinances?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:palmshores_fl</ref> In 2009, there were 1,200 law enforcement officers working in the county, of which 361 are sheriff's deputies.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Rick | last=Neale | title=Police chase grants, but there's a catch | url= | work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=3 April 2009 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Of all crime that came to the attention of the sheriff's office in 2007, 80% was [[drug]]-related.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Klyne | last=Nowlin| title=Sheriff Faces Tough Challenges | url=| work= | publisher=Intercom (Military Officers Association of America) | location=Patrick AFB, Florida | page= 11 |date = April 2008| id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---Sheriff Jack Parker in a speech to MOAACC--> From January to June 2009, the county reported a total of 10,037 crimes. Of these, a majority, 3.002, were under the jurisdiction of the sheriff's department.<ref name="ft101015">{{Cite news | first=Andrew | last=Knapp | title=Crime rate decreases 5.5% | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101016/NEWS01/10160312/1006/Crime+rate+decreases+5.5+percent| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1B | date=16 October 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2009, the crime rate was 3,471.3 property-related crimes per 100,000 residents, slightly above the national average.<ref name="ranking">{{Cite news| first=Wayne T, | last=Price | title=Ranking Brevard | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100321/BUSINESS/3210313/Ranking-Brevard| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1E | date=21 March 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Public safety for Port Canaveral is under the direction of the Port Authority. Traditionally, emphasis was placed on monitoring the content of [[containerized cargo]] on incoming ships, as well as underwater inspection of arriving ships that could be carrying explosive devices. In 2008, the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners approved the creation of an independent police department.<ref>http://www.portcanaveral.com/general/news/releases/04232009.php</ref><ref>http://www.portcanaveral.com/general/police.php</ref> <!---Florida Today had a nice article on disarming bombs found towards Sebastian where various training crews dropped live bombs during WWII, some of which failed to go off. The US Army 766th Ordnance Company ([[Bomb disposal|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]]) disarms and safely explodes bombs when they are located.---> In 2004, hurricanes destroyed one in every hundred homes in the South County area. Within two blocks of the beach nearly every building sustained some damage. [[Barefoot Bay, Florida|Barefoot Bay]], a [[mobile home|mobile housing]] development, was essentially destroyed.<ref>[http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20040927-0035-jeanne-barefootbay.html Hurricane Jeanne left few homes unscathed in huge Florida mobile home park]</ref> Winds tore off the roof of a shelter for special needs people in an elementary school.<ref>[http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/news/epaper/2004/09/27/a21a_melbourne_0927.html Southern reaches bore brunt of winds]</ref> Emergency workers were forced to evacuate these people at the peak of the storm. Evacuation routes were insufficient to handle the resulting heavy traffic westbound when an emergency was declared. A major westbound route ([[U.S. Route 192|US 192]]) was expanded in 2008 to four lanes to accommodate the south Brevard population.<ref>[http://www.brevardmpo.com/projects/des_cst.htm Design & Construction Projects - This page Under Construction. Information may change.]</ref> ====Public recreation==== [[File:na col.jpg|thumb|Boardwalk over wetlands area at Chain of Lakes in Titusville]] More than 200 parks, three [[campground]]s, and six public [[golf course]]s in the county are managed by local government agencies.<ref>[http://www.brevardparks.com/index.php County Parks & Recreation]</ref><ref>[http://brevardparks.com/parks_other/index.php Directory of City Parks]</ref> In 11 sanctuaries that protect natural ecosystems, the county's Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program offers passive recreation opportunities such as [[hiking]], wildlife viewing, [[biking]] and [[paddling]]. The [[Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge]]<ref>[http://www.fws.gov/merrittisland/ Merritt Island Nat'l Wildlife Refuge]</ref> and the [[Canaveral National Seashore]]<ref>[http://www.nps.gov/cana Canaveral Nat'l Seashore]</ref> are two national wildlife refuges in the county that offer recreational pursuits such as hiking, wildlife viewing, paddling, and [[environmental education]]. ====Social services==== {{Main|Brevard County Social Services}} Brevard County tries to provide a number of services to help the aged, juveniles, the physically and mentally handicapped, and minorities. ==Elections== ===Registration=== In 2010, there were 154,057 registered [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]], 130,214 registered [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], and 73,549 other.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Dave | last=Burman | title=Turnsout may hit 60 or 70 percent | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101028/NEWS05/10280311/Turnout-heavy-for-early-voting| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=28 October 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---there is supe of elections site that updates this every 10 days or so---> [[Voter turnout]] in 2010 was 55.8%, the second lowest in 28 years.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Andrew | last=Knapp | title=Voter turnout not as high as expected | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101103/NEWS05/101103001/Voter-turnout-not-as-high-as-expected| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 11A | date=3 November 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> ==Economy== The county Domestic Product was $14.5 billion in 2009.<ref>{{Cite news | first= | last= | title=Editorial:A growth industry | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2010101222017| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 8A | date=23 December 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2010 and 2011, the [[Brookings Institution]] reported that Brevard ranked in the bottom fifth of the nation's top metro areas, based on [[unemployment]], gross metropolitan product, housing prices and [[foreclosure|foreclosed]] properties.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Patrick | last=Peterson | title=Slow Fla. recovery forecast | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100317/BUSINESS/3170326/Slow-Fla.-recovery-forecast| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 6C | date=17 March 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Foreclosures reached a monthly high of 963 in March 2009.<ref>{{Cite news | first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Sketchy paperwork echoes in Brevard | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101017/NEWS01/10170327/1006/news01/Sketchy+foreclosure+paperwork+echoes+effects+in+Brevard| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=17 October 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In December 2010, ''[[Forbes]]'' magazine rated the area the worst place in America to find a job.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Matt | last=Reed | title=Why you're not as 'underwater' as you think | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20111002/COLUMNISTS0207/310020011/Matt-Reed-Why-you-re-not-underwater-you-think| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 16A | date=October 2, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Government purchasing contributed 12%-15% of the county's gross domestic product from 2000 to 2010.<ref name="floridatoday.com">[http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100926/COLUMNISTS0207/9260332/1086/MATT+REED++5+ways+Brevard+economy+defies+Dems++GOP]</ref> Though the area has a relatively small number of [[high tech]]nology companies, 736, a business journal ranked it eighth in the country as a high tech center in 2009. The area had 23,096 high-tech jobs with a ratio of 124 per 1,000 total jobs.<ref>{{cite news | first=Patrick | last=Peterson | title=Florida Tech, KSC are technology assets | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 11A | date=15 May 2009 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In December 2010, ''Forbes'' magazine ranked the area as the worst in the country for finding a job, for the second time in 2010.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Britt | last=Kennerly | title=Palm Bay census a letdown | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110102/NEWS01/101020324/Palm-Bay-census-a-letdown| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1B | date=2 January 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> ===Personal income=== As of the census of 2000: * Median income for a family - $47,571 * Median income for males - $36,542 * Median income for females - $24,632 * [[Per capita income]] - $21,484. The [[Florida locations by per capita income|county has the 17th highest per capita income in the state]] (out of 67). * Median income for a household - $40,099 * In 2005, the median income for a household had risen to $43,281<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=Brevard+county&_cityTown=Brevard+county&_state=04000US12&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010 Brevard County, Florida]</ref> The county ranked 17th for per capita income, out of Florida's 67 counties. The following were below the [[poverty line]] in 2000: * Families - 6.80% * Total population - 9.50% * Under age 18 - 13.00% * Age 65 or older - 6.50% In 2012, 79,621 people in the county were receiving [[Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program|food stamps]].<ref>{{Cite news| first=Andrew | last=Ford | title=Food stamp usage rises by 10,000 in Brevard | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120502/NEWS01/305020044/Food-stamp-usage-rises-by-10-000-Brevard| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1B | date=May 2, 2012 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2010, there were 5,600 civilian government workers in the county. They earned an average of $74,000 each in 2009.<ref name="Pay freeze affect 5,600 in Brevard">{{Cite news | first= | last= | title=Pay freeze affect 5,600 in Brevard | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=30 November 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> 84,401 households in the county (38%) received [[social security]] payments in 2009 averaging $16,136 for a total of $1.7 billion annually. 53,717 (24%) received pension payments averaging $24,327 for a total of $1.3 billion annually.<ref>{{Cite news | first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Retirees bring in the bucks | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=201012190315| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=19 December 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---date differs between soft copy (12/20) and hard copy. But they are identical articles---> ===Housing=== <!---going to need some consolidation sooner or later---> In 2011, the county was rated 6th worst in the country for foreclosures. There were 1,039 for the third quarter of 2010. Nearly half the homes in the county were worth less than their mortgages. The average home has dropped 53.4% since the peak of the boom.<ref>[http://realestate.aol.com/blog/gallery/10-cities-getting-slammed-by-foreclosures]</ref> Monthly foreclosures exceeded 746 from January 2009 through October. Maximum monthly home sales were less than 584 during that time frame, creating an accumulating backlog of unsold homes.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Keilani | last=Best | title=Despite challenges, year provided hope and entertainment | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | page= 1E | date=20 December 2009 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2010, there were 15,000 more vacant homes than the economy could absorb; the population was not growing.<ref name="floridatoday.com"/> Nearly 44,943 new houses were built from 2000 through 2009. This was enough to house 112,000 people. However, only 60,000 people moved into the county, leaving the remaining homes vacant and helping to precipitate bursting of the [[United States housing bubble]].<ref>{{Cite news| first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Landlords feel heat in market | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100214/NEWS01/2140317/Landlords-feel-heat-in-market| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | page= 1A | date=14 February 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2000, there were 198,195 households in the county and 222,072 units for an occupancy rate of 89.1%. Between 2000 and 2009, more than twice as many houses were built than were needed. Nearly 47,000 houses were built, but the number of households increased by 22,000, dropping the occupancy rate to 81.9%.<ref name="fl101205">{{Cite news | first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Tenants on rise | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101205/NEWS01/12050326/Brevard-tenants-on-rise| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=5 December 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The housing vacancy rate hit a high of 18.8% in 2007. The number of households renting hit a low of 48,528 in 2005. Median monthly rent hit a high of $907 in 2008. In 2009, 73% of Brevard households owned the house they lived in. The national rate was 65.9%.<ref name="fl101205">{{Cite news | first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Tenants on rise | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101205/NEWS01/12050326/Brevard-tenants-on-rise| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=5 December 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The county's median home price reached a high in August 2005 at $248,700.<ref>''Florida Today'', March 22, 2007, page 7A</ref> New home permits fell in 2007 to 1,894, the lowest since 1982.<ref>{{Cite news|publisher=Florida Today|date=January 20, 2008|title=New home permits in Brevard hit lowest level in 25 years|author=Staff authored}}</ref> Sales of existing homes fell 19% in 2007 from the prior year to 373 monthly. The median drop in home prices was 50% from 2005 to 2008, from $248,700 to $125,200. However, when choices for smaller homes was eliminated, prices on individual homes fell 25%; down 33% for individual condos.<ref>{{Cite news| url=http://www.floridatoday.com/content/databases/allsales.shtml| title=Changing home values| work=Florida Today}}</ref> In 2000, the median sale price of homes in Brevard was $100,000. With the collapse of the [[United States housing bubble|housing bubble]], homes now are often about the same price, with median homes in 2009 selling for $89,400.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20091108/BUSINESS/91108001&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL |title=$100K homes dominate the market |accessdate= |author=John McCarthy |date=2009-11-08 |work= Florida Today |publisher=Florida Today |pages= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref><!---need to think about moving some of this stuff out to "history." Getting a bit crowded in here---> In November 2010, the number of sales and prices of existing homes rose from the previous year. This was the first rise in 4½ years.<ref>{{Cite news | first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Brevard home prices rise | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101223/BUSINESS/12230306/1006/NEWS01/Brevard+home+prices+rise| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 8C | date=23 December 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The average house sold for $87,700 in February 2011.<ref>{{Cite news | first= | last= | title=Signs of spending in hazy job market | url=| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1E | date=March 27, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> <!---this needs integration/rewriting--> In a separate study, a consulting firm determined that house prices in the county were 46.1% overvalued in 2005 at $212,000 average. The same firm determined that prices were 19.3% undervalued in 2008 at $129,400.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Anne | last=Straub | title=Home prices undervalued | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | page= 1F | date=31 May 2009 | accessdate=}}</ref> The average price in December 2009, fell to a new recent low of $104,100. In January 2010, sales dropped to 434 monthly, also a recent low.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Adam | last=Lowenstein | title=Car sales drive local economy | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | page= 1E | date=14 March 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2008, a number of mortgage insurers [[blacklisted|blackmarked]] Brevard, along with a quarter of the total nations zip codes. This was intended to thwart potential buyers who wish to pay less than 20% down on a home.<ref>{{Cite news| author = Staff and wire reports |title = Insurers strike homebuyers | publisher = Florida Today | date = March 21, 2008}}</ref> After various insurance companies pulled out of Florida after hurricane losses, [[property insurance]] became a major concern for many homeowners. As of 2011, 32,000 Brevard policyholders insure with the state-owned [[Citizens Property Insurance Corporation]].<ref>{{Cite news | first=Matt | last=Reed | title=Citizens Property is in good shape | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011104240328| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1B | date=April 24, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2009 an economist said that the Brevard housing market would not recover until at least 2011.<ref>Orlando economist Hank Fishkind. See next footnote</ref><ref>[http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090109/BUSINESS/901090311/1006/NEWS01]{{Dead link|date=June 2010}} retrieved January 10, 2009</ref> A later analysis in 2009 seemed to agree, saying that the market would fall 41.4% to bottom out by the end of 2010.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.forbes.com/home/2009/01/07/housing-cities-realestate-forbeslife-cx_do_0107realestateweak.html|title=America's 25 Weakest Housing Markets|last=Orr|first=Deborah|date=01.07.2009|work=[[Forbes]]|accessdate=January 23, 2009}}</ref><!---article was a bit ambiguous saying once that it needed to fall 41.4% from the top and later, 41.4% from where it was at the start of 2009. This is too painful to insert without a little more clarification---><!---while the article says "Palm Bay" it clearly meant the metro area BTW so we don't get off that easy. Sorry---> The average non-foreclosed house sold for $143,000 in 2010, down from $147,000 in 2009. The average foreclosed house sold for $70,000 down from $81,000 in 2009. 25% of the houses sold in 2010 had been foreclosed. Total foreclosures rose from 2,200 in 2009 to 4,100 in 2010.<ref>{{Cite news | first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Median price isn't necessarily your price | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110403/BUSINESS/110402001/Median-price-isn-t-necessarily-your-price| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1E | date=April 3, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2008 Brevard expected to have 100,000-300,000 more people by 2020, an increase of 60%. In 2008, there were 1,550 permits for residential projects valued at $355.45 million. That is the lowest number of filings since 1975.<ref>[http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090203/BUSINESS/902030308/1006/NEWS01]{{Dead link|date=June 2010}} retrieved February 4, 2009</ref> The lowest number of building permits was in 2009, 937. The highest was in 2005, 8,663.<ref>{{Cite news | first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Home starts rise but not by much | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110114/BUSINESS/101140315/Home-starts-in-Brevard-rise-see-slight-rise| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 8C | date=14 January 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Annual foreclosures rose from a low of 1,144 in 2005 to 9,228 in 2008.<ref>{{Cite news| first= | last= | title=Foreclosure filings keep coming | url= | work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | page= 8C | date=30 March 2009 | id=| accessdate=}}</ref> From 2007 to March 2010, there were 25,600 foreclosure filings.<ref name="reform">{{Cite news| first= | last= | title=Editorial: Reforming Wall St. | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100402/OPINION/100401016/Our+views++Reforming+Wall+St.+%28April+2%29| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | page= 12A | date=2 April 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2010, it was found that 1/3 or more of real estate sales were due to foreclosures.<ref>{{Cite news | first= | last= | title=Editorial: The crisis continues | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2010101020020| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 10A | date=21 October 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2010 [[Kiplinger|Kiplinger.com]] rated the county one of five "best" places in America to [[retirement|retire]]. Factors evaluated included cost of living, weather, the number of doctors, taxes, crime rates and recreational opportunities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100824/NEWS01/8240318/Kiplingers-puts-Brevard-back-on-best-place-list |title=News |accessdate= |author=John McCarthy|authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2010-08-24 |year= |month= |work= Florida Today |publisher=Florida Today |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> ====Communities==== Three communities have either decided or are considering placing <!---When footnoting, need to state which communities---> electric lines most vulnerable to high winds, underground despite the high cost. Cape Canaveral and Satellite Beach have declared a moratorium on converting commercially zoned areas to residential. The company developing West Viera gained state permission and county acquiescence to create a self-governing board that could raise taxes and sell bonds to pay for roads, water lines, pumping stations and other infrastructure needed to support the construction of 16,500 houses, apartments and condominiums. The company proved that development could fund itself. ===Industry=== <!---Some of the following will need to be moved below---> The Brevard economy has been driven by Trade, Transportation and Utilities <!---Great header, I think ---> (18%), Professional and Business Services (17%), Total government (15%), Education and Health (14%), Manufacturing (12%), Leisure and hospitality (10%), Construction (6%), Financial (4%). The number of people working in construction dropped from 2,630 in 2005 to 1,420 in 2010.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Patrick | last=Peterson | title=Housing collapse cracks concrete | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20111204/BUSINESS/312040009/Housing-collapse-cracks-concrete| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1D | date=December 4, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2005, [[Inc. (magazine)|''Inc.'' magazine]] voted the [[Space Coast]] as the best place to do business in Florida and sixth in the country. In 2004, Brevard County ranked 13th out of 318 largest counties in the US for increase in the number of jobs. The county moved from 70 to 31 out of the top 200 metropolitan areas "Best Performing". This improvement was driven mainly by job growth. Port Canaveral is the world's busiest [[cruise ship|cruise port]]. It is served by seven cruise lines. They have six major cruise terminals. There is {{convert|750000|ft2}} of covered freight storage capacity. It handled {{convert|4000000|ST}} of cargo in 2004. The port has boosted Brevard's economy by $500 million annually. [[American City Business Journals]] rated Brevard 7th for quality of life out of 67. Two hospitals were among the top five private employers in the county, together employing 8,850 in 2009.<ref name="countbud"/> In 2008, 14,865 workers were employed at the NASA/Kennedy Space Center. The Center directly spent $1.82 billion in the county.<ref name="countbud"/> A concern has been the probable re-assignment of thousands of Space Coast workers when the [[Space Shuttle]] is discontinued in 2010. In 2010, 9,000 jobs were expected to be lost from the shuttle and other programs.<ref>{{Cite news| author= Neale, Rick | title= From bad to worse |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100226/NEWS0204/2260321/1227/news0204/23+000+now+expected+to+lose+jobs+after+shuttle+retirement| publisher= [[Florida Today]] | date= February 26, 2010}}</ref> Each launch contributed $4 million to the county's economy. Annually,$78 million is spent at the Space Center Visitor's Complex, and $5.9 million from space business visitors.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Keilani | last=Best | title=more than space | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1E | date=7 February 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> [[Harris Corporation]], headquartered in the county, has the most employees in the private sector, 6,700 in 2009.<ref name="countbud"/> Two locally headquartered builders, [[Mercedes Homes]] and Holiday, were among the top 30 in the nation. Mercedes had $1 billion in sales in 2004. The Cocoa Redevelopment Center has worked on programs to improve housing in the city's older areas. ''Inc.'' magazine selected two local small companies as among the fastest growing in the country over the past three years - Applied Global Technology (nearly 100% annually) and Stops (nearly 200% annually). Though the area has a relatively small number of high technology companies, 736, a business journal ranked it eighth in the country as a high tech center in 2009. The area had 23,096 high-tech jobs with a ratio of 124 per 1,000 total jobs.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Patrick | last=Peterson | title=Florida Tech, KSC are technology assets | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 11A | date=15 May 2009 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The county had 1,050 restaurants in 2007 and nearly that many (1,040) in 2010. There were 22,600 leisure and hospitality workers in the county in 2006. This figure includes hotel workers. That figure had dropped 8.5% to 20,700 in 2010.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Keilani | last=Best | title=Eateries feel heat | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1E | date=17 October 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!--probably should move workers to "labor" if there is such a subsection--> ====Military==== Military installations in Brevard County include [[Patrick Air Force Base]], near [[Satellite Beach, Florida|Satellite Beach]], [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station]] (CCAFS), adjacent to the Kennedy Space Center, and the U.S. Air Force Malabar Test Facility on Minton Road in<!---Isn't this a tracking station for NASA run by the USAF?---> suburban [[Palm Bay, Florida|Palm Bay]]. In 2009, they employed a total of 2,000 civilian federal workers.<ref name="Pay freeze affect 5,600 in Brevard"/> The [[United States Navy|Navy]] maintains a [[Trident (missile)|Trident]] turning basin at Port Canaveral for [[ballistic missile submarine]]s. The [[Naval Ordnance Test Unit]] (NOTU) tests weapons on these subs, which arrive at the rate of one a month. The [[Base Realignment and Closure, 2005|2005 base closures]] included realigning NOTU out of state. The community was successful in having this decision revoked. CCAFS houses the [[Air Force Space & Missile Museum]] as [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 26|Launch Complex 26]], <!---Well more than just that. Needs at least one more sentence here---> where many unmanned rockets were launched early in the U.S. space program, including ''[[Explorer 1]]'', the first US spacecraft placed in earth orbit. The Cape Canaveral [[Navy League of the United States|Navy League]] council supports the Sea Services <!---Probably should be deleted---> by adopting ships and units of the Navy and [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]]. It also provides a means for civilians to socialize with the officers and crew of allied Navies when they visit port. [[Northrop Grumman]] develops the military [[E-8 Joint STARS|JSTARS]] electronics surveillance system used in all major US conflicts since 1990. The {{USS|Brevard|AK-164}} was a World War II Alamosa-class naval cargo ship that was decommissioned shortly after the war.<!---I placed this here, but maybe it would be better in the history section?---> ====Agriculture==== 23% of Brevard County is agricultural-usable for citrus, raising cattle or horses. Cattle ranches include the [[Deseret Ranches|Deseret]] and [[Duda Ranch]]es; citrus growers include Victory Groves and Harvey's Indian River Groves. The county ranked 21 out of 24 Florida counties in the shipment of gift fruit. In 2009, [[aquaculture]] was a $900,000 business in the county.<ref name="disaster">{{Cite news| first=Jenet | last=Krol | title=USDA declares Brevard County primary disaster area | url=http://www.myhometownnews.net/index.php?id=66890| work= | publisher=Hometown News:The Beaches | location=Fort Pierce, Florida | pages= A4 | date=19 February 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The county produces more than 25% of all [[Callinectes sapidus|blue crab]]s along Florida's East Coast.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Rick | last=Neal | title=County pays to preserve waterfront | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100224/NEWS01/2240330/1006/County+pays+to+preserve+Merritt+Island+waterfront| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1B | date=24 February 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> There are 40 [[4-H]]-related clubs in the county, including livestock- and pet-related and after-school clubs.<ref>[http://www.nbbd.com/npr/4H/index.html nbbd.com]</ref> As in all [[Cooperative extension service]], a [[land grant college]], the [[University of Florida]], conducted over 60 courses in 2010 in aid of 4-H programs and other agricultural pursuits.<ref>{{Cite news| first= | last= | title=Brevard County Extension Classes 2010 | url=http://brevard.ifas.ufl.edu| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= | year= 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In February 2010, the [[USDA]] declared that Brevard, along with of 59 other Florida counties, was a "primary natural disaster area". This happened when the temperature falls below {{convert|28|F|C}}c degrees for 4 hours, where crops are being grown.<ref name="disaster"/> ====Tourism==== In 2008, tourists spent $2.89 billion in the county. This is distributed in several categories: lodging $839 million, eating and drinking $509 million, Kennedy Space Center $597 million, retail sales $450 million, entertainment $120 million, and Port Canaveral $109 million.<ref>{{Cite news| first= | last= | title=Tourist dollar dreams | url= | work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1E | date=19 April 2009 | id=| accessdate=}}</ref> Brevard tourists come mainly from ten states: Florida itself is first, followed by [[Ohio]], [[Illinois]], [[Michigan]], [[New York]], [[Virginia]], [[Wisconsin]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[Minnesota]], and [[Pennsylvania]]. The five primary sources of foreign visitors are [[Canada]], [[England]], [[Germany]], [[China]], and [[Italy]].<ref>{{Cite news| first= | last= | title=More tourists may not mean more buying | url= | work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 3E | date=19 April 2009 | id=| accessdate=}}</ref> 1.6 million people visited the Space Center Visitor Complex in 2008.<ref name="countbud"/> Tourism, measured by the tourist tax, reached a peak in March 2007.<ref>{{Cite news | first= | last= | title=Vacation trends | url=| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1E | date=13 March 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2009, there were 2.4 million overnight visitors in the county. There were 1.2 million day visitors.<ref>{{Cite news| first=R. Norman | last=Moody | title=Redevelopment plan brews in Cocoa Beach | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110114/NEWS01/101140325/Redevelopment-plan-brews-in-Cocoa-Beach | work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=14 January 2011 | id=| accessdate=}}</ref> Brevard competes with other Florida areas for tourists. A number of organizations help promote the area. The Space Coast Office of Tourism consists of county staff and the Brevard County Tourist Development Council (TDC). They attempt to attract tourists. The TDC serves as an advisory council to the county on the expenditures of revenues received from a tourist tax. This revenue is spent on beach improvements, visitor information centers and website,<ref>[http://www.space-coast.com//] Florida's Space Coast</ref> promotion and advertising, the [[Brevard Zoo]], additional beach improvements and the Space Coast Stadium. In 1964, the Colt 45s started spring training at Cocoa Stadium. The team later became the [[Houston Astros]]. The team left the county in 1985. They were succeeded by the [[Florida Marlins]] at Viera in 1993. $97.7 million has been spent on beach replenishment in the county between 2000 and 2010. This was funded 58% by the federal government, 27% by the state and 15% by the county.<ref name="ft100307">{{Cite news| first=Jim | last=Waymer | title=The plan for sand | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/print/article/20100307/news01/3070320/Long-denied-renourishment-because-of-worm-beach-finally-may-get-bulked-up| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=7 March 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2008 monthly tourist tax revenue slumped from a high of $1,174,742 in March to a seasonal low in September of $432,145.<ref>{{Cite news| first= | last= | title=Tourism tax wanes | url= | work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 8C | date=30 March 2009 | id=| accessdate=}}</ref> In 2004, Brevard experienced its best October and November tourism until then, despite widespread hurricane damage and loss of five beachside hotels. Four of these hotels were restored by 2006. In 2008, the county had 11,000 hotel rooms available. In July 2007, there was a 66.1% occupancy rate.<ref>{{Cite book| author = Bakancia, Donna |title = Brevard hotels strive to attract guests as summer nears and new facilities open | publisher = Florida Today | date = April 27, 2008}}</ref> In 2008, the county had a nearly identical 81%+ occupancy rate in March and April. This fell to a seasonal low of 42.3% in September.<ref>{{Cite news| first= | last= | title=Room occupancy could pick up | url= | work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 8C | date=30 March 2009 | id=| accessdate=}}</ref> In January 2010, the average hotel room rate was $88.25.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Adam | last=Lowenstein | title=Car sales drive local economy | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1E | date=14 March 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Cocoa Main Street, a member of the Florida and [[Main Street Programs in the United States|National Main Street Programs]], works toward restoring business sites in the historic area known as "Cocoa Village". Cocoa Main Street has received six Florida Main Street Awards given by the Secretary of State. The restored area is a tourist attraction and an economic magnet.<ref>[http://www.cocoamainstreet.com/] Cocoa Main Street</ref> Melbourne Main Street is another historic business area and tourist attraction restored through the Main Street Programs.<ref>[http://www.downtownmelbourne.com/] Melbourne Main Street</ref> Brevard has five judged art festivals annually attracting tens of thousands of people to art displays. Most festivals are held in the spring or fall when many tourists can attend. Many other annual festivals are held in parks and public sites throughout the year. The Brevard Cultural Alliance (BCA) maintains an event calendar<ref>[http://www.artsbrevard.org/events/] BCA Cultural Events Calendar</ref> and a map of sites of historic, cultural, and ecological interest.<ref>[http://www.artsbrevard.org/resources/map.html] BCA Arts Map</ref> An annual February Greek Festival had over 8,000 visitors in 2011.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Britt | last=Kennerly | title=Greek Festival brings good spirit | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110227/NEWS01/102270321/Greek-festival-Melbourne-brings-good-spirits| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 7B | date=27 February 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---38th annual---> The annual Grant Seafood Festival attracts as many as 50,000 people for the two-day February event. It is the [[Southeastern United States|Southeast's]] largest and longest running seafood festival.<ref>[http://www.grantseafoodfestival.com] Grant Seafood Festival</ref> An ice skating rink in Rockledge serves the county's residents and visitors with hockey and figure skating events.<ref>{{Cite book| author = Dowling, Lyn |title = IcePlex gets new owners | publisher = Florida Today | date = January 14, 2008}}</ref> The largest home in Brevard is the 50-room {{convert|19000|ft2}} mansion in [[Suntree, Florida|Suntree]] built in 1991 and once owned by [[Cecil Fielder]].<ref>{{Cite news| first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Mansion hits the block | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100519/NEWS01/5190342/Suntree-mansion-hits-the-block| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=19 May 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2009, recreational boat owners generated almost $51 million annually towards the county economy, ranking the industry fifth in the state.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Patrick | last=Peterson | title=Boating's economic impact steady | url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/floridatoday/access/1956691801.html?FMT=ABS&date=Feb+07%2C+2010| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1E | date=7 February 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> ====Competitiveness==== In 2010 a local group compared the county against four other "peer" cities: [[Austin, Texas]], [[Colorado Springs, Colorado]], [[Huntsville, Alabama]], and [[Raleigh, North Carolina]]. It evaluated nine areas: business dynamism/vitality, competitiveness, education, economic growth, economic prosperity, livability, productivity/labor supply, technology and innovation/work force. While the county does well against national figures, and scored high in livability, it usually ranked last against these "peers" in the other eight areas.<ref name="ranking">{{Cite news| first=Wayne T, | last=Price | title=Ranking Brevard | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100321/BUSINESS/3210313/Ranking-Brevard| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1E | date=21 March 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2009, the county had 13 patents per 1,000 workers, more than double the national average of 6.4 patents per 1,000.<ref name="ranking"/> In 2009, ''Forbes'' ranked the county 18th out of 100 [[United States metropolitan area|MSAs]] and first out of 8 metros in Florida for affordable housing and short commute times, among others.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Wayne T. | last=Price | title=Forbes:Brevard's got bang for buck | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20091208/BUSINESS/912080318/Forbes-magazine-says-Brevard-one-of-America-s-best-places| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=8 November 2009 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---the measurement was called "Big Bang for the buck, which hardly sounded encylopedic. So I Left it out--> In August 2009, ''Florida Trend'' rated two Brevard companies, Harris Corporation<ref>[http://www.floridatrend.com/article.asp?aID=51437] "Best Large Companies - 2009". Florida Trend.</ref> and Health First Health Plans,<ref>[http://www.floridatrend.com/article.asp?aID=51438] "Best Midsized Companies - 2009". Florida Trend.</ref> in their rankings of the best places to work in Florida. In May 2009, the Palm Bay-Melbourne area was ranked as the #8 tech center in the United States by [[Bizjournals]]. It overcame its low number of total high-tech companies and jobs by having a high number of jobs per high tech company (#4) and high tech jobs compared to total private-sector jobs (#2).<ref>[http://www.bizjournals.com/edit_special/79.html] G. Scott Thomas (May 11, 2009). "San Jose leads as America's top tech center". bizjournals.</ref> <!---It's possible that some of this should be under Labor---> The Milken Institute ranked Brevard number one, out of 200 largest metropolitan areas, in overall job growth for 2005. ''Forbes'' magazine ranked Melbourne 2nd out of 150 metropolitan areas in the US, for the percentage of the population that are engineers, <!---Need year as well as footnote---> 6.6%, just ahead of [[Silicon Valley]]. It reached a maximum employment of 254,514 in 2006.<ref>{{Cite news | first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Health will lead in jobs outlook | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110109/BUSINESS/101090317/Finding-jobs-Health-will-lead-in-openings| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A,9A | date=9 January 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2006, ''[[Forbes magazine|Forbes]]'' magazine named Harris Corporation, headquartered in <!---check on redundancy---> Brevard, to its "Platinum 400" List. The Technological Research and Development Authority, based on the Space Coast, delivers technologies to schools and small businesses throughout the state of Florida. They obtain this information through strategic alliances with NASA, the federal government, the aerospace industry and state partners. They also sponsor a business incubator at the [[Melbourne International Airport|Melbourne Airport]]. The [[National Association of Realtors]] reported that existing homes prices in Brevard rose 33% annually the third quarter of 2005, <!---Boy, this is outdated. Badly needs to be replaced.---> the sixth highest metropolitan area in the nation (out of 147). There was a slight decrease in existing home prices the last quarter of 2005. In January 2005, [[CNN]]/''[[Money (magazine)|Money]]'' ranked the homes in "Palm Bay", perhaps referring to all of the Space Coast, as "49% overvalued" and within 10% of the most overvalued homes in the United States. In 2005, the [[Sunrise Bank]] of Cocoa Beach became the first bank in the state to have a mobile branch. The largest hotel in Brevard has 284 rooms and {{convert|30000|ft2}} of meeting space.<!---Radisson of the Port. Too small to compete with Orlando--><ref>{{Cite news| first=Wayne T. | last=Price | title=As Orlando slumps, so does Brevard | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 3E | date=28 February 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---Florida Today declined to post local figures to the online article ---> ===Labor=== <!---desperately needs updating to reflect high unemployment in 2009---> [[Kennedy Space Center]] (KSC) is the largest employer in the county with 15,000 contractors and civil servants.<ref>{{Cite book| author = Halvorson, Todd |title = KSC chief says more tech work needed | publisher = Florida Today | date = May 12, 2007}}</ref> While there is concern about the new generation of space vehicles requiring 1/3 fewer workers, about that number were eligible for retirement by 2011. In 2009, there were 6,400 federal workers, total, employed in the county. They earned an average of $74,600.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Jim | last=Waymer | title=Shutdown spares essential services | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110407/NEWS01/104070326/Government-shutdown-would-spare-essential-services| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=April 7, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Unions represented at KSC include the [[American Federation of Government Employees]], the [[International Association of Machinists]] and the [[International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers]]. Brevard County Teachers are represented by the Brevard Federation of Teachers ([[American Federation of Teachers|AFT]]). In 2009, average annual salaries in the county for engineers was $90,563; [[registered nurses]] $53,315; education $49,441; police officers $43,035; cooks $21,569; and cashiers $19,489. The average annual pay for all workers was then $42,411.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Patrick | last=Peterson | title=High-paying jobs scant outside KSC | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101128/NEWS01/11280317/High-paying-jobs-scant-outside-KSC| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 6A | date=28 November 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In 2011, there were more engineers (48) per thousand workers than any other region in the United States.<ref>{{Cite journal |first=Myatt |last=Murphy |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2011 |month=August |title=Ready to Launch |journal=Sky (Delta) |volume= |issue= |page=82 |id= |url= |accessdate= |quote= }}</ref><!---this is a tertiary ref that will be used in other places. It would be nice to have a secondary ref---> In 2005, the Next Generation Consulting for Leadership Brevard, a leadership development organization for local business and civic groups, and Brevard Tomorrow commissioned a survey of people 21-44. Basically, these people often found the area "boring", mainly because it is family-friendly at the expense of being singles-friendly. While this may have labor repercussions later, currently business is having no problems hiring. The county had an unemployment rate of 12.7% in January 2010, a 20-year record high.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Wayne T. | last=Price | title=Jobless at 20-year high | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100311/BUSINESS/3110309/Jobless-at-20-year-high| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 6C | date=11 March 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> In March 2010, there were 33, 500 people out of work.<ref name="reform">{{Cite news| first= | last= | title=Editorial: Reforming Wall St. | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100402/OPINION/100401016/Our+views++Reforming+Wall+St.+%28April+2%29| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 12A | date=2 April 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> The county experienced a record low unemployment in 2005 of 2.8%.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Annette | last=Clifford | title=A little help goes a long way for kids during holidays | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20101205/COLUMNISTS0103/12050311/Annette-Clifford-A-little-help-goes-a-long-way-for-kids-during-holidays| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1D | date=5 December 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> There were 32,608 people unemployed in the county in January 2011.<ref>{{Cite news | first= | last= | title=Applications aplenty | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110320/BUSINESS/110318041/Applications-aplenty-Companies-inundated-job-seekers| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1E | date=20 March 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---soft copy does NOT contain unemployment figure and is inserted here for credibility as the accompanying story---> In early 2005, Forbes ranked the area 27th in job growth out of 150 metropolitan areas in the country. The county ranked 18th in the nation for mid-sized areas in 2006.<ref>{{Cite book| author = Price, Wayne T. |title = Brevard's ranking slips, but it's still a boomtown | publisher = Florida Today | date = May 1, 2007}}</ref> Manpower Employment Outlook Survey said the hiring outlook in Brevard for the last quarter of 2005 was the 19th-best in the nation among the 470 communities participating in the survey. 2004 hurricane recovery helped the area achieve high employment.<!---now part of "history"?---> There were 168,500 private sector jobs in the county in 2009. The [[Bureau of Labor Statistics]] counted the following workers in Brevard along with average annual pay ($): Retail 25,900 ($23,361), Manufacturing 21,700 ($65,521), Local government 20,100 ($42,517) and Hospitality 19,600 ($15,857). The largest local employer is [[Brevard Public Schools]] with 9,500 of whom 5,000 are teachers.<ref>{{Cite news| first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Laboring over jobs | url=http://m.floridatoday.com/BETTER/news.jsp?key=289844| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1E | date=17 January 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!--box scores containing private sector breakdown not available for confirmation online. Print version only---> ===Banking=== In 2007, the Space Coast Credit Union was the largest locally based financial institution in Brevard County and the third largest credit union in the state of Florida, with assets of over $3 billion.<ref>[http://www.ncua.gov/DataServices/CreditUnionList.aspx?Application=CUEXpanded&State=FL NCUA Data Summary]</ref><ref>{{Cite book| author = Sonnenberg, Maria|title = Union Label | publisher = Florida Today | date = April 8, 2007}}</ref> In 2011, [[Wells Fargo]], with $1.9 billion in local deposits, had 26% share of the business; [[SunTrust]] $1.3 billion, 17%; [[Bank of America]] $1.2 billion, 16%; [[Regions Bank]] $408 million, 5%; and [[JPMorgan Chase]] $379 million, 5%.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Patrick | last=Peterson | title=Bank fee falls to social network pressure, outrage | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20111113/BUSINESS/311130013/Bank-fee-falls-social-network-pressure-outrage| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 7D | date=November 13, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---note that figures don't seem to leave room for a very large Space Coast Credit Union. Either is not included deliberately because it is a credit union, or something is wrong--> ===Retail=== In 2011, the majority of groceries were sold in [[chain stores]]. [[Publix]] has 23 stores; [[Winn-Dixie]] has 10; [[Wal-Mart]] has 12 stores; the county has three [[warehouse club]]s <!---2 Sams Clubs, one on US192 in Melbourne and one off SR520 in Cocoa and BJs off Palm Bay Road-->. 38% of groceries were purchased at Publix, 30% at Wal-Mart superstores, and 7% at Winn-Dixie.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Wayne T. | last=Price | title=Publix tops customer satisfaction | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120221/BUSINESS/302210014/Publix-tops-customer-satisfaction-list| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 4B | date=February 21, 2012 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> ==Health== The Brevard Alzheimer's Foundation is unique for being a local organization only. It has three [[adult daycare]] service locations and often provides transportation and funding.<ref>www.brevardalzheimers.org</ref> The Space Coast Early Intervention Center is a nationally recognized not-for-profit pre-school and therapeutic center that offers care and aids with the development of small children with special needs.<ref>[http://www.sceic.com/_site2005/home_template.php SCEIC]</ref> Children are treated and educated with the specific goal of mainstreaming children diagnosed with the following into public school: [[Down syndrome]], [[Williams syndrome]], [[cerebral palsy]], [[DiGeorge syndrome|deletion syndrome]], [[Pervasive developmental disorder|PDD]]s including [[Rett syndrome]], [[autism]], and [[Apert syndrome]], as well as children with visual, speech and hearing delays. Health Outreach Prevention & Education (HOPE) is a network of community partners working together to provide care for people without insurance, and for children with special needs. This network includes hospitals. Brevard introduced (2005-6) a federally approved experimental Medicaid program which puts volunteering 60+-year-olds in an [[HMO]]-like organization in order to save money. The non-profit Circles of Care provides mental health programs to Brevard.<ref>[http://www.circlesofcare.org/current/locate.html Circles of Care: Physical Locations]</ref> Dialing [[2-1-1]] in the county gives response to people in crisis and/or needing information about community resources.<ref>[http://www.211brevard.org/home/pages/helpline.cfm 2-1-1 Helpline]</ref> Space Coast Center for Independent Living offers over-all services for individuals with all types of disabilities: peer support, advocacy, skills training, accessibility surveys, support groups, transportation, specialized equipment and sign language interpreter coordination services.<ref>[http://ese.brevard.k12.fl.us/ICB/SCCIndLiving.html Space Coast Center for Independent Living (SCCIL)]</ref> Additional program for high school students for career development. There are ten hospitals in the county, with 1,734 beds total.<ref>{{Cite news | first=John | last=McCarthy | title=Hospital draws many job seekers | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110204/BUSINESS/102040314/Hospital-draws-many-job-seekers| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 6C | date=4 February 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Health First is the largest healthcare provider in the county, consisting of three not-for-profit hospitals—Cape Canaveral Hospital in [[Cocoa Beach, Florida|Cocoa Beach]], Holmes Regional Medical Center in [[Melbourne, Florida|Melbourne]], and Palm Bay Community Hospital in [[Palm Bay, Florida|Palm Bay]]. Besides hospitalization, services include outpatient centers; the county's only trauma center; home care; specialized programs for cancer, diabetes, heart, stroke, and rehabilitative services; central Brevard's largest medical group; three fitness centers; and Medicare Advantage, commercial POS, and commercial HMO health plans. Health First tries to integrate quality healthcare services with state-of-the-art technology.<ref>[http://www.health-first.org/ Health First]</ref> Harmony Farms runs "[[Horses and the Handicapped]]", a [[Therapeutic horseback riding|therapeutic riding program]] located on the [[Duda Ranch]] in Viera.<ref>[http://www.harmonyfarmsinc.com/ HARMONY FARMS, INC.]</ref> [[Parrish Medical Center]], a 210-bed hospital, has been named America's No. 1 Healing Hospital for the third straight year by the [[Baptist Healing Trust]].<ref>[http://www.parrishmed.com/ Parrish Medical Center]</ref> Health care services tend to cost more in Brevard than [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]] or the statistical average in Florida. A nursing home private room averaged $79,023 annually, semi-private $74,643, private one-bedroom assisted living $39,000. A home health aide, Medicare-certified, was $88,660, substantially higher than the Florida average of $51,480. Adult day care (44 hours) was cheaper at $12,870 annually, as was a home health aide "licensed-only" $38,896.<ref>{{Cite news| first=Staff and Wire Reports | last= | title=Health care services | url=| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 10C | date=1 May 2009 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> According to 2007 health risk data from the [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]], Brevard County ([[Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area|Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville MSA]]) is tied for fourth highest among all [[Micropolitan Statistical Area|Micro]]- and [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]]s in percentage of heavy drinkers.<ref>[http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/BRFSS-SMART/MMSARiskChart.asp?MMSA=215&yr=2007&qkey=4413&cat=AC&grp=0 SMART: BRFSS City and County Health Risk Data] Heavy drinkers are adult men having more than two drinks per day and adult women having more than one drink per day</ref> ==Cities and towns== ===Incorporated=== {{col-begin}} {{col-break}} *City of [[Cape Canaveral, Florida|Cape Canaveral]] *City of [[Cocoa, Florida|Cocoa]] *City of [[Cocoa Beach, Florida|Cocoa Beach]] *Town of [[Grant-Valkaria, Florida|Grant-Valkaria]] *Town of [[Indialantic, Florida|Indialantic]] *City of [[Indian Harbour Beach, Florida|Indian Harbour Beach]] *Town of [[Malabar, Florida|Malabar]] *City of [[Melbourne, Florida|Melbourne]] {{col-break}} *Town of [[Melbourne Beach, Florida|Melbourne Beach]] *Town of [[Melbourne Village, Florida|Melbourne Village]] *City of [[Palm Bay, Florida|Palm Bay]] (formerly Tillman) *Town of [[Palm Shores, Florida|Palm Shores]] *City of [[Rockledge, Florida|Rockledge]] *City of [[Satellite Beach, Florida|Satellite Beach]] *City of [[Titusville, Florida|Titusville]] *City of [[West Melbourne, Florida|West Melbourne]] {{col-end}} ===Unincorporated=== {{col-begin}} {{col-break|width=20%}} <!---- comment out places that most likely will never have articles *[[Allenhurst, Florida|Allenhurst]] ---> *[[Angel City, Florida|Angel City]] *[[Aurantia, Florida|Aurantia]] <!---- *[[Aurora, Florida|Aurora]] *[[Ballard Pines, Florida|Ballard Pines]] ---> *[[Barefoot Bay, Florida|Barefoot Bay]] *[[Bellwood, Florida|Bellwood]] <!---- *[[Bonaventure, Florida|Bonaventure]] ---> *[[Canaveral Groves, Florida|Canaveral Groves]] <!---- *[[City Point, Florida|City Point]] ---> *[[Cocoa West, Florida|Cocoa West]] <!--*Deer Run---Deer Run is a neighborhood, at best. Brevard documents refer to it as an "Equestrian Subdivision." New developments do not rate a slot here unless they are "old" generally accepted names. See http://199.241.8.125/index.cfm?FuseAction=MinutesRecords.View&BoardMinute_id=894 --> {{col-break|width=20%}} *[[Courtenay, Florida|Courtenay]] <!---- *[[Delespine, Florida|Delespine]] *[[Dummit Cove, Florida|Dummit Cove]] *[[Dummit Grove, Florida|Dummit Grove]] *[[East Mims, Florida|East Mims]] ----> *[[Eau Gallie, Florida|Eau Gallie]] *[[Floridana Beach, Florida|Floridana Beach]] <!---- *[[Footman, Florida|Footman]] *[[Frontenac, Florida|Frontenac]] *[[Georgiana, Florida|Georgiana]] ---> *[[Indianola, Florida|Indianola]] {{col-break|width=20%}} <!---- *[[Indian River City, Florida|Indian River City]] *[[Jay Jay, Florida|Jay Jay]] ---> *[[John F. Kennedy Space Center|Kennedy Space Center]] *[[June Park, Florida|June Park]] <!---- *[[Kings Park, Florida|Kings Park]] *[[La Grange, Florida|La Grange]] ----> *[[Lotus, Florida|Lotus]] *[[Melbourne Shores, Florida|Melbourne Shores]] *[[Merritt Island, Florida|Merritt Island]] *[[Micco, Florida|Micco]] {{col-break|width=20%}} *[[Mims, Florida|Mims]] *[[Patrick Air Force Base]] *[[Pineda, Florida|Pineda]] *[[Port St. John, Florida|Port St. John]] <!----- *[[Rockwell, Florida|Rockwell]] ----> *[[Scottsmoor, Florida|Scottsmoor]] *[[Sharpes, Florida|Sharpes]] <!---- *[[Sherwood, Florida|Sherwood]] ----> *[[Shiloh, Florida|Shiloh]] <!---- *[[South Cocoa Beach, Florida|South Cocoa Beach]] ---> *[[South Patrick Shores, Florida|South Patrick Shores]] {{col-break|width=20%}} <!----- *[[Southmere, Florida|Southmere]] *[[Sunnyland Beach, Florida|Sunnyland Beach]] ----> *[[Suntree, Florida|Suntree]] *[[Tropic, Florida|Tropic]] <!---- *[[Turnbull, Florida|Turnbull]] ---> *[[Viera, Florida|Viera]] <!----- *[[West Eau Gallie, Florida|West Eau Gallie]] *[[Whispering Hills, Florida|Whispering Hills]] *[[Wiley, Florida|Wiley]] *[[Williams Point, Florida|Williams Point]] *[[Wilson, Florida|Wilson]] ----> {{col-end}} ===Former place names=== {{Main|Former place names in Brevard County, Florida}} There are place names currently used, or used at one time by the USGS. Some are early developments, while others are former stations along the main line of the [[Florida East Coast Railway]]. Several of these disappeared when Kennedy Space Center took over their area.<ref name="Map">{{Cite book|title=Cape Canaveral |series=Images of America |page= 42,44–45,87 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=gP8sHFpNXugC&dq=Images+of+America:+Cape+Canaveral&source=gbs_navlinks_s |last=Osborne |first=Ray |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-7385-5327-6}}</ref> ==Education== {{main|Education in Brevard County, Florida}} Higher education is provided by [[Brevard Community College]] (BCC) and [[Florida Institute of Technology]]. There are [[satellite campus]]es for the [[University of Central Florida]], [[Barry University]], [[Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University]], [[Keiser University]], and [[Webster University]]. Elementary and secondary education is provided by the Brevard Public Schools and private schools. In 2011, six public schools were ranked by the state in the top ten schools in the state, out of 2,800 There was one list each for primary and secondary schools.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Mackenzie | last=Ryan | title=Six Brevard schools score big with state | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120131/NEWS13/301310015/Six-Brevard-schools-score-big-state-s-new-ranking-system| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=January 31, 2012 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref><!---2,800 comes from Florida DOE article---> ==Sports== ;Minor league baseball Brevard County is the home of the [[Brevard County Manatees]], the [[Class A (minor league baseball)|Class-A]] affiliate of the [[Milwaukee Brewers]]. In 2009, the Space Coast Surge, a member of the [[Florida Winter Baseball League]], had the Cocoa Stadium as their home stadium.<ref>[http://www.spacecoastsurge.com Space Coast Surge]</ref> ;Major league baseball The [[Washington Nationals]] hold their [[spring training]] at [[Space Coast Stadium]] in [[Viera, Florida|Viera]]. They play about 14 games against other professional teams locally in March as part of the [[Grapefruit League|"Grapefruit" League]].<ref>''Grapefruit League'',Florida Today, February 28, 2007</ref> ;Professional basketball The [[Brevard Blue Ducks]], members of the [[United States Basketball League]] (USBL), played their home schedule at the Clemente Center at Florida Tech.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}} ;Minor league football The Brevard Rams and Space Coast Predators were scheduled to play as members of the [[Florida Football Alliance]] in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs/fitness/2009/09/semi-pro-football-space-coast-predators.shtml |title=Semi-pro football Space Coast Predators |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=14 |year=2009 |month=September |work=Florida Today |publisher=Gannett |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= }}</ref> ;Amateur sports Aside from school-sponsored sports, there are youth leagues for basketball,<ref>{{Cite news | first=George | last=White | title=Youth basketball gets into full swing | url=| work=South Beaches Breeze | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | page= 3 | date=6 January 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> football, soccer, lacrosse, gymnastics,<ref>{{Cite news | first=George | last=White | title=Brevard gymnasts shine in Orlando competition | url=| work=South Beaches Breeze | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | page= 7 | date=13 January 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> baseball<ref>{{cite news | first= | last= | title= | url=| work=South Beaches Breeze | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= various | date=30 December 2009 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> and swimming.<ref>{{cite news | first= | last= | title= | url=http://brevardcountyswimming.blogspot.com/ | work= | publisher= | location= | pages= | date= | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> ==Infrastructure== ===Transportation=== {{Main|Brevard County Transportation}} While Brevard County has transportation available in the usual modes for a coastal county—highways, shipping, and airlines—it has the addition of space transportation, making it unique in the world.<ref>{{Cite journal |first=Myatt |last=Murphy |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2011 |month=August |title=Ready to Launch |journal=Sky (Delta) |volume= |issue= |page=83 |id= |url= |accessdate= |quote= }}</ref> Public transportation is provided by [[Space Coast Area Transit]].<ref>[http://www.ridescat.com]</ref> ===Power=== [[Florida Power & Light]] maintains an oil-fired generating plant at [[Sharpes, Florida|Sharpes]]; it generates 800 megawatts, supplying most of the requirements for the county. In 2008 the company announced plans to replace the plant with a more efficient [[natural gas]]-powered plant in 2013 with a 1,250 megawatt capacity, which can supply 250,000 homes or businesses.<ref>[http://partners.marketcenter.com/cboe/news/story.action?id=KRO122e1174&symbol=&count=10 FPL Company News] retrieved May 4, 2008</ref> Near FPL's plant is the Indian River Power Plant; formerly owned by the [[Orlando Utilities Commission]], it is now owned and operated by [[RRI Energy]]. [[AGL Resources#Florida City Gas|Florida City Gas]] furnishes natural gas to various areas of the county.<ref>[http://www.floridacitygas.com/Universal/AboutUs.aspx]</ref> ===Communication=== The [[area code]] for most of the county became "[[Area code 321|321]]" in 1999, as in the "3...2...1... lift-off!" countdown sequence. A small portion of the county along the southern border, including the communities of [[Micco, Florida|Micco]] and [[Barefoot Bay, Florida|Barefoot Bay]], share a [[Area code 772|772 area code]] with [[Indian River County, Florida|Indian River County]] to the south. ===Solid waste=== The county government maintains various [[landfill]]s for [[solid waste]]. There is a {{convert|190|acre|adj=on}} landfill in [[Cocoa, Florida|Cocoa]]. In 2011, the average homeowner paid $57 annually to fund the maintenance of these sites.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Don | last=Walker | title=Landfill addition may be averted | url=| work= | newspaper=[[Florida Today]] | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1B | date=November 2, 2011 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> Municipalities and the county contract separately for the pickup and transportation of waste, for which businesses and homeowners pay a separate monthly fee. ==Media== ===Newspapers=== ''[[Florida Today]]'' is the major daily newspaper serving Melbourne, Brevard County and the Space Coast region of Florida. It is owned by the media conglomerate [[Gannett]]. A monthly newspaper, ''El Playero'', serves the Spanish-speaking population of the Space Coast. The weeklies ''Space Coast Florida Weekly'' and ''Home Town News'' are free newspapers, supported by advertising, that have versions in other Florida counties. Both present local news. The ''Brevard Technical Journal'' is the industry monthly newspaper for business management, engineering, purchasing, manufacturing, and staff. It features news and features about the business and the science of technology in Brevard County. ===Radio=== {{Melbourne, Florida radio}} ===Television=== Most of Brevard County receives [[cable television]] from [[Bright House Networks]]. [[Comcast]] serves the Micco and Palm Bay areas in southern Brevard County. Local stations licensed to or located in Brevard County include: <!---unfortunately we have to exclude stations without articles. Okay to stub station ----> *[[BPS-TV]] <!--- stubbed out for lack of article. Note that once all of these are at least stubbed, we can set up a separate section in List of television stations in Florida and list ourselves there *Channel 15 NASA Select, Space Launches and News *Brighthouse 1 or 99/Comcast 26 - Space Coast Government Television *Channel 22 WMJV *Channel 31 WSCF ----> *Channel 43 [[WOTF-TV]] ([[Telefutura]]) *Channel 52 [[WHLV-TV]] ([[Trinity Broadcasting Network|TBN]]) *Channel 68 [[WBCC]] ([[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]]) ===Films and TV=== The following films were filmed (in parts) in Brevard County:<ref>[http://m.floridatoday.com/news.jsp?key=230981 Florida Today]</ref> *''[[Matinee (film)|Matinee]]'' (1993), filmed in Cocoa Village and Cocoa Playhouse *''[[Apollo 13 (film)|Apollo 13]]'' (1995), ''[[Contact (film)|Contact]]'' (1997), ''[[Armageddon (1998 film)|Armageddon]]'' (1998), and ''[[Moonraker (film)|Moonraker]]'' all utilized Cape Canaveral or Kennedy Space Center facilities. *''[[Marvin's Room (film)|Marvin's Room]]'' (1996), filmed in [[Rockledge, Florida|Rockledge]] *''[[Nightmare (1981 film)|Nightmare]]'' (1981) horror film shot in [[Merritt Island]], [[Cocoa, Florida|Cocoa]], [[Cocoa Beach, Florida|Cocoa Beach]] and [[Titusville, Florida|Titusville]] *''[[A Night in Heaven]]'' (1983), filmed in Titusville *''[[Things Behind the Sun]]'' (2001), by independent filmmakers [[Allison Anders]], raised in Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral, and Kurt Voss *''[[Space Cowboys]]'' (2000) *Portions of ''[[Jaws 3-D]]'' (1983) were filmed on the Minutemen Causeway. *''[[The Number 23]]'' (2007) shot scenes on the shore of Cocoa Beach. *''[[I'll Believe You]]'' (2007) TV series included: *''[[The Cape (1996 TV series)|The Cape]]'', 13 episodes (1996 through 1997) * ''[[From the Earth to the Moon (TV miniseries)|From the Earth to the Moon]]'', a miniseries (1998) * ''[[I Dream of Jeannie]]'', a 1960s TV comedy series, was set in Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral but filmed in California. ==Arts and culture== <!---Needs a smooth introduction---> The [[Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts]], seating 2000, features locally produced and former Broadway shows, ballet, and symphony. Several different performances are scheduled each week. The [[Brevard Symphony Orchestra]] and the Space Coast Ballet offer shows performed by professionals. There are two other professional symphony orchestras, plus a community orchestra and band in Melbourne.<ref>[http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090712/LIFE/907120313&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL Conductor forms county's third symphony] retrieved July 12, 2009 {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> The [[Brevard Zoo]] is a {{convert|56|acre|sing=on}} facility.<ref>[http://www.brevardzoo.org/aboutthezoo/index.html Brevard Zoo Information]</ref> There are 51 tigers, cougars, lions and leopards, on a {{convert|2|acre|sing=on}} reserve in [[Canaveral Groves, Florida|Canaveral Groves]].<ref>{{Cite news| first=Rick | last=Neale | title=A Place to ROAR | url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100321/NEWS01/3210320/Animal-refuge-proposes-move-to-17-acre-big-cat-sanctuary-near-N.-Brevard-border| work= | publisher=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages= 1A | date=21 March 2010 | id= | accessdate=}}</ref> ;Ballet The Space Coast Ballet incorporates professional principal dancers and instructors together with many roles for local senior talent as well as roles for students. They annually stage ''[[The Nutcracker]]''. ;Classical music The [[Brevard Symphony Orchestra]] has been bringing the classics, performed by professionals, to the Space Coast for over fifty years. ;Museums and attractions <!----Arts seems like a good place for museums ---> The Space Coast has a number of museums from the rocket exhibitions at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and the [[Air Force Space & Missile Museum]], to local museums and others of unique character, such as the [[American Police Hall of Fame & Museum]].{{citation needed|date=July 2012}} <!---probably should be moved to tourism the way it is written---> The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers an educational look at the accomplishments of America's space program. The Observation Gantry near [[Launch Complex 39]] offers a view of the Space Shuttle launch pads (first built for the Apollo missions), the [[Vehicle Assembly Building]], and the crawlerway over which rockets are taken to the pad. The [[Apollo/Saturn V Center]] displays an example of the largest rocket ever launched.{{Citation needed|date=January 2012}} The [[US Space Walk of Fame]] in Titusville commemorates the manned space program's history with museum and monuments.{{Citation needed|date=January 2012}} The [[Brevard Museum of History & Natural Science]] features the remains of the "Windover Man", the oldest human remains found on the North American continent, and a re-creation of the Windover Dig, a "wet" archaeological site. A visitor may see how Native Americans lived and Florida pioneers survived.{{Citation needed|date=January 2012}} Honor America runs the [[Liberty Bell Memorial Museum]]. This houses a replica of the Liberty Bell, historical documents, and patriotic memorabilia. Items are permanent reminders of our nation's history, as well as a memorial to military veterans. The Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Memorial Park and Cultural Center features a museum with artifacts and time line of the [[civil rights movement]] and the story of Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore, civil rights leaders who were killed when their home was bombed.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}} ;Other <!---this needs to go somewhere because it is "different"---> During the December holiday season, each of four yacht club parades during the evening in the Indian River/Banana River with holiday lighting on each boat.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}<!---CB, Port C, EG, Melb---> ==See also== *[[Brevard Public Schools]] *[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Brevard County, Florida]] *[[Space Coast Office of Tourism]] ==References== {{Reflist|2}} ==Further reading== *{{Cite book |first = Glenda Carlin |last = Busick |authorlink = |coauthors = |title =Brevard good ole boys: A taxpayer searches for truth in the "good ole boy" network of county government |publisher = Free Press Publishing |year = 1992 |location = Tampa, Florida |pages = |url = |doi = |id = |asin= B0006OUK3C |isbn = }} - a critic summarizes and comments on Brevard politics in the late 20th century * Middleton, Sallie. "Space Rush: Local Impact of Federal Aerospace Programs on Brevard and Surrounding Counties," ''Florida Historical Quarterly,'' Fall 2008, Vol. 87 Issue 2, pp 258–289 ==External links== {{Commons category}} ;Government links and constitutional offices * [http://www.brevardcounty.us/ Brevard County Government / Board of County Commissioners] * [http://brevardelections.org/ Brevard County Supervisor of Elections] * [http://www.brevardpropertyappraiser.com/ Brevard County Property Appraiser] * [http://www.brevardsheriff.com/ Brevard County Sheriff's Office] * [http://www.brevardparks.com/ Brevard County Parks and Recreation] *Water **[http://www.brevardcounty.us/usd/sc-reuse.cfm South Central Regional Water Reclamation Facility] ;Special districts * [http://www.sjrwmd.com St. Johns River Water Management District] ;Judicial branch * [http://www.brevardclerk.us/ Brevard County Clerk of Courts] * [http://www.brevardcounty.us/publicdefender/ Brevard County Public Defender] * [http://sa18.state.fl.us/ Office of the State Attorney, 18th Judicial Circuit] serving Brevard and [[Seminole County, Florida|Seminole]] Counties * [http://www.flcourts18.org/ Circuit and County Court for the 18th Judicial Circuit of Florida] ;Local references * [http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=factbook Florida Today "Fact Book" on Brevard County] * [http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/county/brevard/brevard.htm USF Maps of Historical Brevard County] * [http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/maps.htm Old Florida Map Collection] * [http://nbbd.com/ North Brevard - Titusville, Florida - Community Directory] * [http://visulate.com Searchable Database of Brevard County Property Records] * [http://spacecoast.wikispot.org Space Coast Wiki] - a community wiki for Brevard County * [http://www.eflorida.com/profiles/CountyReport.asp?CountyID=5&Display=all General business statistics] *{{Wikitravel|Brevard County}} {{Geographic location |Centre = Brevard County, Florida |North = [[Volusia County, Florida|Volusia County]] |Northeast = |East = [[Atlantic Ocean]] |Southeast = |South = [[Indian River County, Florida|Indian River County]] |Southwest = [[Osceola County, Florida|Osceola County]] |West = [[Orange County, Florida|Orange County]] |Northwest = [[Seminole County, Florida|Seminole County]] }} {{Brevard County, Florida}} {{Florida}} {{Coord|28.30|-80.70|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-FL_source:UScensus1990}} [[Category:Charter counties in Florida]] [[Category:Brevard County, Florida| ]] [[Category:Populated places established in 1844]] [[Category:1844 establishments in the United States]] [[bg:Бръвард (окръг, Флорида)]] [[de:Brevard County]] [[es:Condado de Brevard]] [[fr:Comté de Brevard]] [[hy:Բրեվարդ շրջան (Ֆլորիդա)]] [[bpy:ব্রেভার্ড কাউন্টি, ফ্লোরিডা]] [[it:Contea di Brevard]] [[la:Brevard Comitatus]] [[nl:Brevard County]] [[no:Brevard County]] [[pnb:بریوارڈ کاؤنٹی]] [[nds:Brevard County]] [[pl:Hrabstwo Brevard]] [[pt:Condado de Brevard]] [[ru:Бревэрд (округ, Флорида)]] [[sq:Brevard County]] [[simple:Brevard County, Florida]] [[sv:Brevard County]] [[uk:Бреверд]] [[vi:Quận Brevard, Florida]] [[war:Condado han Brevard, Florida]] [[zh:布里瓦德縣 (佛羅里達州)]]'