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It is said that a group of fishermen originally founded Cocoa in the 1800s, and around the 1860s, the first families began to settle in the area. The settlement, which Captain R.A. Hardee owned, was first called Indian River City in the early 1880s. However, the name was deemed unacceptable by the United States Postal Service because it was too long to be used on a postmark. It is unclear who can be credited for the renaming of the city. One theory is that Captain R.C. May was credited with giving the city the name of Cocoa for its association with the cocoa plant. Another account states that an old woman lived on the banks of the Indian River who would provide bypassing sailors with hot cocoa. As sailors came through, they would call out “cocoa, cocoa” until they were supplied with the beverage. One thing is for sure, the name was officially given to the city in 1884 and has stuck ever since.

Cocoa was incorporated in 1895 after overcoming several major developmental setbacks, such as the fire of 1890, which destroyed the city’s business district. From 1894-1895, the city suffered The Great Freeze, which demolished the citrus farming industry. This unfortunately forced many to find a new source of income. Despite the hardships that Cocoa faced, the city began to see developmental progress by 1895 with the Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Indian River Railway construction, which brought settlers to the area.

By the 1920s, population and economic growth progressed in Cocoa. With the development of the space industry, the city continued to thrive throughout the 1930s and into the 1960s. By the 1980s, Cocoa became a tourist destination which attracted many who wanted to witness the space shuttle launches at Cape Canaveral. Today, Cocoa continues to thrive economically and still serves as one of the Space Coast’s most beloved tourist destinations.

As of 2020, the population of Cocoa, Florida, reached 19,661 people, making it the 119th largest city in the state. Currently, the community is growing at a rate of 2.72% annually. However, since the most recent United States census in 2010, the population has increased by 14.7%. Cocoa spans 15 miles, which gives the city a population density of 1,474 people per square mile.

Cocoa is one of the Space Coast’s most diverse cities. It is racially composed of 62.7% Caucasians, 28.5% Black or African Americans, 2% Asians, 3.8% multiracial, and 2.5% fall under the category of other. The city is also linguistically diverse, with over 14% of the population being fluent in a language other than English. The most commonly spoken language, aside from English, is Spanish, with 11.8% of Cocoa residents being fluent speakers. However, 85.2% of the population only speak the English language. The majority of Cocoa’s population are native-born Americans, with 90.1% falling into this category. Of these people, 48% were born in the state of Florida. 9.9% of the city’s population was born outside of the United States, and 6.5% are non-US citizens.

The median adult age in Cocoa is 39.3 years, with the male average falling at 37.9 years and the female average at 40.2 years. Women make up a more significant percentage of the city’s population, with nearly 53.4%, while men comprise approximately 46.6% of the population. This means there are 87.4 men for every 100 women.

The cost of living index in Cocoa, Florida, falls at 88.8, whereas the average United States City has a cost of living index of 100. This means that it is cheaper to reside in Cocoa when compared to other cities throughout the nation. In general, the cost of housing, groceries, utilities, health care, and transportation is less expensive in Cocoa than Florida and the United States averages. This information can be helpful for budgeting reasons before moving to Cocoa. The median price of a home in this city is $110,700, and the average monthly rental cost is $772. The annual average household income in Cocoa is around $55,015. The city tends to have a higher than average poverty rate, which falls at 22.9%. 19.9% of the city’s male population and 25.5% of the female population lives in poverty.

Like most other cities along Florida’s Space Coast, Cocoa experiences hot and humid summers, with the winters being slightly cooler. July is the city’s hottest month, with an average high temperature of 90 degrees. Annually, there are about 59 days on average when the temperature exceeds 90 degrees, which happens to be cooler than most places in Florida. When moving to Cocoa, you can expect seven months out of the year to be quite comfortable, with high temperatures ranging from 70 to 85 degrees. November, April, and March tend to be the most pleasant months in Cocoa. This city also experiences 238 sunny days, which exceeds the United States average of 205 sunny days.

The coldest month in Cocoa is January, with an average nighttime low temperature of 49 degrees. Annually, the city sees about 3 days where the nighttime temperature drops below freezing, which is about average compared to other Florida cities. Rarely, if ever, does the temperature in Cocoa fall below zero degrees, and historically, the city does not receive any snowfall.

Although the city doesn’t receive any snow, it does get more rainfall than the national average. Cocoa gets around 53 inches of rain per year, whereas the average United States city gets approximately 28 inches. However, 53 inches is a normal amount of rainfall for cities in Florida. August tends to be Cocoa’s wettest month, with an average of 7.7 inches of rain, and the driest month is January, with an average of 2.4 inches of rain per year. You can expect 40% of the city’s yearly precipitation to occur during Autumn, which is the wettest season. Spring is the driest season, with only 15% of the city’s annual rainfall.

If you are moving to Cocoa, Florida, searching for new job opportunities, now is the time to do so. The city’s job market has increased by nearly 2% in the last year, and job growth is expected to increase by 42.2% within the next ten years. This greatly exceeds the United States average job growth prediction of 33.5%, making Cocoa an exceptional place to find employment in the coming years. The city currently employs over 7,000 workers and has a labor force participation rate of 55.9%. The employment rate in Cocoa is 50.8%, and the unemployment rate falls at 8.9%. Some of the city’s largest industries include retail trade, health care and social assistance, and educational services. Among the highest paying industries in Cocoa are utilities, information, and professional, scientific, and technical services. 

The Space Coast has dining options to suit any and every appetite. In Cocoa, Florida, you can find some of the area’s most distinctive dining locations that are sure to provide you with a one-of-a-kind experience.

Café Margaux brings a taste of French and European cuisine to the Space Coast. This high-end restaurant, with its unbeatable elegant dining experience, has been a local favorite since 1989. In 2018, the restaurant received the Dirona Achievement of Distinction in Dining, and they have been inducted into the Golden Spoon Hall of Fame for their outstanding cuisine. Café Margaux is open for brunch, lunch, and dinner, with a menu that caters to vegetarian and gluten-free diets. Café Margaux is known for its expansive wine menu, which features 4,000 bottles with nearly 400 options, making this an excellent spot for the wine enthusiasts of Cocoa. Café Margaux is one of Florida’s upscale hidden gems and a must-try when moving to the area.

Unique to Cocoa, Florida, is Lone Cabbage Fish Camp, where guests can enjoy a casual meal and an airboat ride through the Saint Johns River and Lake Poinsett marshes. Unlike most restaurants on the Space Coast, Lone Cabbage Fish Camp gives visitors the “ride of their lives” as they tour the marshes at speeds upwards of 45 miles per hour. You may also experience some of Florida’s local wildlife, such as alligators, bald eagles, and possibly even wild hogs and cows. Aside from the cypress marshes’ breathtaking views, Lone Cabbage Fish Camp is also known for having a unique yet delicious lunch and dinner menu. Here you will find frog legs, alligator bites, catfish, turtle, hush puppies, and more. This old-style Florida fish camp is located on the banks of the Saint Johns River and can be accessed by vehicle or boat. If you feel adventurous, Lone Cabbage Fish Camp is the place to go for a dining experience unlike any other in Cocoa.

Ryan’s Pizza and Pub is a happy medium between Café Margaux and Lone Cabbage Fish Camp. Ryan’s emits a casual yet tasteful ambiance with a more mainstream menu. It is centrally located in the heart of Cocoa and has grown to be the largest and one of the best Irish pizzerias in all of Brevard County. They are well known for their pizzas, but they also have a great selection of draft beer, with 14 on tap. This family-owned and operated restaurant has been a Space Coast favorite since 2006 and has two other locations in Merritt Island and Rockledge.

In Cocoa, Florida, the public schools fall into the Brevard County Public School District, which serves nearly 74,000 students from kindergarten to 12th grade. The average expenditure per student in this school district is $8,466, which is almost $4,000 less than the United States average expenditure of $12,383 per student. The average student to teacher ratio in these schools is 15:1, providing students a more focused learning environment.

Cocoa High School is one of Florida’s more diverse schools as it ranks number 168 out of 1,014 public high schools in the state. 46% of the students at Cocoa High school are Caucasian, 23% are Black or African American, 22% are Hispanic, and 9% are multiracial. This school has a student body of 1,576 students in grades 7 through 12. The student to teacher ratio at Cocoa High School is 18:1. On average, 78% of students attending this high school will graduate in four years, and of these graduates, 59% will go on to pursue a higher-level education or a vocational program. Students at Cocoa High School tend to test below average on standardized state exams. However, the school has a 20% Advanced Placement course enrollment, which is greater than the state average of 18%.

There are multiple public primary schools throughout Cocoa, including Saturn Elementary, Endeavour Elementary, and Cambridge Elementary. Cocoa also has its share of private institutions such as St. Mark’s Episcopal Academy, Space Coast Christian Academy, Einstein Montessori Academy, and Brevard Adventist Christian Academy, to name a few.

Several reputable hospitals and medical facilities are surrounding the city of Cocoa. One of the closest is Rockledge Regional Medical Center, which is a full-service acute care medical facility. As the leading comprehensive healthcare provider in all of Brevard County, you are sure to receive high-quality care at Rockledge Regional. This facility has received accreditation and recognition on multiple accounts, including accreditation from The Joint Commission and certifications from the American College of Radiation and College of Pathologists. Rockledge Regional Medical Center offers many services, including pediatrics, cancer care, robotic surgery, maternal care, and emergency medicine, among others.

Another credible medical center that is in proximity to Cocoa is Cape Canaveral Hospital. This hospital is conveniently located just nine miles east of Cocoa and is owned and operated by Health First. This company has built a reputation for providing top-notch patient care to Florida’s Space Coast. Health First runs three other hospitals on the coast, including Palm Bay Hospital, Holmes Regional Medical Center, and Viera Hospital. Similar to Rockledge Regional Medical Center, Health First has also received several awards and accreditation. Cape Canaveral Hospital, in particular, has gotten accreditation from The Joint Commission and the International Commission for Accreditation of Echo Laboratories (ICAEL).

When moving to Cocoa, Florida, one of the top attractions is the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse. Established initially as the Alladin Theater, this landmark opened its doors in August of 1924 and was a place for people to enjoy silent movies. Several decades later, in 1984, the Brevard Community College District Board of Trustees purchased the establishment for the low price of $1. It became a non-profit organization, and the Board of Trustees began raising funds to restore the building. In 1991, the theater was accepted onto the National Register of Historic Places, and it was officially named the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse. Since then, the playhouse has undergone renovations and restorations to accommodate the theater’s growing popularity among Cocoa patrons. Today, the theater is still in operation and has earned the nickname of “Broadway on Brevard” for its beloved live theater productions and musical performances.

In the Downtown Historic Cocoa Village, the opportunities for family fun and sight-seeing are endless. Many enjoy the Cocoa Riverfront Park, which gives you access to 10 acres of open parkland available to the public from dawn to dusk. The riverfront features playgrounds, covered pavilions, a boardwalk, an amphitheater used for concerts that face the Indian River, and designated areas for fishing, water-sports, and boat launching. The Cocoa Riverfront Park connects to Lee Wenner and Taylor parks, contributing to the area’s spacious layout. With much to see and do, a trip to the Riverfront is a day well spent.

If you want to travel outside of Cocoa, the Space Coast is filled with entertainment and adventure opportunities. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is among the top attractions in the area, and it offers a thrilling yet educational experience for people of all ages. At the Kennedy Space Center, you can travel through time and explore the past, present, and future of NASA. There are exhibits such as the Rocket Garden, United States Astronaut Hall of Fame, Journey to Mars, and the Hubble Space Telescope Theater, to name a few. Visitors get the unique opportunity to experience astronaut training simulators and a shuttle launch simulator.

Another popular attraction that is just 12 miles south of Cocoa is Brevard Zoo, located in Melbourne. The zoo opened its gates in March of 1994 after receiving money and land donations to complete the zoo’s establishment. Brevard Zoo started small but had the goal of becoming a world-class zoo that promotes animal conservation and provides visitor education on wildlife. They also give guests the chance to feed the giraffes, kayak through their Expedition Africa exhibit, and view the lush scenery from above on the Treetop Trek. Not only is Brevard Zoo an exciting place to see and learn about exotic animals, but it also has ways you can get involved in protecting the environment. Whether it’s their “restore our shores” program or volunteering with a community project, Brevard Zoo provides ample opportunities to help make a difference.

321 transit is Brevard County’s public transportation service for local transit. They offer multiple services such as vanpool, paratransit, and 19 fixed bus routes. Their vanpool program is one of the largest in the nation and benefits companies in several ways. If an employer can organize a vanpool between employees, the company will receive a tax benefit, and it keeps company travel expenses down. Additionally, the vanpool program minimizes the number of vehicles on the road, ultimately supporting a greener environment.

321’s paratransit program offers curb-to-curb transportation for Brevard County citizens that may have a disability or disadvantage. In fact, this is the nation’s 49th largest paratransit service. Regarding the bus routes, 321 offers fixed routes that provide public transportation throughout the Space Coast. All their busses are wheelchair accessible and allow riders the benefit of bringing along a bike or surfboard. At 321 Transit, they are dedicated to getting all riders to their desired destinations on time and in an affordable manner.

For long-distance travel, Cocoa is centrally located near three significant airports. Among these include Melbourne International, Orlando International, and Sanford International Airports. Melbourne Airport is the closest to the city of Cocoa as it is located just over 20 miles in the southern direction. Orlando Airport is slightly further at a distance of 38 miles to the west, and Sanford Airport is the farthest from Cocoa at a distance of 52 miles in the northwest direction. All three of these locations serve as major hubs for domestic and international travel, making it convenient for Cocoa residents to see the world.

Whatever your motive is for moving to the Space Coast, be sure to consider all that Cocoa, Florida, has to offer. The city’s beautiful coastal location, great neighborhoods, school districts, and growing economy make Cocoa a wonderful place to call home. For a hassle-free move, be sure to use storage units in Cocoa or moving services in the area.