When people think of Florida, they tend to think of the southern tip. Relocating to Palm Bay is a chance to explore one of the finer areas of the upper panhandle.

Palm Bay, Florida is a nearly coastal city located in Brevard County. A small sized city of 79,413 residents, this diverse city is located directly east across the state from Tampa. Relocating to Palm Bay, Florida can be beneficial for those people who want to enjoy the benefits of living in Florida without relocating to either an expensive tourist region or large city. Palm Bay itself is a large city when it comes to the amount of land it covers, which is 63.6 square miles.

In comparison to other parts of Florida, Palm Bay is neither largely above or below the state average in terms of wealth. The median yearly income here is $36,508 – slightly above the average for the entire US which is around $30,000. The average cost of purchasing a home in this area is $78,300, and the average cost of rental housing in Palm Bay is $533 per month. This city is also gaining in population; there has been an increase of over 25% in residents since the beginning of the 1990's.

Most of Palm Bay's residents claim their race as white/non-Hispanic, with 76.2% of the city stating this race. 11.3% of the residents are Black, 8.6% are Hispanic and the rest of the residents claimed to be either more than one race or “other”. The median age of the residents of Palm Bay is 37.2 years of age, with 57.7% of the adults in this city listing their status as married. 16.7% of Palm Bay residents report holding a Bachelor's Degree or higher, and the unemployment rate in the area is 5%.

Crime rates are another consideration when looking into relocating to Palm Bay, Florida. On a crime index prepared from several statistics (including such crimes as robberies, rapes, murders and other infractions), the United States rates a 325.2, with higher numbers meaning more crime. Palm Bay is rated at a 295.4 – below the country's average. Above average in Palm Bay, however, are different aspects of the climate here. The precipitation found in this city is far above the US average, and so are the temperatures. Lows in Palm Bay rarely reach the 50ºF mark, while highs in the area are above 90ºF.

Palm Bay, Florida is close to one of Florida's major attractions – Cocoa Beach (and the Kennedy Space Center). This city is just 18 miles away from Palm Bay. This area is also home to several colleges and universities – the Florida Institute of Technology is about eight miles from Palm Bay, and Brevard County Community College is also nearby. Additionally, there are many different public and private elementary and high schools in Palm Bay, Florida for the children in the area to attend.

Lou Ross is with MovingCompaniesforYou.com - a directory of moving companies along with helpful advice on moving issues.