What's the difference in Cocoa & Cocoa Beach? (Orlando, Palm Bay: apartment, rent)

[from nv]

Can someone tell me the differences in Cocoa and Cocoa Beach? I'm trying to determine safety of living there, costs, things to do, etc.

Thank you!

[from nv]

Can anyone help???

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by from nv

Can anyone help???

Cocoa is a small town of maybe 35,000-40,000 or so people on the mainland. Cocoa Beach is a smaller town right on the ocean with more hotels and condos than Cocoa.

High school Football is big in cocoa and they have been state champs for 2 or 3 years. This year they played schools up North in some new program so other coaches could compare how they coach or something like that.

Cocoa Beach High school is one of the smallest in the county but has a god rep academically.

There are some kind of rough areas in Cocoa but a lot of nice homes, too. It gets a bad rap on here and is sort of lumped with Palm Bay cause many people on the news for being arrested live in Cocoa because it has more affordable housing.

Not sure what you are looking for in comparison, but there's a start.

[from nv]

We are relocating from out of state (jobs in Orlando) and are considering living in Cocoa, as it's more affordable. It's hard to find out much about the city online. Is the area more laid back (rural) or more city, like Orlando? Is there shopping (Target, etc.) or would we have to drive into Orlando for that? You mention that there are some rough areas....could you give me some idea as to where I should avoid? We won't be able to come out prior to the actual move. Thanks!

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Originally Posted by from nv

We are relocating from out of state (jobs in Orlando) and are considering living in Cocoa, as it's more affordable. It's hard to find out much about the city online. Is the area more laid back (rural) or more city, like Orlando? Is there shopping (Target, etc.) or would we have to drive into Orlando for that? You mention that there are some rough areas....could you give me some idea as to where I should avoid? We won't be able to come out prior to the actual move. Thanks!

Why Cocoa?

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by from nv

We are relocating from out of state (jobs in Orlando) and are considering living in Cocoa, as it's more affordable. It's hard to find out much about the city online. Is the area more laid back (rural) or more city, like Orlando? Is there shopping (Target, etc.) or would we have to drive into Orlando for that? You mention that there are some rough areas....could you give me some idea as to where I should avoid? We won't be able to come out prior to the actual move. Thanks!

Wow, a blind move. Renting an apartment or a house first? You will probably want to stay away from 520 area west of US1. I am not really very familiar with the neighborhoods up there though , we usually are just driving through ...was just trying to not let your post sit with no one helping.

Everything is pretty connected here on the Space Coast so you will be able to find places to shop in every town including Cocoa. Here you can live in 1 town, work in another , go to school in another, and go out to eat or party in another and consider all the areas to be your town because you really don't pay attention to where 1 town ends and the other begins.
Check in Rockledge and Viera, and Titusville too.

[from nv]

Thanks for the info! We are originally from Texas, and have lived in Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada, Southern California, Northern Virginia, and are now back in North Texas, in the DFW area. So we have lived in all sorts of areas with a variety of weather, etc. I miss being able to go to the beach, and am completely tired of dealing with hail and tornadoes! We moved to VA, which was extremely laid back and country like, which was quite different for us, as we were used to fast paced city living. Then the 3 feet of snow hit. I was ready to move! Not that I minded the snow, but having to drive from Winchester to Dulles Airport in it (on partially cleared roads!) was enough!

So, my hubby is a flight attendant and will be flying out of Orlando Aiport. Since I'll be staying at home, we decided that living out by the coast would work out for us. Cocoa seems affordable, and comprable with what we're paying in rent here in DFW, so that's how we decided there, or somewhere sort of close by. I don't particularly want to live in Orlando, as I think it would be just like it is here.

Schools are not important, as our daughter is grown. We are not into the nightlife scene. 50 is way too old for that! LOL

I will check out Harmony, Rockledge, Viera, and Titusville, as suggested. Regardless of where we end up, we will be renting.

[Cocoa Beach Girl]

cocoa beach is much nicer.

[TestEngr]

Well it all depends on what you want of course. Here is one tip on cocoa to MCO (orlando airport), if he took the 528 each day that would run up a lot of tolls. But that is the best way to get to MCO. You can take other non-toll roads like 50 to Semoran (436) to airport but that would be bad due to traffic but doable. Be prepared to pay lots of tolls as part of that lower cost to live in Cocoa. You might try eastern Orange County or well south of MCO which might be cheap too.

[ouzeldreamer]

You can purchase a "SunPass" that automatically deducts the tolls from your account and saves you ALOT of time because you don't have to stop at toll booth. The tolls add up quickly, but the drive is tolerable especially if listening to CDs or radio...the view is lovely the closer you get to the coast.

Rockledge is south of Cocoa but is so close you don't realize when you've left Cocoa and entered Rockledge. My husband and I have lived in Rockledge for almost 8 years and love the slower pace compared to Orlando. It has a small town feel yet is convenient for most basic shopping. Merritt Island is to the east and has a mall as well as many businesses along the main roadway 520 which connects Interstate 95 to its end at Cocoa Beach.

It is exciting to be so close to Cape Canaveral where space travel is launched. You are able to see the rocket roar into the sky and feel the vibrations from many of the coastal communities. Hope you enjoy this area called the "Space Coast!"