Taxes in Melbourne
Florida has no state personal income tax, Melbourne's biggest single tax advantage relative to most other states -- but Brevard County property taxes are a real cost for homeowners, with Ownwell citing a median effective rate of 0.90% and a median annual bill of $2,649 for Melbourne specifically, below both the national median rate (1.02%) and Florida's statewide median rate (1.10%), though the dollar bill runs slightly above the national median dollar figure.
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Learn moreNo State Income Tax
Florida levies no state personal income tax on wages, retirement income, or investment income, applying statewide including Melbourne. This is a structural, permanent advantage relative to most other states -- it does not, however, offset property taxes or insurance costs, which are Melbourne-specific and covered below and on the insurance-hazard-costs page.
Melbourne-Specific Property Tax Figures
Ownwell's Melbourne property-tax data cites a median effective tax rate of 0.90% -- below both the national median (1.02%) and the Florida statewide median (1.10%) -- with a median annual tax bill of $2,649, which runs $249 above the national median dollar bill of $2,400 (a lower rate can still produce a bill above the national median dollar figure if the underlying home value runs higher than the national median home value). ZIP-level bills within the Melbourne area ranged from about $1,949 in ZIP 32935 to about $3,430 in ZIP 32940, driven mainly by differences in assessed value and local taxing-district overlaps.
Brevard County Millage Context
Total Brevard County millage rates generally range from about 12 to 19 mills depending on the specific city, school district, and special districts that apply to a given property. That range spans the whole county, not Melbourne alone, and actual bills vary by municipality and overlapping taxing district -- the Ownwell figures above are the more directly Melbourne-specific data point.
Homestead Exemption and Save Our Homes
Owner-occupants get relief unavailable to investors or second-home buyers: the 2026 homestead exemption can reduce taxable assessed value by up to $51,411, and the Save Our Homes cap limits annual assessed-value growth to the lesser of 3% or CPI (2.7% for 2026) for as long as the homestead is maintained. This is also why a long-tenured homesteaded owner's tax bill can differ substantially from what a new buyer of the same home would pay in year one, since a purchase resets assessed value to market value before the cap starts working in the buyer's favor.
Key takeaways
- No state income tax applies statewide in Florida, including Melbourne -- a permanent structural advantage that does not offset property-tax or insurance costs.
- Melbourne's median effective property-tax rate is 0.90% (Ownwell) -- below both the national (1.02%) and Florida statewide (1.10%) medians -- with a median annual bill of $2,649, about $249 above the national median dollar bill.
- ZIP-level bills within Melbourne ranged from about $1,949 (ZIP 32935) to $3,430 (ZIP 32940), per Ownwell.
- Brevard County millage overall runs roughly 12-19 mills depending on city, school district, and special districts -- a countywide range, not a single Melbourne-specific millage figure.
- The 2026 homestead exemption (up to $51,411 off taxable value) and 2.7% Save Our Homes cap apply only to owner-occupied primary residences.
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