Satellite Beach, Florida
A Laid-Back Seaside Town, Satellite Beach has Eight Miles of Sugar White Oceanfront Sand and a Wildlife Habitat Accessible Only by Boat
Satellite Beach is a barrier island town along Florida’s central Atlantic coast and is bordered by the sea on the east and by the Indian River on the west. It’s also hemmed in by towns to the north and south, keeping it a quiet place that is almost entirely residential.
West side homes sit next to the river and have a boat dock or back to canal. Neighborhoods in the middle of the island are compact, populated with ranch ramblers. On the east side of the Satellite Beach, condominiums line the eight miles of sugar white sand.
Locals enjoy three attractive waterfront parks, one of which, Hightower Beach Park, has a boardwalk. Sea turtles come to nest up and down the sand, and right whales cavort offshore. Surfing is a particularly favorite pastime. Most shopping venues and restaurants sit along Highway A1A.
Samsons Island Nature Park, which is only accessible by boat, is a city-owned wildlife habitat and is home osprey, tortoises and other wild creatures.
Population: 11,500
Median Home Price: $585,000
Climate: Summer temperatures are in the 80s and 90s with high humidity levels and frequent rainstorms. Winter temperatures are in the 60s and 70s. The town receives 48 inches of rain per year.
Crime Rate: Below the national average
Age 45 or Better: 47%
Hospital: Holmes Regional Medical Center, 10 mile away in Melbourne
Public Transit: Yes, but it is limited
Political Leanings: Conservative
Is Florida Retirement Tax-Friendly: Yes
Drawbacks: Hurricanes are always a risk. Irma caused damage in 2017.