Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Malabar vs Winter Beach

21 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+44.7 pts in Winter Beach) and street grid (2.8× in Winter Beach).

×
Malabar, FLAn outdoors townFlorida · 3,066 people
×
Winter Beach, FLAn outdoors townFlorida · 4,985 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $300 more a month in Malabar

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Malabar$3,080/mo
Typical home $538K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.57% · Housing →
Winter Beach$2,770/mo
Typical home $472K (Census) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $2,295/mo · Housing →

The difference: $300 a month, about $3,700 a year, between Malabar and Winter Beach.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Winter Beach places higher on 11 of 18 FL lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Florida ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
MalabarWinter Beach
Snow a year0″0″
January low51°F54°F
July high91°F91°F
Growing season (days)359d365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)91st97th
Outdoors & history
MalabarWinter Beach
Conserved land16.8%2.8%
Settled1919—
Archive photos1—
Community
MalabarWinter Beach
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

21 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MalabarWinter BeachMalabarWinter Beach
Malabar ↔ Winter Beach21 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

MalabarWinter Beach
People
Population 3,066Lowest 4,985Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7%Lowest FL: +14.6% +51.7%Highest FL: +14.6%
Median age 53.1±8.2Lowest 25% above FL 57.6±6.8Highest 35% above FL
Winter Beach and Malabar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 15.2%±6.1Lowest FL: 19.5% 18.7%±5.9Highest FL: 19.5%
Winter Beach and Malabar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.2%±6.8Lowest FL: 21.3% 36.6%±11.9Highest FL: 21.3%
Winter Beach and Malabar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 40.1%Highest FL: 34.1% 38.3%Lowest FL: 34.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.4%±4.1Highest FL: 6.1% 2.7%±2.8Lowest FL: 6.1%
Malabar and Winter Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $128,698±$47kHighest 73% above FL $92,394±$26kLowest 24% above FL
Malabar and Winter Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $451,100±$22kLowest 26% above FL $472,200±$29kHighest 32% above FL
Winter Beach and Malabar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $2,295±$1k 38% above FL
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,567Lowest 6% below FL $3,556Highest 30% above FL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100Lowest FL: 60.1% 100%±100Highest FL: 60.1%
Winter Beach and Malabar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 3%Lowest FL: 12.6% 9%Highest FL: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 98.8%Highest FL: 67.6% 94.4%Lowest FL: 67.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1993Lowest 5 yrs newer than FL 2008Highest 20 yrs newer than FL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 8% below FL 22 minLowest 22% below FL
Work from home 16%±9.1Lowest FL: 15.7% 16.9%±7.1Highest FL: 15.7%
Winter Beach and Malabar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.5%Highest 2.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.8 miLowest 13.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.83Highest 0.71Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Palm Bay (22%)Vero Beach (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Winter BeachFew work in Malabar
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 16.8%Highest 2.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 24.3 miHighest 15.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.8 miLowest 2.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 14.9Lowest 41.4Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#71 of 488 in FL
School district —INDIAN RIVER
High school in town —None in town
Florida average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Malabar neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Malabar’s Town Square.

Winter Beach neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Winter Beach’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Malabar and Winter Beach

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Malabar

Towns like Malabar

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Post to Malabar

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in