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Compare towns

Winter Beach vs Malabar

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

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Winter Beach, FLAn outdoors townFlorida · 4,985 people
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Malabar, FLAn outdoors townFlorida · 3,066 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.

Winter Beach$2,770/mo
Typical home $472K (Census) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $2,295/mo · Housing →
Malabar$3,080/mo
Typical home $538K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.57% · 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
Winter BeachMalabar
Snow a year0″0″
January low54°F51°F
July high91°F91°F
Growing season (days)365d359d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)97th91st
Outdoors & history
Winter BeachMalabar
Conserved land2.8%16.8%
Settled—1919
Archive photos—1
Community
Winter BeachMalabar
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.

Winter BeachMalabarWinter BeachMalabar
Winter Beach ↔ Malabar21 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.

Winter BeachMalabar
People
Population 4,985Highest 3,066Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +51.7%Highest FL: +14.6% +7%Lowest FL: +14.6%
Median age 57.6±6.8Highest 35% above FL 53.1±8.2Lowest 25% 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 18.7%±5.9Highest FL: 19.5% 15.2%±6.1Lowest 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+ 36.6%±11.9Highest FL: 21.3% 19.2%±6.8Lowest 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+ 38.3%Lowest FL: 34.1% 40.1%Highest FL: 34.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.7%±2.8Lowest FL: 6.1% 7.4%±4.1Highest 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 $92,394±$26kLowest 24% above FL $128,698±$47kHighest 73% 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 $472,200±$29kHighest 32% above FL $451,100±$22kLowest 26% 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 $3,556Highest 30% above FL $2,567Lowest 6% below FL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 100%±100Highest FL: 60.1% 0%±100Lowest 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 9%Highest FL: 12.6% 3%Lowest FL: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 94.4%Lowest FL: 67.6% 98.8%Highest FL: 67.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 2008Highest 20 yrs newer than FL 1993Lowest 5 yrs newer than FL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 22% below FL 26 minHighest 8% below FL
Work from home 16.9%±7.1Highest FL: 15.7% 16%±9.1Lowest 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 2.2%Lowest 2.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.3 miHighest 11.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.71Lowest 0.83Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Vero Beach (17%)Palm Bay (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MalabarFew work in Winter Beach
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.8%Lowest 16.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 15.6 miLowest 24.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.3 miHighest 1.8 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 7Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 41.4Highest 14.9Lowest
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.

Winter Beach neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Winter Beach’s Town Square.

Malabar neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Malabar’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Winter Beach

Towns like Winter Beach

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.

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