Brevard County, FL is 35 miles east of Orlando, with 72 miles of beautiful beaches on Florida’s central east coast. Home to the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard County is also known as the Space Coast. As of the 2010 Census, the county had a population of 543,376 and a median household income of $49,523.
Throughout the 19th century, Florida often changed the names and borders of its counties. St. Lucia County was renamed Brevard County in 1856, 343 years after Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon arrived on its shores, and the borders gradually evolved to modern day Brevard County. Titusville has been the county seat since 1894.
Brevard Public Schools serves approximately 73,000 students and is the single largest employer in Brevard County, employing more than 9,000 people. This school district includes 86 schools, 17 special centers and nine charter schools in 17 municipalities. In 2011, six public schools were ranked by Florida in the top 10 schools in the state among 2,800. Higher education is provided by Brevard Community College and Florida Institute of Technology, as well as the satellite campuses of a number of other schools.
Commuters are served by Space Coast Area Transit, offering bus, van pool, and park and ride services, as well as public transit for kids. Interstate 95 extends from Brevard County’s northern border with Volusia County to the southern border with Indian River County, linking all cities in the county. US Route 192 extends west from downtown Melbourne to Osceola County. Melbourne International Airport is also within Brevard County in Melbourne.
Brevard County Parks and Recreation operates 108 parks, three campgrounds, three golf courses, six nature centers, 42 beach access sites, 13 school athletic sites and more than 17,000 acres of Environmentally Endangered Lands sanctuaries and conservation areas. Many of Brevard County’s parks preserve the sensitive ecosystem and include endangered lands and threatened species.
Popular tourism destinations in Brevard County include the Brevard Zoo, the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, Canaveral National Seashore and Kennedy Space Center. Vacationers flock to Port Canaveral, the second busiest cruise port in the world. From golf and air boat rides to cultural events and theatre, there are always plenty of things to do in Brevard County.
To learn more about what Brevard County has to offer, visit the official website of the county government of Brevard County, FL.