Cocoa

Bordered by four miles of the beautiful Indian River to the east, Cocoa sits in the heart of Brevard County with easy access to the beaches, Port Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center. First settled in the 1860s, and supposedly named after a box of Baker's Cocoa delivered to Willard's General Store, the City of Cocoa was incorporated in 1895.

Unlike many Florida communities with a high concentration of seniors, Cocoa's largest age group is in the 20 - 44 range. The population of more than 16,600 can enjoy recreational activities such as boating, parasailing, sail boarding, water-skiing, sailing and horseback riding. Fresh water fishing on the nearby St. Johns River and salt water fishing in the Indian River and Atlantic Ocean are also popular pastimes.

The City of Cocoa operates a water utility system that covers the entire central part of Brevard County servicing over 68,000 households, and distributing an average of 28 million gallons of water daily.

One of the most visited Cocoa attractions is Cocoa Village, a picturesque shopping area adjacent to the river featuring quaint stores and restaurants, cobblestone sidewalks, period street lamps and landscaping. A boardwalk and regional park have also been constructed along the historic waterfront area. Other Cocoa places of interest include Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science, Brevard Community College main campus and Planetarium and Cocoa Expo Stadium.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Cocoa's demographic group has a relatively young working population and has more pre-schoolers than the national average. Cocoa has a broad range of housing, from apartments to estates on one-acre plus lots, in both newer and established neighborhoods, For entertainment, they enjoy golf, fishing, hunting, and other outdoor activities as well as participating in youth sports and family outings.