Satellite Beach

The city is part of a collection of communities on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon, part of the Intracoastal Waterway. "It's a tight-knit community where we all know each other. It's very family-friendly, the schools are highly rated and the homes are less expensive than some areas farther south down the A1A," says Realtor Paige Lane, who has been selling homes for nine years with Keller Williams Brevard. "There is a large number of military families here, and many people choose to come back to retire. I've had people tell me that out of all the places they were stationed, this is the one area they knew they'd come back to." The community has that small beach town feel, but it's less than 10 miles from downtown Melbourne, less than 20 miles from the retail hub of Viera and only 60 miles from Orlando. Proximity to these larger areas lets residents enjoy a laidback lifestyle without missing any amenities.

Close to Patrick Space Force Base

The military and defense contractors drive the area's economy. Patrick Space Force Base is the largest employer, and Lane says, "There is a significant military presence and opportunities with the Space Force, Coast Guard and Navy." Northrop Grumman and Collins Aerospace have major facilities nearby, and NASA's Kennedy Space Center is just up the road. "That gives us a lot of stability here. We're not necessarily recession-proof, but we are recession-resistant," Lane says.