Moving to Melbourne, FL for Work: Where Should You Live?

Moving to Melbourne, Florida, for a new job? Start your apartment search with your exact workplace address. Then compare Melbourne, Eau Gallie, and West Melbourne by your daily commute, total housing cost, and the places you want nearby.

For a practical starting point: compare the Lake Washington Road and Wickham Road area for a mainland home base; Eau Gallie for access to its arts district; central Melbourne for airport-area employment; and West Melbourne for a suburban setting. If your job is near Holmes Regional Medical Center or Florida Tech, include south Melbourne in your search.

These are starting points for comparing individual addresses, not a ranking of entire neighborhoods. The best location is the one that works for your actual job and daily routine. For a broader look at each area, see our guide to the best Melbourne neighborhoods for renters.

First, understand Melbourne, Eau Gallie, and West Melbourne

These names describe different kinds of places.

Melbourne is a city with several distinct residential areas and employment locations. An apartment with a Melbourne address can be in a very different part of town from another Melbourne apartment.

Eau Gallie is a historic area within Melbourne, not a separate city today. The cities merged in 1969. The Eau Gallie Arts District, often called EGAD, is a specific destination within the broader Eau Gallie area.

West Melbourne is a separate city. When searching listings, check the actual property address and municipal location rather than assuming “west Melbourne” always means the City of West Melbourne.

Source: City of Melbourne, Eau Gallie Historic District report.

Which Melbourne area should you compare first?

Use this table to build an initial shortlist. The suggestions are based on workplace location and the features you want nearby; they are not measured commute comparisons.

Lake Washington Road and Wickham Road for a mainland home base

Include the Lake Washington Road and Wickham Road area when you want to compare a Melbourne apartment against several workplace locations, rather than choosing solely for one downtown destination.

Build your shortlist around the trips you will make most often: work, groceries, the gym, appointments, and weekend recreation. Wickham Park, at 2500 Parkway Drive, offers trails and outdoor recreation that you can include in that comparison.

This area is also worth testing if you will work at Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital, which is on North Wickham Road. Use the specific apartment address to check your route; sharing the same road corridor does not establish a particular commute time.

Summerset Apartments is located near Lake Washington Road and Wickham Road. More about the property appears below.

Eau Gallie for access to the arts district and local businesses

Eau Gallie deserves its own place on a relocation shortlist. The Eau Gallie Arts District includes galleries, shops, restaurants, public spaces, and cultural destinations around its historic core.

If spending time in that district matters to you, compare homes by their distance to the places you would actually visit. An apartment described as “in Eau Gallie” is not necessarily within walking distance of Highland Avenue or your favorite restaurant. For each address, ask:

• Can I comfortably walk to the destinations I care about?
• What sidewalks and crossings would I use?
• How does parking work at the apartment?
• What is the trip to work like during my normal hours?
• How does the immediate setting feel when I visit in the evening?

Choose the specific location for its everyday usefulness. The broader neighborhood name is only the beginning of the search.

Central Melbourne for airport-area jobs

If your new job is near Orlando Melbourne International Airport, include central Melbourne and nearby West Melbourne addresses in your first round of comparisons.

Northrop Grumman identifies its Melbourne campus as adjacent to the airport. That makes the airport area a useful geographic reference when searching for housing, but you still need the correct building or employee entrance.

L3Harris lists a Melbourne location on West NASA Boulevard and a separate Palm Bay location on Troutman Boulevard. Before choosing an apartment “near L3Harris,” confirm where your particular role is based. Ask your recruiter or manager for:

• Your regular reporting address.
• The entrance employees use.
• Whether you will travel between sites.
• Your usual start and finish times.
• The expected number of days on site.

Sources: Northrop Grumman in Melbourne, Florida and L3Harris locations.

West Melbourne for a suburban alternative

Compare West Melbourne if you want a suburban setting and are comfortable evaluating daily trips by car. The city’s transportation planning documents describe its established development pattern as largely oriented around driving.

Look at the apartment’s position relative to the roads you will use, including Minton Road and New Haven Avenue where relevant to your route. Check both the trip to work and your ordinary shopping trips.

West Melbourne may belong on your shortlist for a Melbourne airport-area job, but being west of a workplace does not automatically mean a faster commute. Traffic signals, the employee entrance, and the route from the apartment all matter.

Visit the property and drive the surrounding streets. Confirm whether nearby destinations are convenient from that particular entrance, rather than simply close on a map.

Source: City of West Melbourne Comprehensive Plan, Multi-Modal Transportation element.

South Melbourne for Holmes Regional and Florida Tech jobs

For a job at Holmes Regional Medical Center or Florida Tech, include nearby south Melbourne addresses before expanding your search farther north or west.

Holmes Regional Medical Center lists its address as 1350 Hickory Street. Florida Tech lists its main campus address as 150 West University Boulevard.

Those locations are different from Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital on Wickham Road. A rental described as “close to Melbourne hospitals” does not tell you whether it suits your assignment.

If you want restaurants and activities after work, include Downtown Melbourne in your comparison. It is a different destination from the Eau Gallie Arts District.

For shift work, visit the apartment during the hours when you would normally be sleeping, leaving, or arriving.

Where should you live for a specific Melbourne employer?

The following search strategy uses verified worksite locations to suggest where to begin. It does not imply that an employer recommends a neighborhood or apartment community.

Northrop Grumman in Melbourne

Begin by comparing central Melbourne and West Melbourne addresses with other apartments that meet your budget. Route each option to your actual airport-area entrance.

L3Harris

Confirm Melbourne versus Palm Bay first. A Melbourne assignment and a Palm Bay assignment should not automatically produce the same housing shortlist.

Orlando Health Melbourne Hospital

Compare the Wickham Road corridor and other Melbourne addresses against the hospital at 250 North Wickham Road.

Holmes Regional Medical Center or Florida Tech

Start with south Melbourne, then compare other areas if their housing features or price justify the trip.

For any other employer, use the same method: locate the reporting address first, then compare homes. Company names and city labels are too broad to establish convenience.

Test the commute before signing a lease

A mileage figure does not capture your full trip to work.

Check a mapping service using your expected arrival time and again for your return trip. If you can visit before moving, drive the route during those hours.

Include time for parking, walking to your building, and any required site access. For a job with an early start or rotating shifts, use that schedule rather than a standard morning rush-hour assumption. A useful comparison is:

Apartment door → road route → employee parking → workplace entrance

Repeat that comparison for every finalist. Avoid choosing from a single midday drive or an advertised “minutes from major employers” claim.

Compare the full cost of relocating

Compare total housing expenses as well as rent. Request a written breakdown of deposits, application charges, recurring fees, utilities, parking, pet charges, and optional equipment. Our guide to questions to ask before renting an apartment in Melbourne covers what to request. For current rent averages, see how much an apartment costs in Melbourne.

Then consider what a location changes:

• Fuel and the number of days you drive to work.
• Whether you need temporary lodging before move-in.
• Moving and utility setup costs.
• The cost of any extra space you need for working from home.
• The actual payment schedule under a rent special.

For a hypothetical example, saving 15 minutes each way on a five-day workweek gives you back 2.5 hours a week. That is a useful way to weigh commute convenience alongside price; it is not a travel-time estimate for any Melbourne neighborhood.

What to ask when relocating before your first paycheck

Tell the leasing team your intended move-in date and when your new job begins. Ask what documentation they accept for an applicant who has not yet started work. Questions worth asking include:

• Can an employment offer letter be considered?
• What income and screening documents are required?
• Is the specific apartment available before my start date?
• Can I tour remotely if I cannot visit?
• What payments are due before key pickup?
• What are the lease length and notice requirements?

Do not assume an employer’s relocation package includes housing approval or that every apartment community follows the same process. For more on fees, deposits and lease terms, see Essential Questions to Ask Before Renting an Apartment.

A relocation checklist for Melbourne, Eau Gallie, and West Melbourne

Before choosing an apartment, narrow your decision to these practical checks:

If school assignment affects your move, verify it for the exact property address through the school district. If internet is essential for your work, confirm service at the apartment rather than relying on an area-wide availability claim.

Consider Summerset Apartments for your move to Melbourne

Summerset Apartments offers a Melbourne home base at 2414 Summerset Drive, Melbourne, FL 32935, near Lake Washington Road and Wickham Road.

Our apartments have two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, 1,065 square feet, and a private terrace. Choose a Classic apartment for value or a newly renovated Signature apartment with new kitchens and baths, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a built-in microwave.

If you are relocating for work, compare the route from Summerset to your exact workplace and ask our leasing team about availability for your intended move-in date. If you are planning more than 60 days ahead, contact us about upcoming options that may not yet appear online.

Explore our apartments or view current availability. Call (321) 372-9008 or email leasing@summersetmelbourne.com to ask about your move and arrange a tour.