Florida
Patrick Space Force Base
📍 Cocoa Beach, Florida
Home to Space Launch Delta 45, Patrick SFB manages the Eastern Range supporting all launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center.
BAH Rates
MHA: FL024 Rates as of 2026
E-1 with Dependents$1,905/mo
E-5 with Dependents$2,247/mo
E-5 without Dependents$1,647/mo
O-3 with Dependents$2,841/mo
O-3 without Dependents$2,220/mo
Housing
View full housing guide →- On-base: Privatized housing managed by Hunt Military Communities — Riverside and Ocean Breeze neighborhoods with single-family homes and townhomes; many units have water views of the Banana River or Atlantic Ocean
- Off-base: Most families live in Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne, or Viera; BAH is moderate ($1,800-$2,600/month); Florida has no state income tax
- Wait times: On-base wait lists are short to moderate (1-3 months); 3-4BR homes in highest demand
- Top pick: Satellite Beach and Indian Harbour Beach — 5-15 min commute on A1A, top-rated Brevard County schools, beach lifestyle, and strong military community
- Note: Hurricane season (June-November) is real — budget for hurricane shutters and consider flood insurance even outside designated flood zones
Neighborhoods
View full neighborhoods guide →- Satellite Beach — 5-10 min commute on A1A, beachside living at its finest, excellent schools (Surfside Elementary, DeLaura Middle, Satellite High), popular with military and space-industry families
- Indian Harbour Beach — 10-15 min, slightly more affordable beachside option, strong schools, quieter residential feel, Gleason Park for recreation
- Viera — 25-30 min west on I-95/Pineda Causeway, master-planned community with top-rated Viera schools, new construction, shopping at The Avenue Viera, popular with families wanting larger newer homes
- Melbourne / West Melbourne — 20-30 min, more affordable inland options, diverse housing stock, good schools, convenient to I-95 for commuting
- Cocoa Beach — 20 min north on A1A, iconic surf town with Ron Jon Surf Shop, the Cocoa Beach Pier, and a lively tourist scene; more rental/codo-heavy
Schools
View full schools guide →🏫 Elementary Schools
Ocean Breeze Elementary⭐ 8/10
Indian Harbour Beach, top-rated
Surfside Elementary⭐ 8/10
Satellite Beach, close to base
Roosevelt Elementary (Cocoa Beach)⭐ 7/10
Cocoa Beach area
Gemini Elementary (Melbourne Beach)⭐ 8/10
Melbourne Beach, highly rated
🏫 Middle Schools
DeLaura Middle School⭐ 7/10
Satellite Beach, strong academics
Hoover Middle School (Indialantic)⭐ 6/10
Indialantic, good programs
Johnson Middle School (Melbourne)⭐ 6/10
Melbourne, IB program
🏫 High Schools
Satellite High School⭐ 8/10
Satellite Beach, top Brevard school
Viera High School⭐ 7/10
Viera, newer school, strong programs
Melbourne High School⭐ 7/10
Melbourne, IB program available
Gates & Commute
- Main Gate (A1A/Atlantic Street) — Primary entry from A1A in Satellite Beach, 5-10 min peak waits (6:30-8:30 AM), 24/7 operations
- South Gate (Pineda Causeway) — Secondary entry from South Patrick Drive, convenient for Viera/West Melbourne commuters, shorter waits, restricted hours (0600-1800 weekdays)
- Tip: A1A and the Pineda Causeway (SR 404) are the main arteries; A1A can back up during tourist season (spring break, summer) and around launch events
- Tip: Cape Canaveral SFS is 25 min north — separate gate/entry; most base personnel work at Patrick, not the Cape
Internet Providers
- Spectrum — Dominant cable provider across Brevard County; speeds up to 1 Gbps; widely available and reliable
- AT&T Fiber — Expanding fiber coverage in Viera and newer Melbourne neighborhoods; up to 5 Gbps where available
- Frontier — Fiber and DSL in select areas; less coverage than Spectrum but competitive pricing where available
- Starlink — Available throughout the Space Coast; overkill for most but useful for rural properties
- Top pick: AT&T Fiber in Viera; Spectrum cable for Satellite Beach/Indian Harbour Beach
Shopping & Dining
- On-base: AAFES Exchange and commissary — moderate size with groceries, household goods, and a food court; shoppette and Class Six available
- The Avenue Viera — 25 min west; open-air lifestyle center with national retailers, restaurants, a movie theater, and community events
- Downtown Melbourne — 20 min south; historic district with boutique shopping, art galleries, craft breweries, and farm-to-table dining along New Haven Avenue
- Cocoa Beach — 20 min north; surf shops, beach boutiques, Ron Jon Surf Shop (open 24/7), and classic Florida seafood shacks
- Groceries: On-base commissary; off-base Publix (everywhere — Florida's beloved grocery chain), Aldi, Walmart, and The Fresh Market
Gyms & Recreation
- Patrick SFB Fitness Center — Well-equipped gym with cardio, weights, group classes, and an outdoor pool; plus a separate Beach House facility with equipment
- Outdoor Recreation — Equipment rental (surfboards, kayaks, paddleboards, camping gear), discounted theme park tickets (Disney, Universal, SeaWorld), and launch-viewing coordination
- On-base: Bowling alley, Manatee Cove Marina with boat slips and rentals on the Banana River, beach access with dedicated military beach, 18-hole golf course (Manatee Cove Golf Course), and sports fields
- The Beach — Literally on base: Patrick's beachfront is a daily perk; surfing, paddleboarding, fishing, and sunrise walks are part of daily life
- Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex — 45 min north; Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit, Saturn V rocket, astronaut encounters, and launch viewing; annual passes are popular with military families
- Rocket launches — Patrick's defining experience: SpaceX, ULA, and NASA launch from Cape Canaveral visible from base, the beach, and most of the Space Coast; launches happen weekly or more
Jobs & Spouse Employment
- On-base: GS and NAF positions through USAJobs; Space Launch Delta 45, AAFES, MWR, and the DEOMI (Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute) hire on base
- Space/aerospace: SpaceX, Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance (ULA), Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris all have massive Space Coast operations — the commercial space industry is booming
- NASA/KSC: Kennedy Space Center (45 min north) employs thousands of civil servants and contractors; Artemis, Mars, and ISS programs create demand across all disciplines
- Healthcare: Health First (Brevard's largest healthcare system), Parrish Medical Center, and Steward Health Care are major local employers
- Remote work: Excellent broadband; Eastern Time Zone works for most U.S.-based remote roles; growing remote-work community among military spouses
- Employment Readiness: Airman & Family Readiness Center provides career counseling, resume workshops, and Space Coast hiring events — the local economy is strong with low unemployment
Local Attractions
- Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex — World-class space museum 45 min north; meet astronauts, see Atlantis and Saturn V, watch launches from the closest public viewing
- Cocoa Beach & Pier — Classic Florida surf town 20 min north; the iconic pier, Ron Jon Surf Shop, and some of the best surfing on the East Coast
- Disney World & Universal Orlando — 1-1.5 hrs west in Orlando; military Salute tickets offer significant discounts (4-day park hopper ~$350 through MWR/ITT)
- Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge — 30 min north; 140,000 acres of unspoiled Florida with manatees, alligators, migratory birds, and the Canaveral National Seashore (pristine undeveloped beach)
- Sebastian Inlet State Park — 30 min south; world-class surfing, fishing, camping, and the Indian River Lagoon for kayaking and manatee watching
- Weekend trips: St. Augustine (2 hrs), Miami (3 hrs), Tampa/St. Pete (2.5 hrs), the Florida Keys (5.5 hrs for a long weekend), cruise ports at Port Canaveral (25 min)
Area Maps
Photo Gallery
base
Patrick Space Force Base on Florida's Space Coast
neighborhood
Satellite Beach, the top neighborhood for Patrick families
housing
On-base housing at Patrick Space Force Base
nature
Cocoa Beach sunrise on Florida's Space Coast
downtown
Historic downtown Melbourne near Patrick SFB
restaurant
Fresh seafood dining on the Space Coast