Cape Canaveral, Florida
12 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1951 and the latest in 1981. It stands in the Cocoa Beach-Cape Canaveral census division. It lies in ZIP code area 32920. The Survey maps it on the Cape Canaveral quadrangle. 9,972 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 10 feet above sea level.
Then and now
1951 to 1981The same ground, surveyed 30 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.


Population over time
2 figuresCape Canaveral grew from 9,912 to 9,972 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 9,912 | |
| 2020 | 9,972 | +60 (+1%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
7 surveys from 12 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1951 USGS Cape Canaveral quadrangle1:24000, 3 printings
- 1955 USGS Orlando quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1957 USGS Orlando quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Orlando quadrangle1:250000
- 1962 USGS Orlando quadrangle1:250000
- 1976 USGS Cape Canaveral quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1981 USGS Cape Canaveral quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
19 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 19 fires within 5 miles of Cape Canaveral between 1992 and 2018, burning about 135 acres in total. 13 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Natural | 13 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 2 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 1 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 August 2010 | Natural | 7.0 acres | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | BIT |
| 8 July 2013 | Recreation and ceremony | under an acre | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | KARS |
| 31 July 1992 | Natural | under an acre | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 9.7NATOUT |
| 31 July 1992 | Natural | under an acre | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 9.5NATOUT |
| 20 July 2007 | Natural | 1.0 acres | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | WATERLOGGED |
| 18 July 1992 | Natural | under an acre | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 9.5NATOUT |
| 10 July 1992 | Natural | 67 acres | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | HALL RD |
| 20 June 2015 | Natural | 2.0 acres | Florida Forest Service | SEA RAY (05) |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Storms near this place
35 since 1996Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Cape Canaveral in 35 storm reports between 1996 and 2025: 29 thunderstorm wind, 2 waterspout, 2 hail, 1 funnel cloud. The reports record 3 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | 3 hurt, $50,000 | Photos and information provided by Brevard County Emergency Management and local media helped confirm that a thunderstorm produced a microburst which impacted a portion of the Cocoa Beach Pier. The wood and metal awning-like roof of a outdoor bar/restaurant along the pier was peeled back and dislodged. The roofing material was blown north onto the roof of an adjacent, indoor restaurant, damaging air conditioning units. Three people experienced minor cuts from flying debris and were treated at the scene. Based on the damage photos, winds were estimated near 65 mph. |
| March 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | $12,000 | Four homes in Cape Canaveral sustained structural damage due to high winds associated with a bow echo which developed over Orange County and moved rapidly east and offshore. One home lost half of its roofing material, resulting in heavy water damage inside. The area affected encompassed a one-by-one block area. |
| January 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | The Weather Flow site in the Banana River near Highway 520 (XCCB) measured a 50 knot wind gust from the west-southwest. |
| July 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | The WeatherFlow station at Banana River - 520 measured a peak wind gust of 51 knots from the west. |
| March 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | US Air Force wind tower 0300 measured a peak wind gust of 74 mph. |
| June 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | US Air Force wind tower 0300 measured a peak wind gust of 50 knots from the north. The same tower measured a 57 knot gust five minutes later. |
| June 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | Weatherflow site XCCB on the Banana River south of State Road 520 on Merritt Island measured a peak wind gust of 52 knots from the north. |
| October 2017 | Flash Flood | Cape Canaveral | - | Widespread 7-9 inches of rain fell across central Brevard County from Cocoa to Merritt Island to Cape Canaveral. Water entered several homes on Stratford Drive and Catalina Drive in Cocoa. Cidco Road in Cocoa and Sandgate Street in Cocoa were closed due to high flood waters. Flood waters entered homes on South Banana River Drive, East Cristafulli Road, Horseshoe Bend, Church Street and Newfound Harbor Road on Merritt Island. Flooding closed several roadways with multiple reports of people trapped in cars due to the rising floodwaters in the Buttonwood Manor neighborhood on Merritt Island. A vehicle was partially submerged in a parking lot in Cape Canaveral in the 8700 block of Astronaut Boulevard. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | A WeatherFlow station in the Banana River north of the State Road 520 Causeway recorded a 59 mph wind gust out of the west as a severe thunderstorm moved over Merritt Island. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | A C-MAN station at Trident Pier reported a 51 knot gusts as a severe thunderstorm moved from the barrier island to the adjacent Atlantic. |
| March 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | A two story apartment complex on Adams Avenue in Cape Canaveral lost a large part of it's flat roof. |
| March 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | A weather spotter in Cape Canaveral estimated strong straight-line winds up to 63 mph. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | A 64 mph wind gust was observed near Cape Canaveral as a severe thunderstorm moved overhead. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | A spotter's Davis Pro weather station measured a 68 mph wind gust. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | Mesonet station NLWF1 measured a thunderstorm wind gust of 59 mph. |
| August 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | U.S. Air Force Wind Tower 300 at the Kennedy Space Center measured a 54 kt/62 mph wind gust as a thunderstorm moved through. |
| June 2010 | Funnel Cloud | Cape Canaveral | - | A storm spotter, a mariner and the general public observed and reported a funnel cloud occurring over the Banana River, just northwest of Port Canaveral. One or possibly two funnel clouds lasted a total of about 20 minutes and moved little during the period. The funnel was associated with an isolated heavy shower which developed along the east coast sea breeze boundary. |
| April 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | Several businesses experienced minor structural damage consistent with straight-line winds of 50 to 60 mph. |
| February 2008 | Hail | Cape Canaveral | - | Cocoa Beach police reported a substantial amounts of hail. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | An Air Force wind tower reported a wind gust to 58 MPH. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | An Air Force wind tower recorded a gust to 64 MPH. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | An Air Force wind tower recorded a gust to 69 MPH. |
| April 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | A NASA wind tower reported a thunderstorm gust to 56 knots. |
| May 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | A NASA wind tower recorded a wind gust to 56 knots. |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | A NASA mesonet site reported a thunderstorm wind gust to 59 kts. |
| June 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | Cape Canaveral AFS measured a thunderstorm wind gust of 70 knots at the 54 foot level. A few trees were blown down in the city of Cape Canaveral. |
| June 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | Wind gusts were estimated near 60 mph at Port Canaveral. Numerous large limbs were blown off of trees at Cape Canaveral and Cocoa. |
| May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | A wind gust of 50 Kts was recorded at Cape Canaveral. |
| May 1998 | Waterspout | Cape Canaveral | - | Thunderstorms in the off shore waters produced eight waterspouts in a short period of time. |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | Thunderstorm winds produced wind gusts to 63 mph at Cape Canaveral AFS. |
| May 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | Thunderstorm winds produced a wind gust to 64 mph at Cape Canaveral. |
| April 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | A thunderstorm wind gust of 58 mph was recorded at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. |
| April 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cape Canaveral | - | A thunderstorm wind gust of 58 mph was recorded at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. |
| April 2003 | Hail | Cape Canaveral | - | no account filed |
| May 1996 | Waterspout | Cape Canaveral | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audubon | 3.6 miles | 13 | |
| Angel City | 5.2 miles | 12 | |
| Tropical Park | 5.5 miles | 13 | |
| Canaveral (historical) | 5.8 miles | 12 | |
| North Merritt Island | 5.8 miles | 13 | |
| Indianola | 5.9 miles | 13 | |
| Cocoa Beach | 5.9 miles | 12 | |
| Courtenay | 6.6 miles | 13 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Cape Canaveral | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q966657 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 279995. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.






