2025 Compare Cities Rankings:
Merritt Island, FL vs Punta Gorda, FL

#7 Hurricane Hotspots

#21 Drought-Riskiest Cities

#50 America's Migraine Hot Spots

#62 America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Mid-Size Metro Areas)

#64 2005 Best Places to Live

#85 Most Comfortable Summer Cities

#252 Best Green Cities

#35 America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Smallest Metro Areas)

#49 2005 Best Places to Live

#57 America's Most (and Least) Stressful Cities (117 Smallest Metro Areas)

#124 Best Green Cities

It can get hot in the summer, but you get a breeze off the ocean most afternoons. If you live on the waterways, it seems to be a little cooler. Winters are  More

New to the area, but soon to know more. Florida is a sunshine state  More

Coming from Virginia, the Merritt Island architecture leaves a lot to be desired. Hurricane season (June - November) causes me a lot of  More

When we were visiting different cities in Florida, we quickly realised that Punta Gorda is the friendliest gulf coast town in south Florida BY FAR! My wife and I bought  More

I haven't lived in Punta Gorda, so I'm not sure about every nook and cranny of the place, however I did visit for about a month during the winter and about another 2  More

We have lived here for six years and enjoy it very much. One gets used to the summers but they are uncomfortable. The fishing is pretty good - used to be much better.  More