Merritt Island is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities.

The citizens of Merritt Island are among the most well-educated in the nation: 41.79% of adults in Merritt Island have a bachelor's degree or even advanced degree, whereas the average US city has 21.84% holding at least a bachelor's degree.

The per capita income in Merritt Island in 2022 was $52,695, which is upper middle income relative to Florida, and wealthy relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $210,780 for a family of four. However, Merritt Island contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

Merritt Island is a somewhat ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Merritt Island home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Merritt Island residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Merritt Island include English, German, Irish, Italian, and Polish.

The most common language spoken in Merritt Island is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Tagalog.