Grant-Valkaria, Florida

The community of Grant was originally established in 1925, and it has a history as a fishing village, with agriculture also a part of both communities' histories. The community name of Valkaria derives from Valkyrie, a warrior-maiden of Norse mythology. A MISTRAM missile tracking system was built by the US Air Force here in the early 1960s. Grant-Valkaria was incorporated as a town on July 25, 2006, by joining the two previously unincorporated communities of Grant and Valkaria. The ZIP code 32949 is solely within the Grant-Valkaria town limits, while portions of the 32950 and 32909 ZIP codes are part of the town as well. The town's area code is 321. ==Geography==

Grant-Valkaria is located south of Melbourne, between Palm Bay and Sebastian. Surrounding areas • Malabar • Indian River Lagoon; Floridana Beach • Palm Bay • Micco; Barefoot Bay Climate The Town of Grant-Valkaria has a humid subtropical climate zone (Cfa). ==Demographics==

Racial and ethnic composition 2020 census As of the 2020 census, Grant-Valkaria had a population of 4,509. The median age was 55.8 years. 14.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 27.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 102.5 males age 18 and over. 17.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 82.6% lived in rural areas. There were 1,842 households in Grant-Valkaria, of which 19.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 64.8% were married-couple households, 14.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 14.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. According to 2020 ACS 5-year estimates, there were 1,197 families residing in the town. Income and poverty In 2021, the median household income in Grant-Valkaria was $82,273 per year, although 6.3% of Grant-Valkaria's population lived in poverty. The median age for Grant-Valkaria was 54. ==Government==

In 2007, the town had a taxable real estate base of $503.37 million. The town charter reflects the reason for incorporation and calls for future development to be consistent with a rural and fishing village lifestyle that preserves the history and natural green spaces of the two communities. Government services are to be kept to a minimum, density kept low and lot sizes kept large. ==Culture==

A largely rural town in the south end of the county, the town includes older homes, newer homes on acre-plus lots and the county-owned Habitat Golf Course, a , par-72 course near the Valkaria Airport. The town has held the Grant Seafood Festival every year on the last weekend of February since 1966. In 1968, then U.S. Vice-President Hubert Humphrey visited the Seafood Festival while campaigning for his 1968 presidential bid. The proceeds go towards college scholarships for local children, as well as summer break activities for the community's children. The town has the historic Bensen House as well as the historic Jorgensen's General Store. ==Transportation==

• U.S. 1 – This US highway runs along the Indian River Lagoon. • CR 507 – Locally known as Babcock Street, CR 507 forms the western boundaries of Grant-Valkaria. • The Valkaria Airport serves small general aviation aircraft. ==Notable people==

• Billy Horschel, professional golfer, born in Grant ==References==