Cocoa Beach started its major growth during the 1960s (1000% population increase from 1950 to 1960) due to America's space program. NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center is located approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of the town. Many people moved to Cocoa Beach due to their jobs involving the space program, and in search of new opportunity.
After manned space flights, the town held parades in honor of the astronauts.
After NASA's Apollo program came to an end, and before the Space Shuttle program was in full swing, the town's economy reacted to the layoffs. At one point, in 1975, unemployment was 14.3%. Many families lost their jobs or simply moved away. People could not sell their homes, and some walked away from them.
Cocoa Beach was the setting for the 1960s sitcom I Dream of Jeannie, although star Barbara Eden made only two visits during the show's production (both in 1969 for publicity), and no episodes were actually filmed there. Cocoa Beach High School was used as the school in the 2002 movie Race to Space.
