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Living in
Crestview.
About
Life in Crestview
If you're considering Crestview, understand that you're looking at a growing mid-sized city in the Panhandle that's genuinely affordable compared to the beach communities nearby—median home values around $277,900 and rents near $1,366 monthly—while still benefiting from proximity to the coast. The job market here is solid with unemployment at 3.9%, though you should know that your average commute will run about 30 minutes, and many residents work toward the Fort Walton Beach or Destin areas. The real trade-off is the weather: summers are genuinely hot, regularly hitting the low 90s and occasionally cracking 100 degrees, while winters are mild but occasionally dip below freezing—the area can surprise you with heavy snow like the 9 inches that fell in January 2025.
Crestview at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
31.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.2%
Foreign-Born
5.1%
Broadband Internet
93.0%
of households
Population Growth
+13.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.1% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Crestview: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Crestview, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (20.9%), and 6.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
28.3%
of residents
65 and Older
11.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.6%
of households
Married Couples
41.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.55
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 18% below FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Crestview
In Crestview, rent runs 18% below the FL average, and home values are 23% below the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
54.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,882
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
61.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2000
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $287,751 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for FL
Unemployment in Crestview
Unemployment in Crestview is close to the FL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Crestview Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute30.4 min avg
How Crestview residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Crestview, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 45% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 20 mi
Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS)
Small hub1.2M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 37% below national average
Crime rates for 2024
Violent crime in Crestview runs 37% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
227.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (363 national, 2024)
Property Crime Rate
1,471.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,767 national, 2024)
Crestview Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 4 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
92.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Okaloosa County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Okaloosa County, which includes Crestview, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 4 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2024 | 7 | Rip Current | None reported |
| 2023 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $361,000 |
| 2021 | 15 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2020 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $17.3M |
| 2019 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2,000 |
| 2018 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $515,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Okaloosa County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Okaloosa County, which includes Crestview, is typically good — 338 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
36
Good Days
338
per year
Moderate Days
22
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Okaloosa County, county-wide
Climate92°F summers, 40°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Crestview has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and mild winters (avg low 40°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
80°/53°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
80°/56°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
65°/40°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
68.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
98
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
39
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
122
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63°F | 39°F | 5.66" |
| Feb | 67°F | 41°F | 4.58" |
| Mar | 73°F | 47°F | 5.66" |
| Apr | 79°F | 53°F | 4.92" |
| May | 87°F | 61°F | 4.13" |
| Jun | 91°F | 69°F | 5.96" |
| Jul | 92°F | 71°F | 7.92" |
| Aug | 92°F | 71°F | 6.42" |
| Sep | 89°F | 67°F | 5.06" |
| Oct | 81°F | 56°F | 4.09" |
| Nov | 72°F | 45°F | 4.27" |
| Dec | 65°F | 41°F | 4.93" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Crestview
Crestview has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
11.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
North Okaloosa Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education18.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Crestview
Crestview's student/teacher ratio is 18.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 22.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
22.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Gulf Islands National Seashore, 49 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Crestview
Crestview has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Gulf Islands National Seashore (49 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Gulf Islands National Seashore
National Seashore
49 mi awayPublic Libraries in Crestview
Robert L.F. Sikes Public Library
1445 Commerce Drive, Crestview
Cities Near Crestview
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Crestview?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Crestview FAQ
Is Crestview, Florida affordable?⌄
Crestview's median rent is $1,366/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $65,480/year. Median home value is $277,900.
Is Crestview, Florida safe?⌄
Crestview's violent crime rate was 227 per 100,000 residents in 2024, which is below the national average of 363/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1471 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Crestview, Florida?⌄
Crestview has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Crestview, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Crestview is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,366/month and median household income is $65,480/year. The median home value is $277,900. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Crestview, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Crestview is 30 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from