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Living in
Fort Walton Beach.
About
Life in Fort Walton Beach
Living in Fort Walton Beach means embracing a coastal lifestyle built around military and tourism economies—two major Air Force bases anchor the local job market and bring stability to the area, while the seasonal summer influx of visitors keeps hospitality and service industries humming. The median household income sits at $68,538 with a solid 3.8% unemployment rate, so job opportunities exist, though they're often concentrated in defense contracting, government work, and tourism-related fields; if your career doesn't fit those sectors, you may need to network or consider commuting north to Crestview or beyond. Housing costs around a $322,000 median home value and $1,307 monthly rent are reasonable by Florida coastal standards, though remember that summer tourism pressure and military personnel movement can affect availability and prices seasonally.
Fort Walton Beach at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.3%
Foreign-Born
9.4%
Broadband Internet
87.7%
of households
Population Growth
+0.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics9.4% foreign-born, most often from Venezuela
Who lives in Fort Walton Beach: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Fort Walton Beach, the largest foreign-born group is from Venezuela (10.0%), and 9.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.1%
of residents
65 and Older
19.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.7%
of households
Married Couples
41.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.34
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 22% below FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Fort Walton Beach
In Fort Walton Beach, rent runs 22% below the FL average, and home values are 10% below the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,806
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
61.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1972
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $321,993 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for FL
Unemployment in Fort Walton Beach
Unemployment in Okaloosa County, which includes Fort Walton Beach, is close to the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Fort Walton Beach: Okaloosa County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Okaloosa County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Fort Walton Beach Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.7 min avg
How Fort Walton Beach residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Fort Walton Beach, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 75% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 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 61% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Fort Walton Beach runs 61% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
531.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,670.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Fort Walton Beach 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 Fort Walton Beach, 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 Fort Walton Beach, 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
Climate90°F summers, 47°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Fort Walton Beach has hot summers (avg high 90°F) and warm winters (avg low 47°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
77°/61°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/75°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/63°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
65°/47°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
63.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
50
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
6
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
107
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63°F | 45°F | 4.52" |
| Feb | 66°F | 48°F | 4.96" |
| Mar | 71°F | 54°F | 4.70" |
| Apr | 76°F | 60°F | 4.55" |
| May | 84°F | 68°F | 3.22" |
| Jun | 89°F | 74°F | 4.70" |
| Jul | 91°F | 76°F | 5.77" |
| Aug | 91°F | 76°F | 6.08" |
| Sep | 89°F | 72°F | 5.18" |
| Oct | 81°F | 63°F | 2.82" |
| Nov | 72°F | 53°F | 4.13" |
| Dec | 66°F | 48°F | 4.72" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Fort Walton Beach
Uninsured
14.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Fort Walton Beach's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
HCA Florida Fort Walton-destin Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2 mi away · Fort Walton Beach
96th Medical Group (eglin Afb)
Acute Care - Department of Defense · ER available · 4.9 mi away · Eglin Afb
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.
Education18.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach's student/teacher ratio is 18.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 29.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
14
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
29.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Fort Walton Beach (within 15 miles)
Northwest Florida State College
11.8 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 3,010 students · in-state tuition $3,120 · 39% graduate · median earnings $43,741 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Gulf Islands National Seashore, 37 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Gulf Islands National Seashore (37 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Gulf Islands National Seashore
National Seashore
37 mi awayPublic Libraries in Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach Library
185 Miracle Strip Pkwy. Se, Fort Walton Beach
Cities Near Fort Walton Beach
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Fort Walton Beach?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Fort Walton Beach FAQ
Is Fort Walton Beach, Florida affordable?⌄
Fort Walton Beach's median rent is $1,307/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $68,538/year. Median home value is $321,800.
Is Fort Walton Beach, Florida safe?⌄
Fort Walton Beach's violent crime rate was 532 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1670 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Fort Walton Beach, Florida?⌄
Okaloosa County, which includes Fort Walton Beach, has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Fort Walton Beach, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Fort Walton Beach is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,307/month and median household income is $68,538/year. The median home value is $321,800. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Fort Walton Beach, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Fort Walton Beach is 23 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