Fort Walton Beach today
What this means
Twelve month change in Fort Walton Beach: +1.2%, essentially flat, now 4.6% below the Oct 2023 peak.
Permits January to September 2026: 32 homes, 357% more than 2025.
Treat these as area figures and confirm rent with comps. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Fort Walton Beach | vs Okaloosa County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,097 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 0.8% | -4.0 pts | -8.1 pts |
| Median home value | $321,800 | 8% lower | 10% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,307 | 19% lower | 22% lower |
| Median household income | $68,538 | 16% lower | 8% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 61.8% | -6.6 pts | -5.8 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 19.7% | +3.1 pts | -1.6 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 23 | 14% lower | 19% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 7.5% | -7.6 pts | -6.7 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $1,806 | 10% lower | 34% lower |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in Fort Walton Beach
Okaloosa County Gulf city, a year round fishing and beach resort, incorporated in 1941.
As an incorporated city, Fort Walton Beach sets its own zoning inside Okaloosa County.
Known for: Eglin Air Force Base; Hurlburt Field; Okaloosa Island; Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival
Development and roads: US 98 runs through downtown; the Brooks Bridge leads to Okaloosa Island.
Next to the rest of Okaloosa County, fewer homes are seasonal or vacation homes (1.9% vs 8.4%); Census median rent runs lower ($1,307 vs $1,612 countywide); household incomes are lower ($68,538 vs $81,998) and housing is older (7.5% built since 2010 vs 15.1%).
If you like the numbers here, also look at Pensacola ($314,400, $1,322), DeLand ($330,900, $1,355), Tallahassee ($294,400, $1,293).
Growth and housing
Population went from 20,939 in 2020 to 21,097 in 2025 (0.8%), versus 4.8% for Okaloosa County.
| 2025 building permits | Fort Walton Beach |
|---|---|
| Single family | 11 |
| 5 or more units | 5 |
| Total units | 20 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 0.9 |
The typical home here was built around 1972. Most housing is single family (67%). Households average 2.34 people.
Out of state arrivals: 4.1% of residents a year, versus 6.2% countywide.
Risks to price in
| Risk item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County average homeowners insurance with wind | $3,889 a year |
| Hurricanes tied to Okaloosa County since 2000 | Isaias (2026) |
| Coastal county | check flood zone and elevation per address |
Older homes (64.8% built before 1980) draw insurer questions about roofs and wiring. Inspections
Flood, storms and jobs
The city earned Community Rating System class 6; federal flood policies in its high risk zones cost 20% less. 377 flood claims ($13,485,229) have come from Fort Walton Beach since 2000. The Okaloosa County guide covers storms, flood claims and employers; 6.4% of county homes are in high risk flood zones.
Buying a home in Fort Walton Beach
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $603,750 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $321,800 |
Price to income: 4.7x, compared with 4.3x for the county.
- Conventional: the most common loan in Okaloosa County.
- FHA: the Fort Walton Beach median of $321,800 fits under the $603,750 limit.
- VA: veterans are 16.9% of adults.
Investing in Fort Walton Beach
Long term rentals
| Fort Walton Beach | vs Okaloosa County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 38.2% | +6.6 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 7.9% | -6.4 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 32.3% | +0.4 pts |
Short term rentals
Fort Walton Beach is one of Florida's vacation rental markets: 1.9% of homes are held for seasonal or vacation use.
| Short term rental taxes | Rate |
|---|---|
| County tourist development tax | 6% |
| State sales tax | 6% plus any county surtax |
Get the zoning and HOA answer in writing before you count on nightly income. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 67% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 18.9% |
| Manufactured homes | 0.1% |
Nearby
Other Florida markets
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5 year estimates. 2020 to 2024.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025. July 1, 2025.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual. 2025.
- FFIEC HMDA Data Browser, originated loans. 2025 and 2024.
- LendingTree: 2026 FHA loan limits in Florida by county (HUD figures). 2026.
- Florida Realtors: FHFA sets 2026 conforming loan limits. 2026.
- Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research: 2026 local option tourist tax rates. 2026.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, July 2026 Insurance Stability Unit report (average homeowners premium with wind, as of March 31, 2026). March 31, 2026.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. week of October 22, 2026.
- Wikipedia: List of counties in Florida. checked October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file. 2024.
- Wikipedia county article and statewide lists (colleges, teams, airports); Florida Defense Support Task Force installation map. checked October 2026.
- Wikipedia article for this place (history, setting, roads). checked October 2026.
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), all homes, middle tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted. September 2026.
- Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (county annual, metro and state quarterly, all transactions). through Q2 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, January to September 2026 and 2025. September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Residential Penetration Rates. as of August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims (2000 to 2026). as of September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book (Community Rating System class). August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries (2000 to 2026). October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. 2023.
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024, median gross rent by bedrooms (B25031). 2020 to 2024.
- Hurricane landfalls: Wikipedia, List of Florida hurricanes (2000 to present). checked October 2026.
Estimates from public data; they change over time. General information, not investment, tax or legal advice, and not a loan offer. Methods and assumptions.