Walton County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $661,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $658,000 |
What this means
Home values here climbed 1.7% in a year.
A specific house can rent above or below these figures, so pull rental comps for the address. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Walton County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 93,288 | 0.4% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 23.9% | +15.0 pts |
| Median home value | $425,100 | 18% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,741 | 4% higher |
| Median household income | $81,986 | 10% higher |
| Owner occupied homes | 78.6% | +11.0 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 20.1% | -1.2 pts |
| Average commute | 29 min | 5% higher |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 26.1% | +11.9 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 25.7 | 238% higher |
| Veterans, share of adults | 10.3% | +2.9 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $1,902 | 30% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $5,409 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Walton County
Compared with the rest of Florida, Walton County has many seasonal and vacation homes (32.2% of housing); heavy building (25.7 new units per 1,000 residents in 2025); and population growth of 23.9% since 2020 versus 8.9% for Florida.
Emerald Coast county with hilly terrain inland and sugar white dunes along the Gulf. DeFuniak Springs is the county seat, and the county dates to 1824.
Largest communities: Miramar Beach, Freeport and DeFuniak Springs. Miramar Beach alone has about 8,902 residents.
What anchors the area
- Economy: tourism
- Known for: Seaside; Topsail Hill Preserve State Park; Point Washington State Forest; Britton Hill, the highest point in Florida
In a typical year 4.7% of residents moved in from out of state, above the Florida rate of 2.9%.
Growth and where it is heading
The Census counts 93,288 residents as of July 2025, versus 75,305 in 2020, a 23.9% change. Year over year: +3.54%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 1,427 |
| 2 to 4 units | 18 |
| 5 or more units | 954 |
| Total | 2,399 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 25.7 (well above Florida, 7.6) |
26.1% of homes are 2010 or newer. New subdivisions often add HOA dues and a CDD assessment to the payment. CDD fees explained
What the regional research shows
Walton had the lowest potential single family rental yield in the country in ATTOM's 2026 report, 3.1% (ATTOM), so buyers here usually rely on vacation rental income or appreciation. Vacation rentals need a Walton County certificate ($300 a year) on top of the state license (rules guide, 2026).
More on corridors and rents: Panhandle and Big Bend investor guide.
Risks to price in
No hurricane landfall in Walton County since 2000 in the record we use. Wind and rain from storms still reach inland.
Budget around $5,409 a year for a homeowners policy with wind; that is the county average reported to state regulators.
Coastal county: check the flood zone and elevation of every address.
With 16.2% of homes in large buildings, read reserve studies and minutes before buying a condo. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
| Walton County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 4,608 (10.9%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 8,647 (20.4%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 70.3% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 1,814, $42,594,921 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Hurricane Dennis ($14,036,745); Hurricane Ivan ($11,066,692); Mid spring storms ($8,433,688) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 16 (10 hurricane, 3 severe storm, 2 tropical storm) |
Good news for flood premiums: the county (unincorporated areas) earned CRS class 6, so policies in high risk zones get 20% off. Flood map date: 12/30/20.
Where people work: hotels and restaurants (24%), retail (21%), construction (11%), out of 26,994 private jobs in Walton County (2023). Tourism signal: 24% work in hotels and restaurants, well above the state's 13%.
Buying a home in Walton County
| 2026 loan limit, one unit | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA | $603,750 |
| Conforming (above this is jumbo) | $832,750 |
FHA works at the median price here. FHA limits
Homes cost 5.2 times the median household income here, versus 4.8 statewide.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 3,057 | 78.3% | 72.2% | $699,648 |
| FHA | 389 | 10% | 17.8% | $334,563 |
| VA | 443 | 11.4% | 9.9% | $453,081 |
| USDA | 13 | 0.3% | 0.2% | $229,615 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 64.9% |
| Cash out refinance | 9.4% |
| Rate and term refinance | 13.1% |
| Home improvement | 4.8% |
That is up 7.7% from 3,622 loans in 2024. Most buyers here use conventional financing.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: the default choice here (78.3% of 2025 loans).
- FHA: lower scores and higher debt ratios allowed; limit $603,750.
- VA: veterans are 10.3% of adults (Florida 7.4%).
- USDA: a county of 93,288 people likely has eligible addresses; check the map.
Down payment help and taxes
First time buyers can check state assistance at the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Typical owner tax bill: $1,902 (0.45%). Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Walton County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Walton County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 21.4% | -11.0 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 32.5% | -2.7 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 37.9% | +30.3 pts |
Vacancy is high; price rentals carefully.
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 5% (varies by district) |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 32.2% (+24.4 pts vs Florida) |
Vacation rental towns with guides: Miramar Beach. A home only works as a vacation rental if zoning and the HOA both allow it. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 56.9% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 22.6% |
| Manufactured homes | 12.3% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 1.03% |
Largest cities and towns in Walton County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, Miramar Beach has the highest median value ($733,000) and DeFuniak Springs the lowest ($201,400); DeFuniak Springs shows the best rent to price ratio (6.1% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miramar Beach | 8,902 | $733,000 | $2,250 | $103,250 |
| Freeport | 6,689 | $407,800 | $1,859 | $91,985 |
| DeFuniak Springs | 6,532 | $201,400 | $1,024 | $54,512 |
| Paxton | 686 | $171,200 | $860 | $61,136 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walton County | $425,100 | $1,741 | 23.9% |
| Bay County | $310,500 | $1,484 | 16.7% |
| Holmes County | $110,200 | $844 | 2.3% |
| Okaloosa County | $351,200 | $1,612 | 4.8% |
| Washington County | $171,000 | $888 | 5.4% |
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.
- 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.