Population 23,726 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fort Walton Beach
Household size in Fort Walton Beach
| Period | Fort Walton Beach | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.23 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.39 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.33 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Fort Walton Beach are small: just 2.33 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.23, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Fort Walton Beach
| Period | Fort Walton Beach | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.5 | 40.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.4 | 42.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.2 | 43.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.3 | 43.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.2 | +2.7 | +2.3 |
At 41.3, the median age in Fort Walton Beach is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is younger than in Florida overall, where the median age is 43.5. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the northeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Fort Walton Beach
| Period | Fort Walton Beach | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Fort Walton Beach than nationally: 10.3%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Fort Walton Beach
Renters in Fort Walton Beach
| Period | Fort Walton Beach | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.4% | 30.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 43.6% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.8% | 34.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.7% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in Fort Walton Beach rent their homes (38.7%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Among owners, 46.3% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the center. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.4 points, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Fort Walton Beach
| Period | Fort Walton Beach | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.7% | 17.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 17.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 15.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.9% | 12.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | −4.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Fort Walton Beach: 15.9% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.2 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Fort Walton Beach
| Period | Fort Walton Beach | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1989 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Fort Walton Beach was built around 1976, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in Florida as a whole, where the median home dates to 1989. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Fort Walton Beach
| Period | Fort Walton Beach | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $941 | $1,092 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,014 | $1,123 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,112 | $1,323 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,554 | $1,816 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$613 | +$724 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Fort Walton Beach costs $1,554 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in Florida as a whole ($1,816). Rents are up $613 a month from 2006–10, a 65% jump, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 29.5% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Fort Walton Beach
Bachelor's degrees in Fort Walton Beach
| Period | Fort Walton Beach | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.7% | 26.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.1% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.0% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.0% | 34.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +8.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Fort Walton Beach (33.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.2 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the west.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Fort Walton Beach
| Period | Fort Walton Beach | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.1% | 85.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.8% | 86.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.5% | 88.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.1% | 90.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Fort Walton Beach is close to the national rate: 90.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged down 1.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Fort Walton Beach
| Period | Fort Walton Beach | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 8.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Fort Walton Beach than nationally: unemployment was 3.5%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Fort Walton Beach compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Walton Beach | 2.33 | 41.3 | 10.3% | 38.7% | 15.9% | 1976 | $1,554 | 33.0% | 90.1% | 3.5% |
| Cinco Bayou | 2.26 | 50.2 | 12.2% | 18.6% | 12.4% | 1981 | $1,668 | 48.4% | 95.1% | 3.3% |
| Ocean City | 2.21 | 39.1 | 11.5% | 40.2% | 15.3% | 1976 | $1,538 | 28.0% | 89.5% | 4.1% |
| Wright | 2.55 | 36.2 | 16.1% | 46.3% | 7.7% | 1989 | $1,699 | 27.2% | 86.5% | 3.7% |
| Shalimar | 2.35 | 55.3 | 10.5% | 33.5% | 8.4% | 1984 | $1,914 | 46.2% | 97.1% | 1.1% |
| Lake Lorraine | 2.34 | 42.9 | 6.3% | 27.6% | 13.7% | 1982 | $1,691 | 47.9% | 94.4% | 2.4% |
| Eglin Afb | 3.02 | 27.1 | 11.7% | 92.8% | 5.9% | 2009 | $2,142 | 45.1% | 94.5% | 2.3% |
| Hurlburt Field | 3.39 | 23.9 | 4.1% | 97.7% | 8.9% | 2015 | $2,074 | 44.9% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Mary Esther | 2.38 | 37.3 | 8.7% | 31.6% | 14.3% | 1985 | $1,614 | 39.1% | 94.9% | 4.9% |
| Destin | 2.30 | 44.1 | 11.0% | 31.2% | 27.2% | 1995 | $2,011 | 47.0% | 94.8% | 2.6% |
| Valparaiso | 2.27 | 39.2 | 7.7% | 33.5% | 9.2% | 1976 | $1,350 | 41.0% | 98.7% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Roanoke Rapids, NC · Hopewell Junction, NY · Hormigueros, PR · Hudson, OH · Hummelstown, PA · Inverness, FL · Johnston, IA · Junction City, KS · Lincolnia, VA · Plainview, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Fort Walton Beach. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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