United States › Florida › Fort Walton Beach CITY
Fort Walton Beach Florida · 21,097 residents (2025 est.) · 7.66 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 21,025 people, Fort Walton Beach is a city in Florida. There are 2,745 people per square mile. About 30% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Median household income is $68,538, under the $82,259 national median. The typical home is worth $321,800, having more than tripled since 2000. The population has held roughly steady since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 102%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 19,973 in 2000
21,097 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
2,745 / sq mi
+9%since 2009
from 2,509 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
19K 20K 21K 22K 22K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Fort Walton Beach Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $68,538
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,153 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $21,085 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 24.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.418 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.5%
Public administration 3.6%
Transportation & warehousing 1.1%
Education & health services 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
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$321,800
+102%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $87,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,307
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $586 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 64.1% in 2000
38.2% rent
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.15 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 29.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.7 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 76.5%(15,274)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 64%(13,458)
Hispanic / Latino 13%(2,743)
from 61 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data from 21.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 89.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 7.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 66.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 75.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 21.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 22.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 76.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 81.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 88.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 5.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 36.7%(3,057)
Women 15+
Never married 23.7%(2,062)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 22.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 40.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 65.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 38.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 36.2%(955)
Gulf War (1990s) 41.3%(1,088)
Share of the 2,636 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Fort Walton Beach Head to head
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FORT WALTON BEACH VS
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FORT WALTON BEACH VS
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FORT WALTON BEACH VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Fort Walton Beach, Florida? Fort Walton Beach, Florida has about 21,025 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Fort Walton Beach, Florida? The typical household in Fort Walton Beach, Florida earns about $68,538 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Fort Walton Beach, Florida expensive? In Fort Walton Beach, Florida, the median home is worth about $321,800, and the typical rent is about $1,307 a month.
How educated are people in Fort Walton Beach, Florida? About 29.7% of adults age 25 and over in Fort Walton Beach, Florida hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Fort Walton Beach, Florida? About 13.3% of people in Fort Walton Beach, Florida live below the federal poverty line.
Has Fort Walton Beach, Florida grown since 1990? Yes, Fort Walton Beach, Florida has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 443 residents, a change of about -2 percent over that period.
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