Fort Walton Beach city, Florida Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Fort Walton Beach city is a small city located in Florida. The total population is 20,956. It ranks as the 198th most populous out of 953 cities and towns in Florida.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fort Walton Beach city is 39.2 years. This is 8% lower than the state median of 42.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fort Walton Beach city is $66,556. This is 7% lower than the state median of $71,711. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 15% lower. The poverty rate stands at 13.8%. This is 10% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. This is 19% lower than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $296,000. Housing costs are 9% lower than the state median of $325,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.4x. 59.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% lower than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Fort Walton Beach city is White (non-Hispanic), making up 64.8% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 12.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (11.5%) is well below the state average of 26.8%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (5.2% vs 2.8%).

Education

27.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 16% lower than the state rate of 33.2%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Fort Walton Beach city, Florida is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023). The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually, providing reliable estimates for communities of all sizes. Comparisons are made against Florida state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 953 Census-designated places in Florida. For official data, visit data.census.gov.