Florida · GEOID 12131

Walton County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 82,948 · 61,272 housing units

Median household income

$81,986

State $75,325

Median home value

$425,100

State $365,373

Median gross rent

$1,741

State $1,665

Homeownership rate

78.6%

State 67.6%

Renter cost-burden rate

56.3%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

24.3%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

2.4%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

37.9%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

43.9%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

5.19

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Walton County	Florida
Population	82,948	22,416,077
Population density (per sq. mi.)	79.89	—
Median household income	$81,986	$75,325
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$97,600	—
Households	34,362	—
Average household size	2.37 people	—
Owner-occupied	78.6%	67.6%
Renter-occupied	21.4%	32.4%
Race	83.6% White · 4.1% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Walton County compared with Florida.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

35.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 34.1%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	20.1%	$68,488	$1,712	$223,916
1 earner	34.2%	$80,280	$2,007	$267,810
2 earners	37.8%	$120,104	$3,003	$416,048
3+ earners	7.9%	$141,313	$3,533	$494,995

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

34,362

Average size: 2.37 people

Households with children

8,685

25.3% of households

Per-capita income

$53,406

Poverty rate: 10.6%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

78.6% owner-occupied vs. state average 67.6%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 60.1% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 11.0%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

14.1% built before 1980 · Median structure age 2,001.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $425,100.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $1,741.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 26,910 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 2.5% · For rent 16.9% · Seasonal 73.4% · Other 5.7%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

20.6% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 79.4% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

32.2%

19,742 units of 61,272 total

⚑ Above the 10% threshold — meaningful pressure on year-round residents from second-home / short-term-rental demand.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

2.5%

1,540 units of 61,272 total

Census "Other vacant" — units off the market for reasons other than seasonal, migrant, sale, or rental.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$65,589

100% MHI$81,986

120% MHI$98,383

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Walton County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$54,700	$62,500	$78,100
100% AMI	$68,320	$78,080	$97,600
120% AMI	$82,000	$93,700	$117,100

HUD FMR Area: Walton County, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

56.3% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (23.5% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

24.3% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Walton County.

Covered employment

34,785

Across 21 sectors

Establishments

4,125

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$56,144

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	8,081	$39,012	$114,196	−$310,904	$975
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	5,404	$37,670	$109,201	−$315,899	$942
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	3,702	$63,723	$206,179	−$218,921	$1,593
NAICS 62 Health care and social assistance NAICS 62	2,462	$67,960	$221,951	−$203,149	$1,699
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	2,265	$62,491	$201,593	−$223,507	$1,562
NAICS 54 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 54	2,139	$87,402	$294,320	−$130,780	$2,185
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	1,999	$64,808	$210,218	−$214,882	$1,620
NAICS 56 Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services NAICS 56	1,974	$56,299	$178,544	−$246,556	$1,407
NAICS 53 Real estate and rental and leasing NAICS 53	1,910	$58,998	$188,591	−$236,509	$1,475
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	1,127	$43,102	$129,421	−$295,679	$1,078
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	692	$48,427	$149,242	−$275,858	$1,211
NAICS 42 Wholesale trade NAICS 42	646	$90,642	$306,381	−$118,719	$2,266
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	555	$40,928	$121,328	−$303,772	$1,023
NAICS 52 Finance and insurance NAICS 52	546	$106,164	$364,159	−$60,941	$2,654
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	417	$61,513	$197,953	−$227,147	$1,538
NAICS 22 Utilities NAICS 22	312	$83,941	$281,437	−$143,663	$2,099
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	237	$141,928	$497,285	+$72,185	$3,548
NAICS 55 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 55	177	$162,218	$572,811	+$147,711	$4,055
NAICS 99 Unclassified NAICS 99	60	$142,560	$499,637	+$74,537	$3,564
NAICS 11 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting NAICS 11	49	$55,173	$174,353	−$250,747	$1,379
NAICS 21 Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction NAICS 21	31	$74,063	$244,668	−$180,432	$1,852

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 722 Food services and drinking places NAICS 722	5,893	$36,518	$104,913	−$320,187	$913
NAICS 238 Specialty trade contractors NAICS 238	2,315	$58,575	$187,017	−$238,083	$1,464
NAICS 721 Accommodation NAICS 721	2,188	$45,730	$139,203	−$285,897	$1,143
NAICS 541 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 541	2,139	$87,402	$294,320	−$130,780	$2,185
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	1,999	$64,808	$210,218	−$214,882	$1,620
NAICS 561 Administrative and support services NAICS 561	1,842	$55,944	$177,223	−$247,877	$1,399
NAICS 531 Real estate NAICS 531	1,577	$62,564	$201,865	−$223,235	$1,564
NAICS 445 Food and beverage retailers NAICS 445	1,264	$33,801	$94,799	−$330,301	$845
NAICS 458 Clothing, clothing accessories, shoe, and jewelry retailers NAICS 458	1,241	$32,270	$89,100	−$336,000	$807
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	1,165	$66,289	$215,731	−$209,369	$1,657
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	1,112	$74,825	$247,505	−$177,595	$1,871
NAICS 921 Executive, legislative, and other general government support NAICS 921	832	$55,083	$174,018	−$251,082	$1,377
NAICS 455 General merchandise retailers NAICS 455	815	$32,100	$88,468	−$336,632	$803
NAICS 237 Heavy and civil engineering construction NAICS 237	698	$77,014	$255,653	−$169,447	$1,925
NAICS 236 Construction of buildings NAICS 236	688	$67,655	$220,815	−$204,285	$1,691
NAICS 444 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers NAICS 444	558	$45,816	$139,523	−$285,577	$1,145
NAICS 812 Personal and laundry services NAICS 812	496	$30,747	$83,431	−$341,669	$769
NAICS 713 Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries NAICS 713	474	$34,303	$96,668	−$328,432	$858
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	431	$39,916	$117,561	−$307,539	$998
NAICS 623 Nursing and residential care facilities NAICS 623	409	$45,165	$137,100	−$288,000	$1,129
NAICS 813 Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations NAICS 813	363	$51,151	$159,382	−$265,718	$1,279
NAICS 492 Couriers and messengers NAICS 492	334	$28,285	$74,267	−$350,833	$707
NAICS 449 Furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliance retailers NAICS 449	331	$52,539	$164,548	−$260,552	$1,313
NAICS 423 Merchant wholesalers, durable goods NAICS 423	327	$85,450	$287,054	−$138,046	$2,136
NAICS 221 Utilities NAICS 221	312	$83,941	$281,437	−$143,663	$2,099
NAICS 424 Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods NAICS 424	299	$93,442	$316,803	−$108,297	$2,336
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	292	$55,770	$176,575	−$248,525	$1,394
NAICS 522 Credit intermediation and related activities NAICS 522	247	$88,105	$296,937	−$128,163	$2,203
NAICS 811 Repair and maintenance NAICS 811	230	$54,578	$172,138	−$252,962	$1,364
NAICS 524 Insurance carriers and related activities NAICS 524	222	$95,736	$325,342	−$99,758	$2,393
NAICS 551 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 551	177	$162,218	$572,811	+$147,711	$4,055
NAICS 484 Truck transportation NAICS 484	136	$50,952	$158,641	−$266,459	$1,274
NAICS 562 Waste management and remediation services NAICS 562	132	$61,251	$196,977	−$228,123	$1,531
NAICS 923 Administration of human resource programs NAICS 923	125	$47,992	$147,623	−$277,477	$1,200
NAICS 928 National security and international affairs NAICS 928	92	$97,778	$332,943	−$92,157	$2,444
NAICS 339 Miscellaneous manufacturing NAICS 339	88	$38,612	$112,707	−$312,393	$965
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	82	$69,903	$229,183	−$195,917	$1,748
NAICS 485 Transit and ground passenger transportation NAICS 485	74	$34,355	$96,861	−$328,239	$859
NAICS 321 Wood product manufacturing NAICS 321	71	$70,884	$232,835	−$192,265	$1,772
NAICS 513 Publishing industries NAICS 513	67	$300,750	$1,088,474	+$663,374	$7,519
NAICS 517 Telecommunications NAICS 517	66	$63,724	$206,183	−$218,917	$1,593
NAICS 999 Unclassified NAICS 999	60	$142,560	$499,637	+$74,537	$3,564
NAICS 518 Computing infrastructure providers, data processing, web hosting, and related services NAICS 518	57	$124,016	$430,610	+$5,510	$3,100
NAICS 332 Fabricated metal product manufacturing NAICS 332	52	$53,331	$167,497	−$257,603	$1,333
NAICS 488 Support activities for transportation NAICS 488	49	$128,276	$446,467	+$21,367	$3,207
NAICS 712 Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions NAICS 712	40	$31,068	$84,626	−$340,474	$777
NAICS 312 Beverage and tobacco product manufacturing NAICS 312	38	$40,183	$118,555	−$306,545	$1,005
NAICS 337 Furniture and related product manufacturing NAICS 337	38	$50,694	$157,681	−$267,419	$1,267
NAICS 814 Private households NAICS 814	38	$58,038	$185,018	−$240,082	$1,451
NAICS 311 Food manufacturing NAICS 311	36	$123,268	$427,826	+$2,726	$3,082
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	34	$71,965	$236,859	−$188,241	$1,799
NAICS 512 Motion picture and sound recording industries NAICS 512	28	$32,793	$91,047	−$334,053	$820
NAICS 327 Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing NAICS 327	27	$55,325	$174,919	−$250,181	$1,383
NAICS 425 Wholesale trade agents and brokers NAICS 425	20	$133,671	$466,549	+$41,449	$3,342
NAICS 112 Animal production and aquaculture NAICS 112	17	$43,889	$132,350	−$292,750	$1,097
NAICS 926 Administration of economic programs NAICS 926	16	$65,333	$212,172	−$212,928	$1,633
NAICS 115 Support activities for agriculture and forestry NAICS 115	14	$50,371	$156,478	−$268,622	$1,259
NAICS 334 Computer and electronic product manufacturing NAICS 334	8	$142,191	$498,264	+$73,164	$3,555
NAICS 487 Scenic and sightseeing transportation NAICS 487	6	$37,140	$107,228	−$317,872	$929

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023 · prior-year code differs	4,350	560	15%	$15.33	$31,880	$87,649	$797
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	3,090	(710)	(19%)	$15.78	$32,830	$91,185	$821
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	150	(280)	(65%)	$16.42	$34,160	$96,136	$854
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	5,760	40	1%	$17.20	$35,770	$102,129	$894
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	1,470	240	20%	$17.46	$36,310	$104,139	$908
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	850	120	16%	$18.57	$38,630	$112,774	$966
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	4,430	(470)	(10%)	$20.98	$43,640	$131,423	$1,091
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	1,000	350	54%	$21.82	$45,390	$137,937	$1,135
Tellers SOC 43-3071	250	(330)	(57%)	$22.14	$46,060	$140,431	$1,152
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	2,560	940	58%	$22.95	$47,730	$146,648	$1,193
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	1,930	580	43%	$22.98	$47,810	$146,946	$1,195
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	640	180	39%	$23.57	$49,020	$151,450	$1,226
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	370	(230)	(38%)	$24.68	$51,330	$160,048	$1,283
Paramedics SOC 29-2043 · prior-year code differs	70	(130)	(65%)	$27.14	$56,460	$179,144	$1,412
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	440	(60)	(12%)	$27.45	$57,090	$181,489	$1,427
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	370	150	68%	$27.69	$57,600	$183,387	$1,440
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	970	90	10%	—	$58,150	$185,435	$1,454
Electricians SOC 47-2111	550	40	8%	$28.13	$58,510	$186,775	$1,463
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	660	320	94%	$28.72	$59,730	$191,316	$1,493
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	1,900	490	35%	$40.37	$83,970	$281,545	$2,099

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 12131 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.