What is the rental vacancy rate in Fort Walton Beach, FL?

Name: Vacancy rate in Fort Walton Beach, FL, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

The rental vacancy rate in Fort Walton Beach, FL is 7.9% (±4.0 points) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

The homeowner vacancy rate is 1.1% (±1.2 points).

1,084 (±236) homes, 10.9% of all housing units, were vacant, a count that includes seasonal homes and homes being sold or rented.

In Fort Walton Beach, the rental vacancy rate went from 5.4% in 2015–2019 to 7.9% in 2020–2024 (+2.5 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Rental vacancy rate: 7.9% (±4.0 points)
Homeowner vacancy rate: 1.1% (±1.2 points)
Vacant homes: 1,084 (±236)

Vacancy in Fort Walton Beach against Okaloosa County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Fort Walton Beach	Okaloosa County	Florida	United States
Rental vacancy rate	7.9% (±4.0 points)	14.3% (±1.6 points)	7.6% (±0.2 points)	5.5%
Homeowner vacancy rate	1.1% (±1.2 points)	1.4% (±0.6 points)	1.4% (±0.1 points)	0.9%
Vacant housing units	1,084 (±236)	18,453 (±935)	1,503,660 (±20,826)	14,547,859

The rental vacancy rate is the share of rental homes that are vacant and for rent; it leaves out homes already rented but not yet moved into, and seasonal homes.

In Fort Walton Beach, the rental vacancy rate is lower than in Okaloosa County (14.3%).

It is not measurably different from Florida (7.6%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (5.5%).

Rental vacancy rate in places near Fort Walton Beach

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Fort Walton Beach
Place	Distance	Rental vacancy rate	Compared with this place
Fort Walton Beach	—	7.9% (±4.0 points)	—
Cinco Bayou	0.8 mi	0.0% (±37.7 points)	Not measurably different
Ocean City	1.3 mi	8.9% (±7.4 points)	Not measurably different
Wright	1.8 mi	5.0% (±3.3 points)	Not measurably different
Mary Esther	2.4 mi	10.7% (±11.9 points)	Not measurably different
Shalimar	2.6 mi	0.0% (±33.4 points)	Not measurably different
Lake Lorraine	3.5 mi	7.8% (±8.7 points)	Not measurably different
Eglin AFB	4.9 mi	3.5% (±3.2 points)	Not measurably different
Hurlburt Field	5.8 mi	8.7% (±7.9 points)	Not measurably different

None of the nearby places differs measurably from this one on this figure.

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Rental vacancy rate across Okaloosa County, place by place

Rank	Place	Rental vacancy rate
1	Destin	49.1% (±6.3 points)
2	Laurel Hill	38.2% (±38.2 points)
3	Mary Esther	10.7% (±11.9 points)
4	Niceville	10.0% (±7.1 points)
5	Ocean City	8.9% (±7.4 points)
6	Hurlburt Field	8.7% (±7.9 points)
7	Fort Walton Beach	7.9% (±4.0 points)
8 (tie)	Crestview	7.8% (±4.3 points)
8 (tie)	Lake Lorraine	7.8% (±8.7 points)
10	Wright	5.0% (±3.3 points)
11	Eglin AFB	3.5% (±3.2 points)
12 (tie)	Cinco Bayou	0.0% (±37.7 points)
12 (tie)	Shalimar	0.0% (±33.4 points)

Showing 13 of 14 places in Okaloosa County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Fort Walton Beach

Is it hard to find a rental in Fort Walton Beach?

The rental vacancy rate in Fort Walton Beach, FL is 7.9% (±4.0 points); a low rate means few rental homes stand empty and for rent at any time, which usually means more competition for each one.

Is the rental market in Fort Walton Beach tighter than it was?

In Fort Walton Beach, the rental vacancy rate went from 5.4% in 2015–2019 to 7.9% in 2020–2024 (+2.5 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How many homes are vacant in Fort Walton Beach?

An estimated 1,084 (±236) housing units, 10.9% of the total, including seasonal homes and homes waiting to be sold or rented.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Fort Walton Beach city, Florida (place:24475, in state:12).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M, DP04_0004E, DP04_0004M, DP04_0003E, DP04_0003M, DP04_0003PE, DP04_0003PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.