Rents are 15% below what Fort Walton Beach's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,804 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: August 17, 2026
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Who lives here
Fort Walton Beach, FL is majority owner-occupied, 29.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Fort Walton Beach, FL has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Fort Walton Beach, FL has shifted from $1,433 to $1,804, up 25.9% since 2021. Median household income climbed from $55,623 to $68,538 between 2021 and 2024, a 23.2% shift. Census counts show Fort Walton Beach, FL adding about 220 residents over the five-year window, up 1.1% on net. The renter share has eased from 40.9% to 38.2%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 27.6% to 29.7% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in Fort Walton Beach, FL reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
Discussions about Fort Walton Beach
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Can you afford rent in Fort Walton Beach on your salary?
At $1,804/mo, how Fort Walton Beach rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Fort Walton Beach rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Fort Walton Beach. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Fort Walton Beach
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Fort Walton Beach is $1,804/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,185/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,530/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,360/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,125/mo.
At 32% of local median household income ($68,538/yr), Fort Walton Beach ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fort Walton Beach an affordable city for renters?
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What percentage of Fort Walton Beach residents rent vs. own?
How does Fort Walton Beach rent compare to the national average?
At $1,804/mo, rent takes ~32% of Fort Walton Beach's median household income ($68,538/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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