The Gulf Coast city is seeing an increase in tourists after several airlines decided to offer non-stop service.
For decades, Destin, FL, has drawn spring break travelers, mostly from the Midwest, but its neighbor, Fort Walton Beach, is gaining attention as visitors along the Northeast discover a hidden gem along the Emerald Coast.
Susan Sharpeagent for EXIT Realty Anchor South in Fort Walton Beach, tells Realtor.com® that Destin has more of a resort town vibe and a more tourist-oriented population, while Fort Walton Beach has a strong military presence and a distinctly relaxed “hometown” feel.
“In other words, Destin feels like a vacation and Fort Walton Beach feels like a place to live,” he says.
The increase in popularity comes as the Destin–Fort Walton Beach airport sees an increase in nonstop air service.
JetBlue will begin new nonstop flights from Boston and New York City on March 5, while Southwest will offer seasonal nonstop service from Pittsburgh starting June 6.
Allegiant is launching nonstop routes from Columbia, MO, and Denver in the spring and summer of 2026.
American Airlines continued to expand its reach last year by adding daily nonstop flights from Miami.
With non-stop flights connecting the area to many cities, interest in the region continues to grow, and Fort Walton Beach is emerging as a prominent choice for travelers.
The difference between Fort Walton Beach and Destin
Sharpe says Fort Walton Beach and Destin are known for their sugar-white sand and emerald-green water, a combination that inspired the nickname “Emerald Coast.”
This difference between the two cities is reflected in Destin’s rapid growth.
“Over the past 30 years, Destin has seen commercial development, with luxury hotels, luxury rentals, golf courses, retail, and fine dining,” it said. Thread Thomaspresident of SkyRun Vacation Rentals. “As a result, Destin is now considered the ‘upscale cousin’ to Fort Walton Beach.”
Living in Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach is a medium-sized city with a population of about 20,000.
Sharpe says, “There are many options for things to do in Fort Walton Beach such as the Indian Temple Mound, the Air Force Armament Museum, and the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park.”
Sharpe says many people enjoy fishing from the 1,262-foot Island Pier, which has a restaurant and dining area and extends into the Gulf of Mexico.
The city is family friendly with a good school system, and many parks and museums.
“The beaches are close and rarely crowded,” said Sharpe. “The boardwalk at Okaloosa Island offers dining and shopping options, as well as live entertainment.”
Demand for Fort Walton Beach homes, as measured by Realtor.com listing page views per location, rose 7.1% year-over-year in December.
The market is very affordable with an overall median price of $401,250.
The median condo price was $411,000 in December, and single-family homes had an average listing price of $398,500.
That’s significantly lower than the median listing price in Destin, which was $637,000 in December overall. The median single-family home price was $1.25 million, and the median condo price was $498,000.
Sharpe says Fort Walton Beach’s single-family home market is more active than Destin’s because of the large number of military and supporting industries. “I would say Fort Walton Beach is more competitive than Destin because of the abundance of affordable properties there.”
The listing price of Fort Walton Beach is also much lower than other popular beach areas in Florida, such as Key West-Key Largo, where the median listing price was $1,307,500, or Naples, which had a median listing price of $729,725.
However, Fort Walton Beach saw an increase in buyer interest and tightening supply in December, according to the Hannah Jonessenior economic research analyst at Realtor.com.
“Overall inventory levels in Fort Walton Beach are down 5.6% year over year, reflecting increased demand,” said Jones. “This demand appears to be most pronounced in single-family homes, which have seen inventory levels decrease 24.2% year-over-year, while condo inventory has increased 9.3% year-over-year.”
Explore other options in and around Fort Walton Beach
Depending on what you want and your budget, there are a variety of options. This three-bedroom, two-bathroom home is listed for $334,900.
But for $594,500, you can get this four-bedroom, 2.5-bath home that was built in 1970.
This three-bedroom waterfront home is listed at $1,450,000 and offers 85 feet of frontage—perfect for mooring a boat.
