Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Fort Walton Beach, Florida
A $296,000 home here costs
$2,298per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,522. The real number is $777 higher every month — 51% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Fort Walton Beach against Okaloosa County and Florida
| Measure | Fort Walton Beach | Okaloosa County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $296,000 | $324,800 |
| Median property tax | $1,760 | $1,948 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.595% | 0.600% |
| Median gross rent | $1,268 | $1,475 |
| Population | 20,956 | 214,281 |
The weather behind that power bill
Fort Walton Beach sits in Okaloosa County, which averages a high of 92.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 38.5°F in its coldest, with 63.6" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,499 cooling and 1,739 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Okaloosa County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Okaloosa County
Full Okaloosa County cost breakdown · Every county in Florida
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Fort Walton Beach?
A $296,000 home in Fort Walton Beach, Florida costs approximately $2,298 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,522 principal and interest, $147 property tax, $179 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $247 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Fort Walton Beach?
Fort Walton Beach has an effective property tax rate of 0.595%, based on a median home value of $296,000 and median real estate taxes of $1,760. That is in line with the Okaloosa County average of 0.600%.
What is the average home price in Fort Walton Beach?
The median owner-occupied home value in Fort Walton Beach, Florida is $296,000, against $324,800 across Okaloosa County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fort Walton Beach?
Median gross rent in Fort Walton Beach is $1,268 a month, against $2,298 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Fort Walton Beach — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Florida.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.