Rank

1408of 3,144

Okaloosa, Florida

Score 6.38 / 10· population 218,464

Okaloosa County has Destin and Fort Walton Beach on the Gulf and county offices in Shalimar and Crestview. In 1995, Hurricane Opal's 10 to 20 foot storm surge destroyed US 98 on Santa Rosa Island and kept Okaloosa Island residents out of their homes for weeks. Hurricane Sally dropped 14.71 inches of rain on Niceville in September 2020 and pushed the Shoal River to major flood stage, closing the I-10 bridge over it.

Sources
  • The county site promotes Destin-Fort Walton Beach and its Gulf waters; county offices are at 302 N. Wilson St., Crestview and 1250 N. Eglin Parkway, Shalimar myokaloosa.com
  • Hurricane Opal (1995) produced the most significant storm surge recorded for Okaloosa County, 10.0 to 20.0 feet (2021 Local Mitigation Strategy, Table 4.01.03.2) myokaloosa.com
  • Opal's surge completely destroyed US 98 on Santa Rosa Island, and Okaloosa Island residents were not allowed to return to their homes for weeks myokaloosa.com
  • Hurricane Sally (11-17 September 2020): 14.71 inches total rain at Niceville (NCVF1) nhc.noaa.gov
  • During Sally the Shoal and Blackwater Rivers reached major flood stage, and the I-10 bridge over the Shoal River in Okaloosa County was closed nhc.noaa.gov

v4 — beta, 30 October 2026, sourced values

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Eleven factors

Government behavior

  1. Fraser Institute state ranking (state)7.6
  2. 2A (state)8.0
  3. GOP + LP vote for President7.1
  4. Sales tax3.6
  5. Property tax7.1

Environment

  1. Air quality6.4
  2. Floods / hurricanes0.2

Private behavior

  1. Homicide rate7.3
  2. Life expectancy6.2
  3. Government employees7.7
  4. Single-parent households4.1

Neighbors