Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Crestview grades C+ overall, 210th of 634 graded towns in Florida, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Its schools rank ahead of 76% of Florida towns. On the other side, FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 86% of U.S. communities, with hurricanes at the top. 28% of residents are under 18 in Crestview, against 20% in Florida’s towns and 22% across U.S. towns. Crestview Commercial Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where Crestview beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside Elementary School | PK–5 | 1,032 |
| Antioch Elementary School | PK–5 | 931 |
| Walker Elementary School | PK–5 | 875 |
Crestview Commercial Historic District20,978 counted in 2010 and 27,134 in 2020; an estimated 31,193 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 13.8% since 2020, after 29.3% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Crestview is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 500 in 1920, 27,134 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 4 maps from 1949 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Crestview, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Crestview.
Crestview fares better on crime within Florida than nationally, has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
14 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. Twin Hills Park, at 42 acres with 1.9 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Crestview’s trail density is 0.7 miles per square mile.
| Crestview | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.2% | 3% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Twin Hills Park | 1.9 mi | 42 |
| 2. Old Spanish Trail Park | 1.2 mi | 32 |
| 3. Allen Park | 0.3 mi | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Okaloosa school district. Three of its 16 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davidson Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,111 | B+ |
| Crestview High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,376 | B |
| Antioch Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 931 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
Since 1998, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Crestview.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The typical Crestview home is worth about $288,000, about the same as a year ago, 23% below the Florida typical home. 61% of Crestview households own their home.
| Crestview | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 61% | 72% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,366 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The Niceville weather station, 16 miles away, records that about 52 days a year reach 90°, more than in 95% of U.S. towns. The Niceville weather station, 16 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 253 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 100% of Florida places with climate records.
Crestview has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Crestview is 92°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Crestview has about as many jobs (10,031) as working residents, but only 1,838 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave Crestview for work: only 19% work in town. 7.2% of workers work from home in Crestview. Jobs based in Crestview grew to 10,031 in 2023, 678 more than in 2013.
| Crestview | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 19% | 5% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $65,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Against the 10,019 U.S. towns with household incomes like Crestview’s, it is healthier than 82%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income.
Crestview beats the Florida average on 9 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 8.
| Crestview | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 79% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 37% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 13% | 12% |
| What stands out | Crestview | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 5.2% | 7.5% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.7% | 9.1% |
| More adults in frequent mental distress | 19.7% | 15.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
At 15 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 76% of Florida’s graded towns.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Crestview. Close and well known come first.
38 mi CaveVortex Spring
24 mi National SeashoreGulf Islands National Seashore7.6M visitors a year
20 mi MuseumAir Force Armament Museum34 mi Zoo & aquariumGulf Breeze Zoo
7 mi MuseumBaker Block Museum
23 mi GardenFlorala City ParkVortex Spring: Paul Clark. Edited slightly by Daniel Case prior to upload, CC BY 2.0 · Gulf Islands National Seashore: National Park Service, Public domain · Air Force Armament Museum: Greg Goebel, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Baker Block Museum: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Florala City Park: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 4.0
None within 15 miles of Crestview; the nearest are
About 9 of every 100 Crestview residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
3 notable people were born in Crestview.
City in Florida, United States
Crestview is the largest city and county seat of Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. The population was 27,134 at the 2020 census, up from 20,978 at the 2010 census. With an elevation of 236 feet (72 m) above sea level, it is one of the highest points in the state. Crestview is a principal city of the Crestview–Fort Walton Beach–Destin, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Crestview grades C+ overall, better than 44% of U.S. towns and #210 of 634 in Florida. It grades B for health, B for safety and A− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
That is 3.5 years of the area's median household income ($81,993 across the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
3 notable people were born here, including Erick Harris and Terry Taylor.
