Photo: Skye Marthaler · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fort Walton Beach is healthier than 68%
Fort Walton Beach beats Florida on 1 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fort Walton Beach. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Walton Beach
What’s behind Fort Walton Beach’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Walton Beach is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, #347 of 636 in Florida. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 77% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 39%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Fort Walton Beach’s median household income is $68,538; among the 10,399 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$86K), it’s healthier than 68%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Fort Walton Beach adults…
On every condition, Fort Walton Beach is about the same as Florida. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Fort Walton Beach
No hospital or community health center in Fort Walton Beach itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Fort Walton Beach; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Florida
Share of adults, with the Florida figure marked.
5.4 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Walton Beach adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
How Fort Walton Beach adults are doing
About the same as Florida on each measure.
A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14.3% of Fort Walton Beach adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Fort Walton Beach and the towns around it
Fort Walton Beach’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Walton Beach | B− | 31.7% | 12.5% | 14.1% | CDC place |
| Wright | C+ | 32.8% | 11.7% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Mary Esther | B+ | 29.8% | 11.3% | 12.8% | CDC place |
| Ocean City | B | 31% | 11.6% | 13.8% | CDC place |
| Hurlburt Field | A− | 27.9% | 4.5% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| Cinco Bayou | — | — | — | — |
Cinco Bayou: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fort Walton Beach adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Walton Beach
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Walton Beach is better than Florida on 1 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Fort Walton Beach’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Walton Beach | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.8%17.6–22.2 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.8–16.1 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%15.8–19.6 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.7%26.4–37.2 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.9–14.1 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.8%32.3–39.4 | 36.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%32.5–39.9 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.4%25.5–31.3 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.4–10.1 | 9.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.5–8 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.8%6.9–8.7 | 7.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.1%9.9–14.6 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.1%12.2–16 | 12.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.8%22.3–29.6 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.9%13.4–18.6 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.2%31.9–42.6 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.8%11.2–14.4 | 15.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.1%73.8–80.1 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.6%55.1–62 | 57.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.9%84.2–87.5 | 87% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.6%75–80.1 | 78.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69%64.4–73.3 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.3%64.5–78.9 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.1%16.4–22 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.2%19.2–25.3 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.1%13.7–16.8 | 16.8% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.7%11.3–14.2 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.3%7.3–9.3 | 8.6% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.8%8–9.6 | 9.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.3%12.9–15.8 | 15% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.7%29.1–36.6 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.9%13.2–16.7 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.6%13.1–16.2 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.9–8.5 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.6–9.4 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.6–4.4 | 4.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Florida figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Fort Walton Beach
Is Fort Walton Beach a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Walton Beach is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #347 of 636 in Florida. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fort Walton Beach?
CDC estimates 31.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.4% and 37.2%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fort Walton Beach?
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital in Fort Walton Beach, 2.1 miles in a straight line from Fort Walton Beach’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fort Walton Beach have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.2–14.4%), against 15.9% across Florida.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Fort Walton Beach more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fort Walton Beach.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Florida figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.