Baytowne Wharf, 2007
Miramar Beach’s story
Miramar Beach in pictures
Census counts: 1,644 in 1990, 8,002 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1938 on.
Explore the history →Miramar BeachFL
Population 8,902: a town in Florida.
Population
8,902
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$657K
+0.2% in a year
Household income
$103K
median
Median age
59.5
years
Jobs based here
9,635
A job hub
TownGrade
B
#85 of 634 in FL
Is Miramar Beach a good place to live?
Mostly strong, with a single weak spot. Schools are its strong suit: its schools outperform 92% of the state's. With a B overall, Miramar Beach is better than three fifths of U.S. towns. It ranks 85th of 634 in Florida. Health is a strength too (A−) — CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 84% of the country. What holds it back is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $657K, 8 years of the Crestview metro’s $82K median household income. Hazard risk is weaker too — FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 83% of U.S. communities, with hurricanes at the top. 38% of residents are 65 or older locally, above both Florida’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (18%).
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index.
What makes Miramar Beach stand out
Where Miramar Beach beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here9,635
Residents who work3,140
Work
3.1 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 98% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
OKALOOSA schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway Academy | PK–8 | 401 |
| Contracted Residential Services | 6–12 | — |
| South Walton Academy | PK–12 | 162 |
SchoolsA
#12 of the 638 Florida towns we grade for schools
NCES · EDFacts.
A growing town
Miramar Beach has grown 30% from 2010 to 2020
6,146 counted in 2010 and 8,002 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Miramar Beach grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Miramar Beach is from typical.
Cost of livingIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedD−Open →SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsAOpen →Hazard riskHurricanes top the listDOpen →HealthSacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast 0.2 miles awayA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.4 of 20; 2.7% of households have no car; 1.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Jobs & income$103K median household incomeBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 90° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market$657K typical home, up 0.2% in a year; 108 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 59.5; 52% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 17 attractions →Vortex Spring and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Miramar Beach. Close and well known come first.
36 mi CaveVortex Spring
10 mi National SeashoreGulf Islands National Seashore7.6M visitors a year
14 mi MuseumAir Force Armament Museum38 mi Zoo & aquariumGulf Breeze Zoo
29 mi MuseumMan in the Sea Museum
35 mi MuseumBaker Block MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Vortex 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 · Man in the Sea Museum: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Baker Block Museum: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
Moving to Miramar Beach: who provides what
Miramar Beach is unincorporated, so Walton County and regional agencies provide most services.
WaterSouth Walton Utility CompanyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesWalton CountyWalton County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Florida you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereWalton Supervisor of ElectionsWalton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2023
ZIP codes32550, 3245932550 98% · 32459 2%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Miramar Beach.
Miramar Beach has schools in the top 5% of Florida, is a second-home town and draws workers from Destin and beyond.
OutdoorsC+
Miramar Beach keeps 1.3% of its land conserved
For Miramar Beach, the density of trails is 3.6 miles per square mile. 26 miles of trail wind through 3 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves here: 3, covering 21 acres.
#7for trails in FL
| Miramar Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 3.6 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.3% | 3% | 4.3% |
1.3%
conserved · 59 of 4,698 acres
26 mi
of trails · 3.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Point Washington State Forest | — | 18 |
| 2. Legion Park | — | 2 |
| 3. Haugen Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsA
Miramar Beach earns an A for schools
That grade ranks #12 of the 638 Florida towns we grade for schools. It comes with a D− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $657K.
Two of its 3 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed.
92%of FL districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Academy PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 401 | – |
| Contracted Residential ServicesLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | – | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade D−
Miramar Beach earns a D− for cost of living
At 8 years of the Crestview metro’s $82K median household income, the typical home (about $657K) costs more against local pay than in 89% of Florida towns; that ratio is one input to that grade. The typical value, about $657K, is 14% below its August 2022 peak.
Miramar Beach’s midpoint rent stands at $2,250 a month. The typical home value locally is about $657,000, about the same as a year ago, 75% above the Florida typical home. Homes sold in Miramar Beach spent a median 108 days on the market.
$657KZillow home value
| Miramar Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,250 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 82% | 72% | 73% |
Typical home value
Miramar Beach$657K
Florida$375K
Market temperature
108
days on market
95.3%
sale-to-list price
+0.2%
value change, 1 year
65
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
A larger share of working residents in Miramar Beach work locally than in the typical Florida or U.S. town
9,635 jobs are based in Miramar Beach, 3.1 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. 24.5% of workers work from home, against 15.7% across Florida.
It had 9,635 jobs in 2023, up 1,292 from 2013. Miramar Beach’s typical journey to work comes in at 23 minutes. 4.5% of Miramar Beach residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Destin (11%), Fort Walton Beach (4%) and Tallahassee (2%).
30%work in town
| Miramar Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 30% | 5% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $103,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Miramar Beach30%
Destin11%
Fort Walton Beach4%
Tallahassee2%
Panama City2%
9 mi
median commute distance
9,635
jobs based in Miramar Beach
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 65% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthA−
Miramar Beach earns an A− for health
Its widest gap with Florida is food insecurity: 6.3% of its 7,088 adults worry about having enough food, against 16.8% statewide.
Miramar Beach does better than the Florida average on 17 of 31 CDC measures and worse on 3. 13% of adults report frequent mental distress locally. Among adults here, 30% sleep under 7 hours and 27% have obesity.
84%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Miramar Beach | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 37% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 32% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 18% | 23% |
31 measures vs. Florida
17 better11 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Miramar Beach | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 6.3% | 16.8% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 5.8% | 13.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 14.5% | 9.1% |
Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast
0.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
85th
percentile among FL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
The biggest natural risk in Miramar Beach is hurricanes, at a very high overall level
71 flood insurance claims have been paid in Miramar Beach since 1995. Four fifths of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from hurricanes, followed by inland flooding at 12%. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2020.
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland flooding
71
paid flood claims since 1995
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Miramar Beach
The Niceville weather station, 14 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 253 days, longer than in 96% of U.S. towns. The Niceville weather station, 14 miles away, records that about 52 days a year reach 90°: more than most of the country, but fewer than 95% of Florida places with climate records.
In Miramar Beach, the July high is 89°F.
90°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter45–63°
Spring59–76°
Summer74–89°
Fall61–79°
Dec 28
typical first frost
Feb 5
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
90°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Miramar Beach
17pages on Miramar Beach
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Miramar Beach
About 5 of every 100 Miramar Beach residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Florida.
Get outside
26 miles of trails in Miramar Beach
1.3% of the town is conserved land, across 3 parks and preserves.
1
Point Washington State Forest18 acres
2
Legion Park2 acres
3
Haugen Park1 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Miramar Beach
Census-designated place in Florida, United States
Miramar Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Walton County, Florida, United States. The population was 8,002 at the 2020 census, up from 6,146 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Crestview—Fort Walton Beach–Destin, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Although many other coastal localities in Florida have appended "Beach" to their names to distinguish themselves from an adjacent inland or cross-bay municipality – such as Miami Beach, St. Pete Beach, Fort Myers Beach, Panama City Beach, Melbourne Beach, Cocoa Beach, and Jacksonville Beach – the city of Miramar, Florida is actually over 450 miles (720 km) away in South Florida. Miramar Beach is due east of Destin, Florida. It is of…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 7.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 20 ft
- ZIP code
- 32550
- Area code
- 850
Miramar Beach’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Miramar Beach.
DestinMiramar Beach
How the neighbors grade
| Town | FL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miramar Beach | #85 | B | D− | — | A | A− |
| Destin | #73 | B | D | — | A− | A− |
Miramar Beach and Destin report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Miramar Beach with a neighbor →
Questions about Miramar Beach
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Miramar Beach, FL a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Miramar Beach grades B overall, better than 60% of U.S. towns and #85 of 634 in Florida. It grades A− for health and A for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Miramar Beach, FL expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.