Fort Walton Beach, Florida
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Fort Walton Beach is a city in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. The population was 19,973 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 19,992.[link]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.3 km² (8.2 mi²). 19.3 km² (7.4 mi²) of it is land and 2.0 km² (0.8 mi²) of it (9.26%) is water.
Nearby Okaloosa Regional Airport (airport code VPS) serves Fort Walton Beach, as well as Valparaiso, Florida.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 19,973 people, 8,460 households, and 5,422 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,036.5/km² (2,683.0/mi²). There were 9,007 housing units at an average density of 467.4/km² (1,209.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.84% White, 13.34% African American, 0.45% Native American, 2.72% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.22% from other races, and 3.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.04% of the population.There were 8,460 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,153, and the median income for a family was $45,791. Males had a median income of $29,709 versus $21,641 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,085. About 7.3% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.
The city of Fort Walton Beach is surrounded by a larger urbanized area which includes other incorporated and unincorporated areas. The population for the "Fort Walton Beach County Subdivision" according to the 2000 Census is 84,337.
Notable Natives
- Jason Elam - National Football League kicker
- Carolyn Murphy - internationally acclaimed model
- Danny Wuerffel - Heisman Trophy Winner, quarterback
Economy
The economy of Fort Walton Beach is driven by two primary factors: the military, and tourism. There are two major Air Force bases which border Fort Walton Beach. Hurlburt Field which is the Air Force Special Forces headquarters. Eglin AFB is geographically one of the largest Air Force bases at 724 square miles (1,875 km²), and thus home to joint exercises, and missile and bomb testing. For example, the 'Mother of All Bombs' (MOAB) was first tested at Eglin AFB on March 11, 2003.There is support industry in the area that benefits from the presence of the bases, including military contractors and the service industry. In Jan 2005, employment (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics) in the area was as follows (all numbers indicate percentages of civilian labor force):
| Category | FWB | Florida |
| Employment | 84.6 | |
| Unemployment | 3.3 | 4.4 |
| Total Nonfarm | 84.0 | 90.1 |
| Construction & Mining | 5.1 | 6.0 |
| Manufacturing | 4.1 | 4.6 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 15.7 | 18.0 |
| Information | 2.2 | 2.0 |
| Financial Activities | 6.4 | 6.0 |
| Professional and Business Services | 12.1 | 15.6 |
| Educational and Health Services | 7.7 | 11.0 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 11.4 | 10.2 |
| Other Services | 3.9 | 3.8 |
| Government | 15.4 | 12.9 |
Note the lower unemployment rate, which is a consistent feature of the local economy.
The tourism industry is seasonal, with summer being the primary season, and a smaller peak season during spring break, though Panama City Beach is currently (2005) the nearest college spring break favorite. The Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival is held annually.
External links
- [City of Fort Walton Beach]
- [Maps and aerial photos]
- * Street map from [Google Maps] or [Yahoo! Maps]
- * Topographic map from [TopoZone]
- * Aerial image or topographic map from [TerraServer-USA]
- * Satellite image from [Google Maps] or [Windows Live Local]
- [Local Boating Events and Information]
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