Okaloosa County Profile

Geography

County Seat:

Crestview 

   

Nearest MSA:

Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin

 Metropolitan Statistical Area 

   

Largest Cities:

1) Fort Walton Beach

 

2) Crestview

 

3) Niceville

Miles* To:

    Tallahassee 

...................................

140 

    Orlando 

...................................

350 

    Tampa 

...................................

313 

    Jacksonville 

...................................

298 

    Miami 

...................................

521 

    Atlanta 

...................................

242 

    Chicago 

...................................

767 

    Dallas 

...................................

617 

    New York 

...................................

984 

*Miles are calculated from county seat.

Local Contact

 

The Economic Development Council

of Okaloosa County, Florida

Post Office Box 4097

Fort Walton Beach,   FL   32549

 

Name:

Larry Sassano, President

Phone:

850-651-7374

Toll Free:

800-995-7374

Fax:

850-651-7378

E-mail:

larrys@florida-edc.org

 

 

Web Page:

www.florida-edc.org

 

 

 

 

Time Zone: Central       Area Code: 850

Climate

Average Temperature

High

Low

January

60

37

July

91

71

Florida Mean Annual Precipitation

..............

53

Average Annual Rain Days

..............

110

 
Population

 

Okaloosa

Florida

1980:

109,920

9,746,961

1990:

143,777

12,938,071

2000

170,498

15,982,378

2005:

182,172

17,789,864

2010(p) 202,600 19,397,414

2015(p)

217,231

21,767,500

2030 (p)

 266,500

26,419,200

(p) Denotes Projected Population

Migration

(2006)

In-Migration

15,123

Out-Migration

17,033

Net-Migration

-1,910

Labor Force

(2006)

 

Labor Force

98,757

Labor Force % of County Population

54.8

Number in County Unemployed

2,386

Unemployment Rate

2.4%

Employment by Industry

N/D = No Data

Okaloosa

Florida

(2006) Total Employment

84,890

7,952,023

 

Agriculture & Mining

0.1%

0.1%

Construction & Real Estate

7.5%

8.0%

Education & Health Services

9.3%

18.4%

Finance & Insurance

7.8%

6.9%

Information

2.5%

2.1%

Leisure & Hospitality

14.82%

11.4%

Manufacturing

5.5%

5.1%

Other Services

3.3%

3.1%

Professional & Business Services

14%

17.%

Public Administration

10.7%

5.8%

Trade/Transportation/Utilities

18.7%

20.8%

Unclassified

0.0%

0.1%

Average Wage In Industries

(2006)

 

All Industries

$34,409

Agriculture, & Mining

N/D

Construction & Real Estate

$33,875

Education & Healthcare Services

$34,123

Finance & Insurance

$38,849

Information

$52,759

Leisure & Hospitality

$16,355

Manufacturing

$43,858

Other Services

$25,513

Professional & Business Services

$45,187

Public Administration

$49,611

Trade/Transportation/Utilities

$25,688

Unclassified

$34,941

Per Capita Income

 

Okaloosa

Florida

2000

$26,969

$28,511

2001 $28,336 $29,247
2002 $29,481 $29,709
2003 $30,969 $30,128
2004 $33,068 $31,469

2005

$35,275

$34,001

Top-Ten Private Sector

1. Tybrin Corporation

Business:

Engineering analysis & software development

Number of Employees:

1,390

2. Resort Quest

Business:

Real estate sales & property management.

Number of Employees:

1,000

3. Fort Walton Beach Medical Center

Business:

Full Service Hospital

Number of Employees: 

912

4. L-3/Crestview Aerospace Corporation

Business:

Aircraft manufacturing, modification

Number of Employees:

898

5. DRS Training & Control Systems

Business:

Defense electronics

Number of Employees:

811
6. InDyne, Inc.

Business:

Range/Test Facilities; Security Systems; Multimedia

Number of Employees: 

800

7. Sverdrup Technology/Jacobs

Business:

Engineering services

Number of Employees:

650

8. North Okaloosa Medical Center

Business:

Full Service Hospital

Number of Employees:

650
9. Okaloosa-Walton College
Business: College Professional School
Number of Employees: 600
10. Legendary, Inc.
Business: Development, retail
Number of Employees: 500

 

Transportation

Federal Interstates:

I-10

Federal Highways:

US-90, US-98

State Highways:

Route 20, Route 85

Railroads:

CSX

Deep Water Ports:

Port of Pensacola & Foreign Trade Zone;

Port of Panama City & Foreign Trade Zone

Nearest Airport with Scheduled Commercial Airline Service:

Okaloosa Regional Airport

# Runways:

2

Longest Paved Runway (ft.):

12,010

General Aviation Airports:

Crestview Bob Sikes Airport, Destin Airport

Miles to Closest Port:

44

State and Local Taxation

COUNTY

Ad Valorem Millage Rates (2006):

Government

3.6500

Schools

7.7860

Special

0.0500

Total

11.4860

 

Ad Valorem Tax Exemption: 

Yes

Retail Sales Tax (Local Option)

0.0

Local Communications Service Tax

3.4

Federal Enterprise Zone

No

State Enterprise Zone

EZ-4601

STATE

Corporate Income Tax

5.5%

Personal Income Tax

0.0%

Retail Sales Tax

6.0%

Intangible Tax (per $1,000)

$.50

Commercial/Industrial Services

Electric Companies:

 

Gulf Power Company

 

Choctawhatchee (CHELCO)

Natural Gas Companies:

 

Okaloosa Gas District

Telephone Companies:

 

Embarq

Water & Sewer Companies:

 

Okaloosa Water & Sewage

 

Individual Cities Water Management Districts

 

 

Existing Industrial Zoned Land

Yes

Number of Acres

1,065

Largest Available Contiguous Parcel

0

Industrial Parks

Yes

Number of Acres

900

Largest Available Contiguous Parcel

0

Foreign Trade Zones

No

Zone Number(s)

N/A

Education

 

Public
Schools

Teachers

Enrollments

Elementary:

23

742

13,802

Secondary:

16

740

17,204

Totals:

39

1,482

31,006

Private Schools Available: Yes

Post Secondary Education Serving the County:

Colleges/Universities:

 

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

 

Troy State University

 

University of Arkansas

 

University of West Florida

 

UF - Research Engineering & Education Facility

Junior/Community Colleges:

 

Okaloosa-Walton College - OWC

Vocational/Technical Schools:

 

Bay Area Vocational Technology School