Median Income
$86,777
household / year
Median Home Value
$429,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,773
gross / month
Cost of Living
98
national avg = 100

Is Destin, FL a Good Place to Live?

Destin is a small city of 13,923 in Florida, with a median household income of $86,777 and a 2.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.

Strengths: Destin stands out for solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Destin is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Destin city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 98.0

Destin's overall cost of living index is 98.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Destin costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.

Metric Destin, FL National Avg
Median Home Value $429,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,773 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 66.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $86,777 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Crime data for Destin is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.

Schools & Education

Destin is served primarily by OKALOOSA. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Destin, FL National Avg
School District OKALOOSA —
Elementary Schools 21 —
Middle Schools 9 —
High Schools 11 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 19.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 45.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 95.0% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Destin sees average highs of 63.1°F in January and 90.9°F in July, with 55.4 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricDestin, FL
Average High — January63.1°F
Average High — July90.9°F
Annual Precipitation55.4"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricDestin, FLNational Avg
Population13,923—
Median Age43.038.9
Unemployment Rate2.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time23.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)86.2%59.3%
Black or African American3.9%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino7.1%18.9%
Asian0.8%6.3%
Under 1818.1%22.2%
65 and over18.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Eglin AFB, FL 6 mi Lake Lorraine, FL 6 mi Valparaiso, FL 7 mi Shalimar, FL 7 mi Miramar Beach, FL 8 mi

ZIP Codes in Destin

Destin, FL is covered by 1 ZIP code:

32541

Destin vs Other Cities

Destin, FL vs Eglin AFB, FL Destin, FL vs Lake Lorraine, FL Destin, FL vs Valparaiso, FL Destin, FL vs Shalimar, FL Destin, FL vs Miramar Beach, FL

Frequently Asked Questions

Destin's cost of living index is 98, where 100 is the national average. That makes Destin roughly 2% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $429,400 and median rent is $1,773/month.
Crime data for Destin is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
Public schools in Destin are operated by OKALOOSA. The district has 21 elementary, 9 middle, and 11 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.0:1. 45.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Destin, FL has a population of 13,923, a median household income of $86,777, and an unemployment rate of 2.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Destin averages 63.1°F in January and 90.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 55.4 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Destin, FL is covered by 1 ZIP code: 32541.
The population of Destin, Florida is 13,923 with a median age of 43.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Destin: cost of living index 98 (100 = US average), median home $429,400, median household income $86,777, schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Destin side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.