Walton County

County Business Patterns, 20232nd largest of 2 counties in the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL metro areaPopulation 86,338

Walton County had 26,994 private jobs in 3,348 establishments in March 2023, paying $50,250 on average, 16% below the Florida figure. The number of business establishments grew 30.3% since 2019, the 2nd-fastest rate among the 67 counties. January to March accounts for 22.8% of the year's payroll, the lowest first-quarter share in the state.

Compare Walton side by side with Osceola or another county.

The largest industry, hotels and restaurants, has 24% of Walton County's jobs. Among its larger industries, pay runs from $33,781 a year in transportation and warehousing to $97,004 in finance and insurance.

Pays above the county averagePays below itNot shown by industryCounty averageFlorida average

What stands out in Walton County

Jobs in real estate and rental make up 7.9% of all local jobs, the highest share of the 48 counties with at least 100 such jobs and 3.1 times the 67-county share.
There are 38.8 business establishments per 1,000 residents, the 3rd-highest density of businesses in the state.
Total payroll rose 62.1% from 2019 in current dollars, the 4th-fastest increase in the state.
Its population grew 16.6% between 2019 and 2023, the 3rd-fastest growth of the 67 counties.
Jobs grew 20.5% between March 2019 and March 2023, the 7th-fastest growth of any county.
Average pay rose 34.6% since 2019 in current dollars, the 4th-largest increase in Florida.

Where Walton County ranks

The four measures on which Walton County sits furthest from the middle county. It is furthest out on businesses per 1,000 residents, where it ranks 3rd of 67.

Jobs per 1,000 residents313

19thof 67

Payroll per resident$15,711

18thof 67

Businesses per 1,000 residents38.8

3rdof 67

Job growth since 2019+20.5%

7thof 67

WaltonOther countiesMiddle county

Every industry, line by line

19 industries published; retail trade added the most jobs since 2019 (1,105), agriculture, forestry and fishing lost the most (1).

Industry	Jobs	Avg pay	Pay vs same industry statewide	Jobs since 2019
Hotels & restaurants	6,584	$38,909	1.36×	+3.6%
Retail trade	5,790	$37,113	0.98×	+23.6%
Construction	3,080	$57,975	0.90×	+29.7%
Health care & social assistance	2,444	$70,113	1.09×	+21.1%
Real estate & rental	2,124	$61,068	1.00×	+51.0%
Administrative & support services	1,546	$48,622	0.83×	+10.8%
Professional & technical services	1,136	$74,957	0.84×	+50.9%
Other services	1,108	$39,079	0.99×	+31.8%
Wholesale trade	722	$67,902	0.85×	+8.9%
Transportation & warehousing	544	$33,781	0.56×	+100.0%
Finance & insurance	529	$97,004	0.92×	+11.4%
Utilities	296	$77,243	0.62×	+1.0%
Manufacturing	281	$51,028	0.75×	+6.4%
Arts & recreation	265	$37,577	0.87×	+11.3%
Information	244	$87,090	0.85×	+30.5%
Educational services	241	$47,888	0.98×	+86.8%
Mining & quarrying	32	$48,062	0.55×	+52.4%
Agriculture, forestry & fishing	21	$49,667	1.11×	−4.5%
Management of companies	6	$144,333	1.41×	+20.0%
All industries	26,994	$50,250	0.84×	+20.5%

What sets Walton County apart

Five industries are at least 1.25 times as common here as across the 67 counties; manufacturing is the most under-represented, at 0.23×.

Business sizes

91.8% have fewer than 20 employees; 27 have 100 or more.

EmployeesEstablishments

1–42,251

5–9472

10–19351

20–49180

50–9967

100–24921

250–4993

500–9993

1,000+withheld

Since 2019

Jobs +20.5%, residents +16.6% since March 2019.

Jobs26,9942019: 22,400+20.5%

Business establishments3,3482019: 2,569+30.3%

Average pay (nominal)$50,2502019: $37,345+34.6%

Residents86,3382019: 74,071+16.6%

Share of Florida

Fewer of Florida's jobs (0.34%) than of its residents (0.38%).

Residents0.38%

Businesses0.52%

Jobs0.34%

Payroll0.29%

Source: Census CBP 2023, 2022, 2019; Population Estimates. FIPS 12131. How to read County Business Patterns figures.