32548 and 33809 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
32548
33809
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 26%
vs42 · Bottom 25%
Growth
40 · Bottom 34%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs79 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 13%
vs20 · Bottom 14%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 26%
vs69 · Bottom 34%
Schools
35 · Bottom 28%
vs27 · Bottom 19%
Access
87 · Bottom 32%
vs96 · Top 34%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 25%
vs53 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | 32548 | 33809 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,774 | 30,797 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,342 | $70,066 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,604 | $35,722 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,970/sq mi | 468/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $321,200 | $292,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,345 | $1,510 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.0% | 64.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.0% | 27.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.1% | 9.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 33 | 411 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 3.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 153.8% | -50.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 45°F | 52°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.4" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 42.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.49 | 19.81 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.8% | 43.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.0% | 43.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 59.9% | 64.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
32548
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
33809
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Full profiles: 32548 — Fort Walton Beach, FL · 33809 — Lakeland, FL · How this is calculated: methodology