33803 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
33803
32548
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 25%
vs43 · Bottom 26%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs40 · Bottom 34%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs78 · Top 22%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 14%
vs19 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 38%
vs63 · Bottom 26%
Schools
50 · Bottom 48%
vs35 · Bottom 28%
Access
100 · Top 4%
vs87 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 20%
vs45 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | 33803 | 32548 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,321 | 23,774 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,807 | $65,342 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,102 | $40,604 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,767/sq mi | 1,970/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $250,100 | $321,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,450 | $1,345 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.5% | 58.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.1% | 33.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 411 | 33 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.4 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.6% | 153.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 55.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.8 | 40.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.74 | 18.49 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 55.2% | 45.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 52.8% | 49.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 65.0% | 59.9% | 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
33803
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
32548
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 33803 — Lakeland, FL · 32548 — Fort Walton Beach, FL · How this is calculated: methodology