Crestview and Destin 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
Crestview
Destin
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 26%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
59 · Top 33%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 12%
vs19 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 34%
vs56 · Bottom 16%
Schools
56 · Top 44%
vs74 · Top 22%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs87 · Bottom 33%
Economic stability
60 · Top 50%
vs53 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Crestview | Destin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,773 | 14,077 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,480 | $89,011 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,018 | $60,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,646/sq mi | 1,878/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $277,900 | $490,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,366 | $1,936 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.3% | 69.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.6% | 46.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 7.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 213 | 67 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.4 | 4.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.7% | 31.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 63.6" | 55.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.4 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.7 | 41.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.82 | 18.61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 58.3% | 72.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 60.1% | 65.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 57.1% | 38.2% | 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
Crestview
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Destin
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Crestview, FL · Destin, FL · How this is calculated: methodology