Niceville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Crestview
Niceville
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 26%
vs52 · Bottom 41%
Growth
59 · Top 33%
vs51 · Top 49%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 12%
vs19 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 34%
vs82 · Top 49%
Schools
56 · Top 44%
vs79 · Top 14%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs92 · Top 49%
Economic stability
60 · Top 50%
vs52 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Crestview | Niceville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,773 | 16,544 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,480 | $102,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,018 | $45,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,646/sq mi | 1,149/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $277,900 | $423,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,366 | $1,749 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.3% | 73.6% | 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% | 38.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 213 | 72 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.4 | 4.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.7% | 0.0% | 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 | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.4 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.7 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.82 | 21.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 58.3% | 81.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 60.1% | 77.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 57.1% | 25.3% | 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.
Niceville
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Crestview, FL · Niceville, FL · How this is calculated: methodology