Medford and Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-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
Measured values
| Metric | Medford | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 222,645 | 299,547 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,999 | $81,993 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,709 | $46,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 80/sq mi | 152/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $430,200 | $364,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,358 | $1,633 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.9% | 71.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.7% | 34.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 10.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 961 | 3,484 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 11.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 23.0% | -1.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.4" | 55.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.8 | 39.3 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Medford
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Medford, OR Metro Area · Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology