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C

Is Fort Walton Beach, Florida Safe?

Population 21,097 · Safer than 38% of US cities

Improving· 2023 FBI UCR data

Fort Walton Beach is a smaller community of 21,097 people with a C safety grade. Crime runs close to the national average for violent offenses, and the overall rate sits at 208.5 per 1,000. Property crime makes up the majority of offenses, with theft at 1,312 per 100K.

Fort Walton Beach Crime Rates vs State and National Averages

MetricFort Walton BeachFlorida AvgNational Avg
Violent Crime Rate326.0326.8363.8
Property Crime Rate1759.22070.61,832.3
Murder Rate3.0--5.7
Assault Rate204.0--268.2
Theft Rate1312.0--1,401.5
Vehicle Theft Rate301.0--318.3

All rates per 100,000 residents. 2024 FBI Uniform Crime Report + Census Bureau population estimates.

Overall SafetyC

208.5 crimes per 1,000 residents

Violent CrimeC

326/100K (national avg: 364)

Property CrimeC

1759/100K (national avg: 1,832)

Key Crime Statistics for Fort Walton Beach

Violent crime in Fort Walton Beach is close to the national average. The rate of 326.0 per 100K falls below the national 363.8.

Property crime is close to the national average at 1759.2 per 100K vs. the national 1,832.3.

Theft is the most reported crime at 1,312 per 100K. The national average is 1,401.5.

Fort Walton Beach Crime Breakdown by Category

Murder3
053% of avgAvg: 5.7
Assault204
076% of avgAvg: 268.2
Robbery41
065% of avgAvg: 63.3
Burglary334
01.2x national avgAvg: 269.8
Theft1,312
094% of avgAvg: 1,401.5
Vehicle Theft301
095% of avgAvg: 318.3

Rates per 100,000 residents. Vertical marker = national average.

How Fort Walton Beach Compares

Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)

Fort Walton Beach
326.0
State
326.8
National
363.8

Property Crime Rate (per 100K)

Fort Walton Beach
1759.2
State
2070.6
National
1832.3

Rates per 100,000 residents. National averages from 2023 FBI UCR data.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fort Walton Beach Safety

Is Fort Walton Beach safe?
Not especially. Fort Walton Beach earns a C with a crime rate of 208.5 per 1,000 residents, and violent crime runs close to the national average. Standard precautions apply, especially at night.
What is the crime rate in Fort Walton Beach?
208.5 per 1,000 residents. That breaks down to a violent crime rate of 326.0 per 100,000 (the national average is 363.8) and property crime at 1759.2 per 100,000 (national average: 1832.3).
Is Fort Walton Beach safe for tourists?
Stick to well-traveled areas and you'll be fine. Fort Walton Beach has a C grade, so it's not the safest destination, but tourist areas generally see less violent crime than the citywide average suggests.
What are the safest neighborhoods in Fort Walton Beach?
Neighborhood-level data varies, but suburban residential areas in Fort Walton Beach generally report lower crime than downtown or commercial districts. For block-level detail, check the Fort Walton Beach police department's crime map.
Is crime increasing in Fort Walton Beach?
No. Crime in Fort Walton Beach has been trending down, which is good news for the C-rated city.
How does Fort Walton Beach compare to other cities in Florida?
Below average for the state. Fort Walton Beach ranks behind about 71% of Florida cities on safety, with property crime being the bigger issue at 1.0x the national rate.
How safe is Fort Walton Beach to live in?
Worth factoring into your decision. Violent crime is close to the national average, which is encouraging. Crime has been dropping, which helps.
How bad is crime in Fort Walton Beach?
Mixed. Violent crime is close to the national average, and property crime is close to the national average. It's not great, but it's not the worst either, landing at the 38th percentile nationally.
What is the violent crime rate in Fort Walton Beach?
326.0 per 100,000, which is 10% below the national average of 363.8. That includes assault (204), robbery (41), and murder (3.0) per 100,000.

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2024 FBI Uniform Crime Report data and Census Bureau population estimates. Safety grades calculated using national and state-level crime rate distributions. Not a substitute for local law enforcement guidance.

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