Destin, FL

Census place 1217325 · pop 14,077

D57/ 100
😐 Meh
B
in FL
📍 Florida ranks #29 of 50 states →
🏆 Air36 AQI · top 14%
🚽 Inequality0.49 · bottom 16%
Taxes
0.63% property · US 0.99%6.98% sales · US 7.00%None income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Income inequality0.4916

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.49 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Housing cost$490,30020

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$490,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level97/10021

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

97/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$2,031/mo33

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,031/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Commute time26 min36

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

26 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Uninsured adults9.7%48

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

9.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Population growth (5yr)+2.7%49

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

+2.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Median household income$89,01166

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$89,011 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Homeownership69.7%66

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

69.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Poor mental health15.9%67

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

15.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Adult smoking11.4%69

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

11.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Poverty rate7.4%72

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

7.4% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.1%75

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Physical inactivity20.2%77

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

20.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Bachelor's degree or higher46.2%78

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

46.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Adult obesity29.3%78

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

29.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Broadband access95.0%79

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

95.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Property-tax burden0.63%81

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.63% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Air quality (AQI)County-level36 AQI86

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

36 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Destin: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Destin, FL a good place to live?
By the numbers, Destin scores 57/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is air quality (aqi) and its weakest is income inequality. Florida overall ranks #29 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Destin, FL expensive to live in?
Destin has a median home value of $490,300 and typical rent around $2,031/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Destin, FL?
Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.49) — 16/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Destin, FL best at?
Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (36 AQI) — 86/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.