Best Places to Live in The Florida Panhandle

Ranked by the numbers, the top 10 are Milton ($320,900 median), DeFuniak Springs ($254,900 median), Freeport ($430,950 median), Pace ($372,535 median), Gulf Breeze ($421,450 median), Pensacola ($330,500 median), Crestview ($326,702 median), Mary Esther ($324,900 median), Navarre ($537,000 median), Miramar Beach ($680,000 median). 20 places qualified with at least 60 homes for sale; the score blends what it costs to own the median home against local income, five-year appreciation, county population growth, market balance, inventory depth and the own-versus-rent gap, all printed in the table.

20 cities in the Florida Panhandle, ranked

Place	Score	Median price	Cost to own / mo	Share of income	5-yr appreciation / yr	County pop. growth	Months supply	Homes for sale
1. Milton Santa Rosa	59.3	$320,900	$2,141	30%	+13.1%	+13.7%	3.6	308
2. DeFuniak Springs Walton · list-based	55.1	$254,900	$1,638	38%	+2.9%	+21.2%	18% pending	217
3. Freeport Walton · list-based	54.7	$430,950	$2,685	42%	+2.9%	+21.2%	24% pending	468
4. Pace Santa Rosa	54.1	$372,535	$2,461	33%	+5.6%	+13.7%	2.0	226
5. Gulf Breeze Santa Rosa	53.8	$421,450	$2,765	34%	+4.4%	+13.7%	3.4	209
6. Pensacola Escambia	53.4	$330,500	$2,304	40%	+5.9%	+3.8%	4.2	839
7. Crestview Okaloosa · list-based	52.5	$326,702	$2,196	36%	+2.7%	+6.7%	26% pending	498
8. Mary Esther Okaloosa · list-based	52.3	$324,900	$2,184	36%	+2.7%	+6.7%	24% pending	102
9. Navarre Santa Rosa · list-based	52.2	$537,000	$3,481	42%	+3.7%	+13.7%	24% pending	100
10. Miramar Beach Walton · list-based	51.6	$680,000	$4,166	52%	+2.9%	+21.2%	10% pending	802
11. Panama City Beach Bay · list-based	51.2	$374,909	$2,418	38%	+3.7%	-0.6%	25% pending	805
12. Niceville Okaloosa · list-based	51.0	$494,500	$3,238	37%	+2.7%	+6.7%	28% pending	206
13. Crawfordville Wakulla · list-based	50.7	$312,900	$2,040	32%	—	—	0% pending	221
14. Shalimar Okaloosa · list-based	49.9	$467,000	$3,067	38%	+2.7%	+6.7%	31% pending	72
15. Tallahassee Leon · list-based	49.4	$300,000	$1,940	46%	—	—	0% pending	1,027
16. Fort Walton Beach Okaloosa · list-based	48.9	$389,000	$2,582	49%	+2.7%	+6.7%	19% pending	474
17. Panama City Bay · list-based	47.6	$350,000	$2,265	38%	+3.7%	-0.6%	46% pending	291
18. Destin Okaloosa · list-based	46.1	$649,984	$4,203	54%	+2.7%	+6.7%	12% pending	728
19. Santa Rosa Beach Walton · list-based	43.5	$1,190,000	$7,200	85%	+2.9%	+21.2%	18% pending	966
20. Inlet Beach Walton · list-based	40.1	$1,950,000	$11,721	96%	+2.9%	+21.2%	14% pending	328

How to read it: median price is the recorded MLS sale median for the past 12 months where our feeds carry sold records (at least 120 sales), otherwise the median asking price of current listings (rows marked list-based; appreciation and price change then come from the county Zillow index); cost to own is principal and interest on 80% of that median at the county’s current rate, plus non-homestead property tax at the county’s verified millage (less the $50,000 homestead exemption) and the county’s average Citizens premium; share of income is that annual cost against the Census median household income pooled over the ZIPs where the city’s homes are listed; 5-yr appreciation is the compound annual change in recorded medians; county pop. growth is the county’s five-year Census change. Score = 50 + 10 × (0.35 affordability + 0.15 appreciation + 0.15 population growth + 0.10 market balance + 0.10 inventory depth + 0.15 own-versus-rent), each as a capped z-score across the ranked set. Inputs are prices, costs, incomes, growth and supply only; nothing about the people who live there. Data as of 2026-09-07; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Counties covered: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton, Washington.

The top 10, in detail

1. Milton, Santa Rosa County

Recorded median sale $320,900 (+3.0% year over year), 684 sales in 12 months, 3.6 months of supply (balanced market), median 62 days to contract. Owning the median costs about $2,141 a month, 30% of the local median household income of $84,957; typical rent is $2,000. Prices compounded +13.1% a year over five years; the county grew +13.7% in population over five years. moving guide · cost of living · best neighborhoods · market data · Santa Rosa County property tax

2. DeFuniak Springs, Walton County

Median asking price $254,900 across 217 current listings, 18% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 74 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -0.1% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,638 a month, 38% of the local median household income of $51,604; typical rent is $1,738. Prices compounded +2.9% a year over five years; the county grew +21.2% in population over five years. market data · Walton County property tax

3. Freeport, Walton County

Median asking price $430,950 across 468 current listings, 24% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 54 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -0.1% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $2,685 a month, 42% of the local median household income of $77,500; typical rent is $1,817. Prices compounded +2.9% a year over five years; the county grew +21.2% in population over five years. moving guide · market data · Walton County property tax

4. Pace, Santa Rosa County

Recorded median sale $372,535 (-0.5% year over year), 342 sales in 12 months, 2.0 months of supply (healthy market), median 58 days to contract. Owning the median costs about $2,461 a month, 33% of the local median household income of $89,137; typical rent is $1,953. Prices compounded +5.6% a year over five years; the county grew +13.7% in population over five years. moving guide · cost of living · best neighborhoods · market data · Santa Rosa County property tax

5. Gulf Breeze, Santa Rosa County

Recorded median sale $421,450 (-2.2% year over year), 373 sales in 12 months, 3.4 months of supply (healthy market), median 47 days to contract. Owning the median costs about $2,765 a month, 34% of the local median household income of $97,139; typical rent is $1,964. Prices compounded +4.4% a year over five years; the county grew +13.7% in population over five years. moving guide · cost of living · best neighborhoods · market data · Santa Rosa County property tax

6. Pensacola, Escambia County

Recorded median sale $330,500 (+4.3% year over year), 1,220 sales in 12 months, 4.2 months of supply (balanced market), median 52 days to contract. Owning the median costs about $2,304 a month, 40% of the local median household income of $69,802; typical rent is $1,800. Prices compounded +5.9% a year over five years; the county grew +3.8% in population over five years. moving guide · cost of living · best neighborhoods · market data · Escambia County property tax

7. Crestview, Okaloosa County

Median asking price $326,702 across 498 current listings, 26% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 42 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved +0.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $2,196 a month, 36% of the local median household income of $72,521; typical rent is $1,929. Prices compounded +2.7% a year over five years; the county grew +6.7% in population over five years. moving guide · market data · Okaloosa County property tax

8. Mary Esther, Okaloosa County

Median asking price $324,900 across 102 current listings, 24% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 66 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved +0.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $2,184 a month, 36% of the local median household income of $73,762; typical rent is $2,045. Prices compounded +2.7% a year over five years; the county grew +6.7% in population over five years. market data · Okaloosa County property tax

9. Navarre, Santa Rosa County

Median asking price $537,000 across 100 current listings, 24% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 46 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved +0.9% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $3,481 a month, 42% of the local median household income of $99,501; typical rent is $2,123. Prices compounded +3.7% a year over five years; the county grew +13.7% in population over five years. moving guide · cost of living · best neighborhoods · market data · Santa Rosa County property tax

10. Miramar Beach, Walton County

Median asking price $680,000 across 802 current listings, 10% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 112 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -0.1% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $4,166 a month, 52% of the local median household income of $96,269; typical rent is $3,520. Prices compounded +2.9% a year over five years; the county grew +21.2% in population over five years. moving guide · market data · Walton County property tax

Questions people ask

What is the best place to live in the Florida Panhandle by the numbers?

Milton ranks first on our composite: $320,900 median, about $2,141 a month to own (30% of local median income), +13.1% a year appreciation over five years. The ranking is housing economics only; the right place for you also depends on commute, lifestyle and budget, which is what an agent narrows.

What is the cheapest place to live in the Florida Panhandle?

DeFuniak Springs has the lowest estimated cost to own on this list at about $1,638 a month on a $254,900 median, including the county's property tax and average insurance.

Where are home prices rising fastest in the Florida Panhandle?

Milton, at +13.1% a year compounded over five years; over the past twelve months it moved +3.0%.

How is this ranking calculated?

Score = 50 + 10 times a weighted sum of capped z-scores: affordability (annual cost to own the median home divided by median household income, 35%), five-year compound appreciation (15%), county population growth (15%), market balance (distance of months of supply from 5, 10%), sales volume (10%), and the gap between owning and renting (15%). Every input is printed in the table; the inputs are prices, costs, incomes, growth and supply only.

Every ranking in this series

Homes for sale in Florida by city and county · Florida city and relocation guides

Rankings are computed from the published data sources and the formula stated on this page, with no editorial scoring; the inputs are prices, costs, incomes, growth and supply, and the rankings describe housing economics, not the character of any community. Figures are as of 2026-09-07 and change as new sales record. EAB RE Investments LLC dba Momentum Realty is a licensed Florida real estate brokerage. Listing data deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Equal Housing Opportunity.