Compare towns
Side by side.
Pick up to three towns and see prices, hospitals, the drive to the airport and every score in one place.
The basics
Home prices
About $540K median sale price, all home types (fall 2026)
$428K median
$685K median
Nearest hospital with an ER
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital, about 9 miAlso a Level II trauma center
Sarasota Memorial Hospital, about 1 miAlso a Level II trauma center
NCH Baker Hospital Downtown, about 1 miTrauma center: Lee Health Gulf Coast Medical Center (Level II), about 28 mi
Airport
Destin Fort Walton (VPS)
Sarasota Bradenton (SRQ), about 15 minutes
Southwest Florida (RSW), about 40 minutes
Season
Very busy summers
Busy winters
Busy winters, sleepy summers
Heads up
Summer crowds, hurricane exposure
Storm surge (Helene and Milton in 2024), season traffic
Storm surge (Ian in 2022), summer heat
The scorecard
The best score in each row is bold. Tap a town for the local's take on every score.
Nightlife
3
3
3
Meet people
3
5
3
Peace and quiet
2
2
3
Walkability
2
4
4
On the water
5
4
4
Beaches
5
4
5
Dining and arts
3
5
5
Outdoors and wellness
4
4
4
Affordability
2
3
2
Airport access
4
4
4
Public school district
5
5
5
In their words
A day in town
You're on a charter boat out of the harbor at dawn and back at a dockside table by lunch.
You walk the bayfront at sunrise, spend the afternoon at The Ringling and see a show downtown at night.
You play a morning round, walk Fifth Avenue South for lunch and watch the sunset from the beach at the end of the street.
Why people love it
Big boating and fishing culture. Beautiful water.
Arts and dining well beyond its size. Close to top beaches. St. Armands Circle and Lido Beach are just over the bridge.
Polished and well kept. Lots of golf and boating. Calm, beautiful Gulf beaches.
Know before you go
Crowded summers. Busy traffic on 98.
Heavy traffic in season. Prices have climbed. Bridge traffic to the beach in season.
Expensive. Hot, quiet summers. Limited public beach parking.
Hospital distances are straight line miles from the center of town, so the drive is longer. Hospitals checked October 2026. Scores rate what each town offers, never who lives there. How we score