How Safe is Ft  Walton Beach

So, anytime that you're relocating to a new area, I'm sure that safety is one of your biggest concerns. So, if you're wondering how safe is Fort Walton Beach, Florida, well, let's talk about that for a few minutes, and maybe by the end of the video, you'll decide whether or not Fort Walton Beach is safe enough for you and your family.

So, how safe is Fort Walton Beach? Now, I'm sure one of the first things that come to mind when you're thinking about safety would be the crime rate. You can definitely check out websites like neighborhoodscout.com, areavibes.com, or even Niche.com. They do provide information on the crime statistics in specific areas.

Now, according to Neighborhoodscout.com, the crime index with 100 be the safest, Fort Walton Beach on the crime index is at 22, meaning that it is safer than 22 percent of US cities. If we want to break that down a little bit between violent crimes and property crime, violent meaning bodily harm or even threats per 1000 residents, Fort Walton Beach is at three. So, it's really three violent crimes per 1,000 residents, and for property crimes such as burglary or vandalism or items being stolen from your vehicle, the Fort Walton index is at 21. So, that's 21 property crimes per 1,000 residents. So, the number does seem to be very low.

SAFE FROM HURRICANES?

Now, is Fort Walton Beach safe from hurricanes? Well, Fort Walton Beach is located in Florida, so, no. Now, Fort Walton Beach is located just north of the Gulf of Mexico. So, we're right here on the Gulf Coast along the Panhandle. So, there are several occasions during a hurricane season where we would be in the projected path, but we all know how those projected paths can be. Looks like little spaghetti noodles all over the place, but it is likely that Fort Walton Beach would be a part of that projected path. But that doesn't necessarily mean that Fort Walton is going to take that direct hit. We'll, just probably get a lot of strong winds, a lot of rain. We might even be encouraged to evacuate, depending on how close we are to the eye of the path. So, if you are in the area during Hurricane Season and you're ordered to evacuate, probably should do so if it's that serious. Or, if you're brave enough to stick it out, you can do that as well. But just don't forget to bring in your patio furniture and other items that you have outside to keep them from blowing away and smashing into windows and things like that. You want to board up your windows. And if you're in a flood risk area, then you might want to get some sandbags to put in front of your garage or any doors that you have outside the house just to prevent flooding or from waters intruding into your home.

SAFE FROM FLOODING?

Now, speaking of hurricanes is Fort Walton Beach safe from flooding. Yes and no. Yeah, of course with us being so close to the water. The closer to the water you are, the higher risk you are. So, you would definitely have to get flood insurance if you are located in a flood zone. But definitely, before you purchase a home, you might want to do some research and see what risk you have as far as flooding. Storm surge is a big issue too when you're close to the water. But if you're at higher grounds, it's less of a risk. You might not be required to purchase flood insurance, but it would be recommended just to give you the peace of mind. So, that peace of mind definitely doesn't hurt anybody.

SAFE FROM WILD ANIMALS?

Now, is Fort Walton Beach safe from wild animals? Well, it's not exactly a zoo here in Fort Walton Beach. It's more of a beachy town. But, you will still have your occasional sightings of alligators. Not a daily thing though. But if you live close to maybe a retention pond or creek or a lake, you might have a higher chance of seeing an alligator. Would be crossing the road or a baby gator slipping into your swimming pool. But again, you won't see that on the daily, so don't be alarmed. You also see bears here in the area. A lot of residents seem to catch them on their home security cameras. Not going to wear flower pet plants or digging into their garbage cans and making a big mess out of that as well. But they don't typically harm people. Either, they will get spooked and even walk off. If you open your door and scare them away, you might have that chance of having a really bold one that will come after you. But just leave them alone and you should be fine. Let them do whatever they want out of your trash can and clean up the mess in the morning.

Well, I know I only covered a few topics on safety in the Fort Walton Beach area, but I hope it was enough for you to decide whether or not it is safe enough for you. If you have any questions or would like to know more, please feel free to call/text us at 850.320.7757 or email us at Admin@WhittemoreGroupRE.com