2026 Compare Cities Economy:
Fort Walton Beach, FL vs Ithaca, NY

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Highlights
- Household income in Ithaca, is 26% less than it is in Fort Walton Beach and is 68% below the National Average.
- Fort Walton Beach unemployment rate is 4.0%.
- Ithaca unemployment rate is 4.5%.
 Fort Walton Beach, FLIthaca, NYUnited States
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.5%6.0%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock2.8%1.6%
 Future Job Growth46.2%  Unlock33.5%
 Sales Taxes6.5%  Unlock6.2%
 Income Taxes  Unlock6.2%4.6%
 Income per Cap.$32,350  Unlock$37,638
 Household Income  Unlock$40,973$69,021
 Family Median Income$71,000  Unlock$85,028
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 Est. Households By Income
 Fort Walton Beach, FLIthaca, NYUnited States
 Income Less Than 15K  Unlock23.2%9.4%
 Income between 15K and 20K4.0%  Unlock3.8%
 Income between 20K and 30K  Unlock11.6%8.1%
 Income between 30K and 40K9.0%  Unlock8.0%
 Income between 40K and 50K  Unlock9.4%7.6%
 Income between 50K and 60K11.2%  Unlock7.2%
 Income between 60K and 75K  Unlock6.3%9.6%
 Income between 75K and 100K12.2%  Unlock12.8%
 Income between 100K and 150K  Unlock8.8%16.3%
 Income between 150K and 200K5.7%  Unlock7.8%
 Income greater than 200K  Unlock7.1%9.5%
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 Population By Occupation
 Fort Walton Beach, FLIthaca, NYUnited States
 Management, business, finance11.5%  Unlock16.4%
 Engineering, computers, science  Unlock13.9%6.5%
 Community, social services1.1%  Unlock1.8%
 Legal  Unlock0.5%1.2%
 Education, library4.6%  Unlock6.2%
 Arts, design, media, sports, entertainment  Unlock4.7%2.0%
 Healthcare practitioners and technology5.2%  Unlock6.2%
 Healthcare support  Unlock1.7%3.3%
 Firefighters, law enforcement2.8%  Unlock2.1%
 Food preparation, serving  Unlock11.1%5.4%
 Building maintenance7.4%  Unlock3.6%
 Personal care  Unlock2.4%2.6%
 Sales, office, administrative support20.7%  Unlock20.9%
 Farming, fishing, forestry  Unlock0.4%0.6%
 Construction, extraction, maintenance/repair10.9%  Unlock8.1%
 Production, transportation, material moving  Unlock3.1%13.1%
Reviews for Fort Walton Beach    10 Reviews

Over 4 years ago

Ive lived in Fort Walton for atleast 15yrs.Ive seen the good days(early to late 200's)and now the bad.If you move here,youd better make atleast $10,000 a month.These  More

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I would like to know if Fort Walton Beach is a better place to live rather than busy Clearwater FL. We want to re-locate to a quieter city with all the amenities of a  More

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FWB is great for its beautiful beaches and saltwater fishing. It's also easy to move around town except during rush hour (yes, we have a rush hour - but it literally  More

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Reviews for Ithaca    32 Reviews

BILL · 

For a small city, its downtown has grown significantly and serves as the hub of the community. The Ithaca Commons remains the central gathering space for locals,  More

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Over 5 years ago

Great place to live. Lots to do, vibrant culture, and beautiful scenery. Don't fear the winter--it's even beautiful then. Only complaint is the housing market. Way  More

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I was born, raised, educated there (Ithaca High and Cornell). In my opinion, before leaving to pursue my career, it seemed like the most beautiful, clean, low crime,  More

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