Fort Walton Beach, FL vs St. Cloud, FL

Fort Walton Beach is moderately more affordable than St. Cloud, with a 10.4% lower cost of living index. Fort Walton Beach scores 97 compared to 108 for St. Cloud, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of St. Cloud can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Fort Walton Beach is $1,268/month compared to $1,528/month in St. Cloud — a 17% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Fort Walton Beach is more affordable at $296,000 median vs $324,100.

Median household income in Fort Walton Beach is $66,556 compared to $76,196 in St. Cloud (-12.7%). While St. Cloud is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Fort Walton Beach spend roughly 22.9% of their income on rent, less than the 24.1% in St. Cloud.