Where to live

Where to live near Eglin AFB

10 towns within about an hour of the main post area: drive time, rent, home values and the school district for each.

Town centers and the main post area. Dot size is population.

Quick answers

ClosestValparaiso5 min drive
Biggest nearbyWright27,927 people
Lowest median rentFort Walton Beach$1,307 a month
Most E-5 BAH left overValparaiso$1,541 over a 2-bedroom
10 towns, closest first

Towns around Eglin AFB

The green or red number is an E-5 with dependents' 2026 BAH ($2,433) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.

Valparaiso, FL

5 min drive · 2.1 road mi
Median rent
$1,366
2 bedrooms
$892
3 bedrooms
$1,547
Home value
$394,700
People
4,885
Homes rented
36%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,541 a month

Okaloosa County School District: 52 schools, 32,426 students, 18.7 students per teacher. District facts

Lake Lorraine, FL

11 min drive · 5 road mi
Median rent
$1,654
2 bedrooms
$1,431
3 bedrooms
$1,837
Home value
$434,500
People
6,903
Homes rented
27%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,002 a month

Okaloosa County School District: 52 schools, 32,426 students, 18.7 students per teacher. District facts

Ocean City, FL

12 min drive · 5.9 road mi
Median rent
$1,443
2 bedrooms
$1,424
3 bedrooms
$1,781
Home value
$303,900
People
5,941
Homes rented
42%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,009 a month

Okaloosa County School District: 52 schools, 32,426 students, 18.7 students per teacher. District facts

Niceville, FL

15 min drive · 7.5 road mi
Median rent
$1,749
2 bedrooms
$1,347
3 bedrooms
$1,965
Home value
$423,500
People
16,544
Homes rented
26%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,086 a month

Okaloosa County School District: 52 schools, 32,426 students, 18.7 students per teacher. District facts

Fort Walton Beach, FL

15 min drive · 7.6 road mi
Median rent
$1,307
2 bedrooms
$1,391
3 bedrooms
$1,585
Home value
$321,800
People
21,025
Homes rented
38%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,042 a month

Okaloosa County School District: 52 schools, 32,426 students, 18.7 students per teacher. District facts

Wright, FL

15 min drive · 8.8 road mi
Median rent
$1,621
2 bedrooms
$1,460
3 bedrooms
$1,867
Home value
$306,100
People
27,927
Homes rented
46%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$973 a month

Okaloosa County School District: 52 schools, 32,426 students, 18.7 students per teacher. District facts

Mary Esther, FL

20 min drive · 11.7 road mi
Median rent
$1,699
2 bedrooms
$1,766
3 bedrooms
$1,828
Home value
$298,900
People
4,061
Homes rented
30%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$667 a month

Okaloosa County School District: 52 schools, 32,426 students, 18.7 students per teacher. District facts

Destin, FL

35 min drive · 17.1 road mi
Median rent
$1,936
2 bedrooms
$1,735
3 bedrooms
$2,680
Home value
$490,300
People
14,077
Homes rented
30%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$698 a month

Okaloosa County School District: 52 schools, 32,426 students, 18.7 students per teacher. District facts

Crestview, FL

37 min drive · 23.8 road mi
Median rent
$1,366
2 bedrooms
$1,169
3 bedrooms
$1,483
Home value
$277,900
People
28,773
Homes rented
39%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,264 a month

Okaloosa County School District: 52 schools, 32,426 students, 18.7 students per teacher. District facts

Navarre, FL

44 min drive · 26.1 road mi
Median rent
$1,966
2 bedrooms
$2,050
3 bedrooms
$2,049
Home value
$375,700
People
39,838
Homes rented
18%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$383 a month

Santa Rosa County School District: 42 schools, 29,824 students, 18 students per teacher. District facts

Where these numbers come from

  • Towns: every town, city and census place of 1,000 or more people within about an hour's drive, from the U.S. Census Bureau.
  • Drive time: from each town's center to the main post area on OpenStreetMap roads, without traffic, so rush hour runs longer.
  • Rent, home value, renters: Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 medians. They include long-time renters and utilities, so new leases usually cost more. Use them to compare towns, and the HUD rent on the BAH page for today's level.
  • Schools: the public district that covers each town's center, with size from the NCES Common Core of Data (2023-24). Confirm the school for a specific address with the district.

Updated October 12, 2026. How we get our numbers.

Eglin AFB base guide   Eglin AFB BAH   Other bases

FAQ

Living near Eglin AFB

What is the closest town to Eglin Air Force Base?

Valparaiso, FL is about 5 minutes from the main post area (2.1 road miles) without traffic.

What is the biggest town near Eglin Air Force Base?

Wright, FL, with about 27,927 people, 15 minutes from the main post area. Bigger towns usually mean more rentals, schools and jobs to choose from.

Which town near Eglin Air Force Base has the lowest rent?

Fort Walton Beach, FL, where the Census median rent is $1,307 a month (rent plus utilities, 2020-2024 average). New leases usually cost more than the median, so check current listings too.

Does BAH cover rent near Eglin Air Force Base?

For an E-5 with dependents the 2026 DoD BAH is $2,433 a month. That is at or above the Census median 2-bedroom rent in 10 of the 10 towns here with a Census figure for that size, with the most left over in Valparaiso, FL.

What school district serves Valparaiso?

Okaloosa County School District, with 52 schools and 32,426 students (18.7 students per teacher), from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.