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EconPulse

Local economy signal dashboard

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PLACEThriving

Defuniak Springs, FL

Thriving overall. GDP / Output is the clearest support signal, while population needs the most attention. Housing reads as affordable for a median-income household.

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Overall score71out of 100
Compare
100
62
35
68
100

Population

6,532

Data freshness

Unknown

GDP / Output

+9.0% YoY

100

$6.4B

Output changed +9.0% in 2024.

Vintage date unknown

State growth6.3%
U.S. growth5.3%

Jobs

Unemployment rate

62

4.3%

Unemployment is 4.3% for April 2026.

Vintage date unknown

State avg4.8%
U.S. avg5.2%

Population

-2.4% 5-year

35

6,532

Population moved -2.4% over the latest ACS window.

Vintage date unknown

State population22,416,077
U.S. population334,922,499

Housing

Rent share of income

68

22.5%

Median rent consumes 22.5% of median household income: Affordable.

Vintage date unknown

State rent$1.7K
U.S. rent$1.4K
HUD_API_TOKEN missing; ACS median gross rent is used as the housing affordability fallback.

Federal Funds

$8.2K per resident

100

$621.1M

$621.1M in federal obligations flowed here in FY2025.

Vintage date unknown

State total$325.0B
U.S. total$5.3T

Population and output

Trend Snapshot

Reported share

Industry Breakdown

FY2025

Federal Money

Federal obligations

$621.1M

$8.2K per resident in reported federal flow.

Top agencies

Dollars
1. Social Security Administration$488.6M
2. Department of Veterans Affairs$104.5M
3. Department of Transportation$10.3M

Top recipients

Dollars
1. STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$10.3M
2. YERKES SOUTH INC.$5.1M
3. WALTON, COUNTY OF$3.4M

Affordable

Housing Affordability

22.5%

of median income

1BR estimate$840
2BR estimate$1,106
Median income$54,512
Median home value$201,400

ACS context

Quick Facts

Population

6,532

Median age

31.6

Bachelor's degree+

16.7%

Poverty rate

20.2%

Labor force participation

60.3%

Prime rate

6.8%

CPI YoY

+3.9%

U.S. GDP YoY

+5.9%

Sources and warnings

Data Provenance

Census ACS 5-year

2024

BLS LAUS / CPS

April 2026

BEA regional CAGDP1

2024

USAspending

FY2025

FRED

2026-06-16

HUD Fair Market Rent

Latest available

Data notes
  • HUD_API_TOKEN missing; ACS median gross rent is used as the housing affordability fallback.

5-year compound growth

Historical Trends

Population CAGR

-0.5%

GDP CAGR

+11.1%

Federal flow

5 years

Population (5 years)
20206,696
20215,875
20226,072
20236,284
20246,532
GDP (5 years)
2020$3.8B
2021$4.6B
2022$5.3B
2023$5.9B
2024$6.4B

2-year linear forecast

Predictive Outlook

Population forecast

20246,532
20256,316 *
20266,324 *

R² = 0.1% · * projected

GDP forecast

2024$6.4B
2025$7.2B *
2026$7.8B *

R² = 99.3% · * projected

Linear regression over available historical data. Projections are estimates based on past trends and do not account for policy changes, economic shocks, or other external factors.

housing affordability breakdown

Cost of Living

Median household income$54,512/yr
Median rent$1,024/mo
Rent share of income22.5%
Est. mortgage (30yr, 6.5%)$12,221/yr
Mortgage share of income22.4%

Rent data from Census ACS 5-year. Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 6.5% APR, 30-year fixed.

employment snapshot

Job Market

Unemployment rate4.3%
State avg4.8%
U.S. avg5.2%
Labor force participation60.3%
Poverty rate20.2%

Data from BLS LAUS / CPS. April 2026.

valuation snapshot

Real Estate

Median home value$201,400
Median monthly rent$1,024
Price-to-rent ratio16.4x

Moderate price-to-rent ratio — buying and renting are roughly balanced in this market.

composite score

Investment Climate

Investment climateStrong
Composite score70/100
Economic growth100/100
Labor market62/100
Population momentum35/100
Overall stability71/100

Composite score weighs economic growth, labor market health, population momentum, and overall stability. Not financial advice.

Location Context

DeFuniak Springs city, Florida

City/Town

Part of

Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL

Nearby locations

Ponce de Leon, FLFreeport, FLWestville, FLCaryville, FLPaxton, FL