NAICS 72

Accommodation and Food Services in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL

Metro Market Score 71.9 (Difficult), ranked #270 of 298 metros. 1,137 establishments, 21,694 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 71.9
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national accommodation and food services average.

🏭Industry Hub💰High-Cost Market

Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin is a specialized hub for accommodation and food services, with a location quotient of 1.92 and industry concentration in the bottom 10%. Higher-than-average firm density means more competition for talent and customers, but also a deeper local supply chain and client pool.

Industry Concentration
98.3
LQ: 1.92
Rank #293 of 298 metros
Wage Competitiveness
91.6
$33,652 avg wage
Growth Trend
↑ 64.4
Employment growth index
Rank #107 of 298 metros
Wage Pressure
68.6
YoY wage change index

1,137 Accommodation and Food Services Firms in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin

1,137
Establishments
+3.6% YoY
21,694
Total Employment
+1.2% YoY
$33,652
Average Annual Wage
+2.7% YoY
1.92
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin vs Florida Statewide

How this metro's accommodation and food services market compares to Florida overall. The state ranks #44/51 for entry risk.

Measure Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin FL Statewide
Overall Score 71.9 Difficult 53.6 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #270 of 298 metros #44 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin

Healthcare and Social Assistance 30.9 Construction 44.9 Other Services 45.9 Retail Trade 59.5 Finance and Insurance 60.9 Information 62.1 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 65.1 Administrative and Support Services 68.3 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 68.7

Accommodation and Food Services in Other Florida Metros

Ocala 48.4 #104/298 Sebring 51.5 #127/298 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville 57.6 #169/298 Cape Coral-Fort Myers 60.2 #187/298 Jacksonville 60.2 #188/298 Punta Gorda 60.6 #194/298 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach 61.6 #203/298 Lakeland-Winter Haven 62.6 #212/298 Naples-Marco Island 63.3 #216/298 Tallahassee 66.3 #235/298

+ 9 more metros. View all in Florida →

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin's accommodation and food services sector, the industry concentration component (98.3) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.