Okaloosa County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Crestview, Fort Walton Beach and Niceville
Okaloosa County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Okaloosa County. Okaloosa County is home to Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville and Destin. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “12-month data center moratorium voted down”. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. 298 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage.
Cities and towns in Okaloosa County
Okaloosa County is home to Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville and Destin.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field, Lake Lorraine, Ocean City, Wright.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Okaloosa County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 212,082 | 221,810 | ▲ 4.6% | 26th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 85,838 | 89,542 | ▲ 4.3% | 56th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,750 | $63,935 | ▲ 33.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,267 | 4,133 | ▼ 3.1% | 53rd of 59 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 686 | 639 | ▼ 6.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 4.4% | ▲ 1.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 298 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Construction employs 4,133, down 3.1% since 2019. Its power plants have 328 MW of capacity, 55% of it solar. Employers here counted 89,542 jobs in 2025, up 4.3% from 2019. Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Okaloosa County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024. Electrical contractors employ 639, down 6.9% since 2019 against up 16.3% statewide, at an average $63,057 a year. 221,810 people live here, up 4.6% since 2020.
Who powers Okaloosa County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +298 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Okaloosa County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Power & Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 5,236,277 | 13.71¢ | 41% |
| Choctawhatche Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 57,070 | 13.23¢ | 24% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 179 MW | 55% |
| Battery storage | 149 MW | 45% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canoe | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 149 MW | 2024 |
| Kayak | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 149 MW | 2024 |
| Gulf Coast Solar Center I | Arevon Energy, Inc. | Solar | 30 MW | 2017 |
The Okaloosa County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 89,542 | $63,935 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 4,133 | $61,842 | 0.87 |
| Electrical contractors | 639 | $63,057 | 0.99 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Okaloosa County
1 data center in Okaloosa County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-month data center moratorium voted down | Failed / vetoed | 2026-09 |
Okaloosa County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Okaloosa County, Covington County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okaloosa County | 221,810 | ▲ 4.3% | 328 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Covington County AL | 37,947 | ▲ 1.8% | 742 MW | — | — | — |
| Escambia County AL | 36,665 | ▲ 0.6% | 183 MW | — | — | — |
| Santa Rosa County | 211,115 | ▲ 11.8% | 552 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Walton County | 93,288 | ▲ 29.4% | 298 MW | 74 MW | — | 1 |
More of Florida
Okaloosa County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Okaloosa County, Florida?
2 utilities have service territory in Okaloosa County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, Choctawhatche Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Crestview, FL in?
Crestview is in Okaloosa County, Florida. About 31,193 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Fort Walton Beach, FL in?
Fort Walton Beach is in Okaloosa County, Florida. About 21,097 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Niceville, FL in?
Niceville is in Okaloosa County, Florida. About 17,948 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Okaloosa County?
3 operating plants with 328 MW of capacity. The largest is Canoe (149 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Okaloosa County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Okaloosa County.
Is Okaloosa County adding jobs?
Employers counted 89,542 jobs in 2025 against 85,838 in 2019 (+4.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,267 to 4,133.
Does Okaloosa County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Okaloosa County, 0 in force.