Walton County Economic Development Council

Walton County Economic Trends

According to Florida Trend's Florida Small Business (2008), "Florida's Top Growth Industries from 2007 through 2015 will be administrative and support services, social assistance, ambulatory healthcare services, water transportation, and specialty trade contractors. "

Florida's Great Northwest has identified four target industry clusters that match this region’s strengths, goals, and assets. These industries will provide a diversified and sustainable regional economy: Aviation, Aerospace, Defense, and National Security; Health Science and Human Performance Enhancement; Renewable Energy and Environment; and Transportation and Logistics Services.

Tourism is the top industry in Walton County and, despite downward trends elsewhere in the country, it remains strong in the summer of 2008. The counties along Florida's Emerald Coast collect "bed" taxes from commercial rentals, and that is one of the principal ways to assess the rate of tourism. The most recently published statistics reported a 10.1% growth in bed tax collections in the fourth quarter of 2007 versus the same period in 2006. Source: Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development at the University of West Florida.

Retail Sales benefit from tourism and the large number of second homes in the county, especially in its southern end. Walton County has long been a shopper's paradise and is home to the largest designer outlet shopping center in the country as well as chic boutique-style shops. Its wide array of restaurants and services make it the most desirable of vacation destinations.