Santa Rosa County, Florida: commercial real estate data.
Santa Rosa County, Florida has a population of 198,472 across 1,012 square miles, up 10.4 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $7.90 bn in 2024, 3,442 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 128 7(a) approvals worth $82.6 m.
128 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Santa Rosa County
How many people live in Santa Rosa County
- Population198,472
- Households72,605
- Average household size2.73
- Median household income$91,922
- Median age40.1
- Median gross rent$1,544 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$329,800
- Home value to household income3.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher32.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over140,549
- Population under 1843,250
- Share under 1821.8 percent
- Population 65 and over33,229
- Share 65 and over16.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64121,993
- Civilian labor force90,657
- Unemployment rate4.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.4 percent
- Rank by population among Florida counties29th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents350th
Santa Rosa County is the 29th largest of 67 Florida counties by population. A median home costs 3.6 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.8 percent against 16.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Santa Rosa County
Is Santa Rosa County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base10.45 percent
- Census 2020 base population187,998
- Births, 20241,986
- Deaths, 20242,002
- Natural change, 2024-16
- Net domestic migration, 20243,578
- Net international migration, 2024525
- Total net migration, 20244,103
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202417,612
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents138th
The county has grown 10.45 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Santa Rosa County
Where people moving to Santa Rosa County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving8,602
- People arriving, from those returns17,220
- Adjusted gross income arriving$661.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$76,882
- Largest single originSanta Rosa County Non-migrants (66,905 households)
- Largest single destination (66,905 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa County Non-migrants | 66,905 | 142,673 | $6.24 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 3,662 | 7,774 | $325.8 m |
| Other flows - South | 1,873 | 3,986 | $161.2 m |
| Escambia County | 1,732 | 3,161 | $110.9 m |
| Okaloosa County | 849 | 1,519 | $46.5 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 795 | 1,636 | $67.4 m |
| Other flows - West | 618 | 1,389 | $63.2 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 376 | 763 | $34.0 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Santa Rosa County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Santa Rosa County
What the Santa Rosa County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$7.90 bn
- County GDP, 2023$7.41 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.7 percent
- GDP change over five years48.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among Florida counties32nd
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents529th
- GDP per resident$39,797
Output grew 6.7 percent in the latest year and 48.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Santa Rosa County
Who employs people in Santa Rosa County
- Covered employment, annual average43,548
- Establishments reporting4,629
- Average annual pay$51,217
- Average weekly wage$985
- Sector 44-45, employment6,909
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$32,974
- Sector 72, employment6,388
- Sector 72, average annual pay$25,529
- Sector 62, employment5,511
- Sector 62, average annual pay$61,031
- Sector 23, employment3,887
- Sector 23, average annual pay$58,799
- Sector 56, employment2,876
- Sector 54, employment1,911
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 44-45 | 6,909 | 483 | $32,974 |
| Sector 72 | 6,388 | 333 | $25,529 |
| Sector 62 | 5,511 | 536 | $61,031 |
| Sector 23 | 3,887 | 676 | $58,799 |
| Sector 56 | 2,876 | 340 | $56,065 |
| Sector 54 | 1,911 | 611 | $83,890 |
| Sector 81 | 1,409 | 330 | $45,439 |
| Sector 53 | 1,180 | 340 | $51,738 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 6,909 jobs, 15.9 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Santa Rosa County
What businesses operate in Santa Rosa County
- Establishments, all industries3,442
- Employment at those establishments32,335
- Annual payroll$1.34 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Santa Rosa County
What is being built in Santa Rosa County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20241,983
- Declared construction value permitted$554.3 m
- Single family units authorised1,851
- Multifamily units authorised132
- Multifamily share of units6.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$279,533
- Units authorised per 1,000 households27.3
Multifamily is 6.7 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Santa Rosa County
How much SBA lending happens in Santa Rosa County
- 7(a) approvals recorded128
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$82.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$645,369
- Median 7(a) approval$263,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,958,000
- Largest single approval$4,615,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,326
- Jobs per approval10.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active48
- Distinct industries receiving approvals69
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms21
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter94
- Franchise loans26
- Franchise share of approvals20.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (10)
- Most active lenderHancock Whitney Bank (12)
- 504 approvals recorded44
- 504 gross approval dollars$32.8 m
- Average 504 approval$746,455
- Median 504 approval$430,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval12.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved16.1
- Most active CDCFlorida First Capital Finance Corporation, Inc. (30)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals74.4 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$115.5 m
The average approval of $645,369 sits well above the median of $263,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 16.4 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Santa Rosa County
Do SBA loans in Santa Rosa County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded24
- Paid in full24
- Charged off0
- Charge off rate on resolved loans0.0 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure77
- Status: Paid in full24
- Status: Cancelled21
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed6
Of the 24 loans that have reached a final outcome, 0.0 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Santa Rosa County
Which parts of Santa Rosa County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending7
- Gulf Breeze, approvals39
- Milton, approvals37
- Navarre, approvals33
- PACE, approvals15
- Maitland, approvals2
- Pensacola Beach, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Gulf Breeze | 39 | $19,690,700 |
| Milton | 37 | $30,991,900 |
| Navarre | 33 | $22,252,800 |
| PACE | 15 | $9,008,200 |
| Maitland | 2 | $202,600 |
| Pensacola Beach | 1 | $411,000 |
| JAY | 1 | $50,000 |
Gulf Breeze accounts for 39 approvals against 37 in Milton. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Santa Rosa County
How big is Santa Rosa County
- Land area1,012 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Florida counties16th of 67
- Width, east to west31.4 mi
- Height, north to south44.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary2
- Residents per square mile of land196
- Establishments per square mile3.40
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Santa Rosa County
What hazards affect Santa Rosa County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 5
- Communities carrying a CRS class3
The EPA places the county in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 5, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Santa Rosa County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Santa Rosa County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population198,472
- Households72,605
- Average household size2.73
- Median household income$91,922
- Median age40.1
Common questions
Santa Rosa County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Santa Rosa County, Florida?
198,472, in 72,605 households, ranking 29th of 67 Florida counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Santa Rosa County growing?
The population has grown 10.45 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 1,986 births against 2,002 deaths, with net migration of 4,103. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Santa Rosa County?
$91,922. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $329,800, which is 3.6 times income, and median gross rent is $1,544 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Santa Rosa County?
3,442 establishments, employing 32,335 people with an annual payroll of $1.34 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Santa Rosa County?
Average annual pay is $51,217, or $985 a week, across 43,548 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Santa Rosa County?
128 7(a) approvals totalling $82.6 m since FY2020, across 48 lenders, with a median approval of $263,000, plus 44 504 approvals worth $32.8 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Santa Rosa County get paid back?
Of the 24 loans that have reached a final outcome, 24 were paid in full and 0 charged off, a charge off rate of 0.0 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Santa Rosa County?
1,983 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $554.3 m. Multifamily was 6.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Santa Rosa County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Santa Rosa County come from?
The largest single origin is Santa Rosa County Non-migrants, with 66,905 households. Arriving households report an average income of $76,882 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Santa Rosa County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Santa Rosa County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.