The Town FilesOriole Beach, Florida
Community in Santa Rosa County · population 1,679 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $326,000
- Household income
- $88,154
- Jan low / Jul high
- 44° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 48
- Median age
- 44.3
Oriole Beach is a community of 1,679 people in Santa Rosa County, Florida. The median home is worth $326,000, close to the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better for families than 97% of Florida towns, more seaside character than 89% of Florida towns, more of a college town than 80% of Florida towns.
How Oriole Beach ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Oriole Beach is worth $326,000, close to the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $88,154, which is more affordable than 77% of Florida towns. Median rent is $2,023 a month. 77.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oriole Beach | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $326,000 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $2,023 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $88,154 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 77.1% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Oriole Beach
| People | Oriole Beach | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.6% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.7% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.4% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 11.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.1% | — |
| Work from home | 21.2% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 30.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.0% | 92.4% |
Weather in Oriole Beach
July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 43.7°F. About 68.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 68 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 11 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
48 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oriole Beach since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on February 7, 1971 about 4.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 10, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on November 2, 2010.
Severe weather in Santa Rosa County since 1996
Santa Rosa County has been included in 45 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 27, 2026 | Hurricane | DR-4955: Hurricane Isaias |
| October 9, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3655: Hurricane Isaias |
| September 28, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4828: Hurricane Helene |
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3615: Tropical Storm Helene |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4806: Hurricane Debby |
Jobs and pay in Santa Rosa County
Santa Rosa County had 43,548 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,217 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Oriole Beach itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Oriole Beach
1 public school with 104 students, about 13.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PENSACOLA BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL INC (charter) | K-5 | 104 | 13.0 |
Towns near Oriole Beach
- Tiger Point, FL2.9 mi · 3,342 people · home $427,900
- Gulf Breeze, FL4.4 mi · 6,302 people · home $505,600
- Midway, FL5.9 mi · 19,567 people · home $381,600
- Woodlawn Beach, FL6.3 mi · 2,741 people · home $403,900
- Pensacola, FL7.2 mi · 54,312 people · home $314,400
- Goulding, FL9.0 mi · 3,392 people · home $89,700
- West Pensacola, FL10.7 mi · 21,019 people · home $116,100
- Brent, FL11.3 mi · 23,447 people · home $159,900
Oriole Beach questions
Is Oriole Beach, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oriole Beach scores better for retirees than 75% of Florida towns and quieter than 41%. 21.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.3).
How much does a house cost in Oriole Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in Oriole Beach is valued at $326,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,154, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $2,023 a month.
What is the weather like in Oriole Beach?
July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 43.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 68.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Oriole Beach get tornadoes?
48 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oriole Beach since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on February 7, 1971. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)