Freeport is a city in Walton County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Crestview–Fort Walton Beach–Destin, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, Freeport had a population of 5,861, up from 1,787 at the 2010 census. Freeport is one of the fastest growing cities in Florida. After the construction of the massive group of neighborhoods, Hammock Bay, the population grew by about two thousand.
History
Freeport is said to have been established circa 1830. It was called Freeport due to an absence of fees to use the dock ('free port') at the junction of Four Mile Creek and Lafayette Creek.
Historically, the economy of Freeport was largely dependent on the local timber industry through sawmills and logging, as well as the processing of turpentine.
After the introduction of the railroad in Defuniak Springs, Freeport lost its position as the economic powerhouse in Walton County. Today it has a sizeable population of people who serve at Eglin AFB.
Geography
Freeport is located along U.S. Route 331 and Florida State Road 20. U.S. 331 runs from north to south to the east of the city, leading north to DeFuniak Springs, the Walton County seat, and south to U.S. Route 98 near Santa Rosa Beach. FL-20 runs from west to east through the main part of the city, leading east to Ebro and west to Niceville.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.28%) is water.
Freeport is situated at the junction of Four Mile Creek and Lafayette Creek, which empty out into LaGrange Bayou, which is connected to the Choctawhatchee Bay.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition
{| class="wikitable"
|+Freeport racial composition<br> (Hispanics excluded from racial categories)<br> (NH = Non-Hispanic)<br>
!Race
!Pop 2010
!Pop 2020
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|White (NH)
|1,469
|4,695
|82.20%
|80.11%
|-
|Black or African American (NH)
|52
|156
|2.91%
|2.66%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native (NH)
|30
|43
|1.68%
|0.73%
|-
|Asian (NH)
|30
|75
|1.68%
|1.28%
|-
|Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)
|1
|4
|0.06%
|0.07%
|-
|Some other race (NH)
|1
|23
|0.06%
|0.39%
|-
|Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)
|42
|272
|2.35%
|4.64%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|162
|593
|9.07%
|10.12%
|-
|Total
|1,787
|5,861
|
|
|-
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Freeport had a population of 5,861. The median age was 38.1 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.5 males age 18 and over.
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 2,200 households in Freeport, of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 61.6% were married-couple households, 11.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 1,787 people, 636 households, and 343 families residing in the city.
In 2010, the population density was . There were 563 housing units at an average density of .
2000 census
As of the census