Northeast Okaloosa County has been designated as a Rural Area of Opportunity following an Executive Order signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday.
- The designation will serve as a tool to attract job-creating industries and stimulate the economy in northeast Okaloosa County.
“Having this designation will position Okaloosa County for success in further job creation that has already begun with recent endeavors from companies invested in northeast Okaloosa County at Shoal River Industrial Park,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Paul Mixon. “We have invested in the creation of new and improved infrastructure in this region. We will now be able to leverage that with this recent designation to attract companies that will establish an economic environment that will benefit residents in our area looking for higher wages.”
Gov. DeSantis’ Executive Order 25-141, signed July 8, 2025, adds Okaloosa County to the Northwest Rural Areas of Opportunity, which include Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Wakulla, Washington, and portions of Walton County, including the City of Freeport and areas north of the Choctawhatchee Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway.
- Okaloosa’s northeast area designation includes the area east of State Road 85 and north of Interstate 10 and all unincorporated areas including the City of Laurel Hill and the unincorporated areas of Auburn, Deerland, and Svea.
The Rural Area of Opportunity has a successful history of benefiting neighboring counties. A Busy Bee fuel station and temperature gauge company, Probes Unlimited, have opened in recent years in Holmes County. The designation has also attracted Pointe Blank Enterprises, an armor manufacturing company to Wakulla County.
“We now have an additional tool to help attract positive economic development and jobs to Okaloosa County,” said One Okaloosa EDC Executive Director Nathan Sparks. “We appreciate Gov. DeSantis for including us in this designation and look forward to building upon this success.”
The benefits of the Rural Area of Opportunity include:
- Waivers for local match or wage requirements for state grants and incentives.
- Access to additional state economic development incentive programs such as rural job tax credits.
- Expedited permitting review from state agencies.
- The ability to seek waivers from certain state rules that may negatively impact an economic development project.
The designation also provides representation by the “Opportunity Florida” regional organization, which offers scholarships for elected leaders within the defined area to attend economic development conferences.
“Okaloosa County is known for sugar white sands, emerald green waters, and a strong military presence, but we also have rural areas that will experience a tremendous benefit thanks to the Governor’s decision to include rural Okaloosa in the Rural Area of Opportunity,” Sparks said.
Opportunity Florida Chair Kevin Vaughn said, “We appreciate the efforts of Governor Ron DeSantis and Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly to improve the economy and quality of life in rural Florida.”
The addition of parts of Bay and Okaloosa Counties was the result of work by local economic development organizations that understood the value of being included in a Rural Area of Opportunity, according to Opportunity Florida.
Richard Williams, Opportunity Florida Executive Director, welcomed the additions. “We know we’ve got great partners in Bay and Okaloosa that care about the rural areas of their counties,” Williams said. “We look forward to working with all of our rural areas to improve our economies, help our employers, and improve the quality of life for everyone in the Opportunity Florida region.”
