Milton, Florida
Milton is a city of 10,733 people in Santa Rosa County, Florida, founded in 1800.
Why visit Milton
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails and 23 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Arcadia Sawmill and Arcadia Cotton Mill, Bagdad Village Historic District and Blackwater Heritage Trail State Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 93°F; January lows average 42°F.
Weather in Milton
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Milton
Milton is a city in and the county seat of Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States. It is located within the Pensacola metropolitan area. The city was first Incorporated in 1844, however certain areas such as East Milton, Point Baker, and Bagdad remain unincorporated. Milton is located in the geographic center of Santa Rosa County, and it is bordered by Pace to the west, and Navarre to the south.
From the Wikipedia article Milton, Florida (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks12
Arcadia Sawmill and Arcadia Cotton Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Mill building in Santa Rosa County, Florida
Bagdad Village Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Historic district in Florida, United States
Louisville and Nashville Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Railway station in Milton, the United States of America
Milton Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic district in Florida
Ollinger-Cobb House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic house in Florida, United States
Museum of Local History
Museum · 1.0 mi
History museum in Milton, Florida
Parks, trails and playgrounds13
Blackwater Heritage Trail State Park
Park · 1.3 mi
Park in the United States of America
Bagdad Community Center & Recreational Park
Park · 2.2 mi
4591 School Street, Bagdad
1 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes23
Arby's
Fast food · Sandwich · 0.7 mi
6674 Caroline Street, Milton
Mo-Th 10:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-01:00; Su 10:00-24:00
Burger King
Fast food · Burger · 0.7 mi
6682 Caroline Street, Milton
Mo-Th 07:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 07:00-22:00; Su 07:00-21:00
11 more on the map.
Churches and places of worship12
Mt. Pilgrim African Baptist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Church building in Florida, United States of America
St. Mary's Episcopal Church and Rectory
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Church building in Florida, United States of America
History
Milton was settled in the early 1800s as a small village centered on the lumber industry. The settlement originally was known as Scratch Ankle because of the briars and bramble that grew in the area. Another name was Jernigan's Landing after Benjamin Jernigan (died April 1847), who built a water-powered saw mill at what is now Locklin Lake between 1828 and 1830. Other names were Lumberton, Black Water, and Hard Scrabble, but by 1839, it was being referred to as Milltown. Milton was incorporated as a town in 1844, one year before the Territory of Florida joined the United States as the 27th state.
During the Civil War, much of Milton was burned by Confederate forces retreating from the Union capture of Pensacola on May 2–4, 1862. The Confederates intended to prevent the town's industries from falling into Union hands. After the Southern forces evacuated, the Union troops had a small garrison in nearby Bagdad, where they had a base for expeditions in the surrounding area. Many Milton residents fled to Alabama.
In the early days of Milton, it was known as an extremely rough town. Judges from Escambia County sentenced criminals to be confined to Milton, which was nicknamed "Hell Town" by its residents. An old story from the area tells of the Rough Riders passing through Milton on their "best behavior".
From the History section of Milton, Florida on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries27
Healthcare5
Map of Milton
101 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65°F | 42°F | 5.5 in |
| Feb | 68°F | 45°F | 4.8 in |
| Mar | 74°F | 51°F | 5.4 in |
| Apr | 80°F | 56°F | 5.9 in |
| May | 86°F | 64°F | 3.8 in |
| Jun | 92°F | 72°F | 6.8 in |
| Jul | 93°F | 75°F | 7.6 in |
| Aug | 93°F | 74°F | 6.4 in |
| Sep | 90°F | 70°F | 6.5 in |
| Oct | 83°F | 59°F | 3.9 in |
| Nov | 73°F | 48°F | 4.4 in |
| Dec | 66°F | 44°F | 5.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Whiting Field Nas South (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Santa Rosa County has had 32 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-10-27: Hurricane Isaias (Tropical Storm)
- 2026-10-09: Hurricane Isaias (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-28: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-24: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-10: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-03: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Whiting Field Naval Air Station North Airport (NSE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- East Milton 5 mi east, about 9 min by car
- Ferry Pass 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- Gonzalez 14 mi west, about 23 min by car
- Ensley 15 mi southwest, about 24 min by car
- Midway 16 mi south, about 25 min by car
- Brent 16 mi southwest, about 26 min by car
- Bellview 19 mi southwest, about 31 min by car
- Crestview 29 mi east, about 47 min by car
- Fort Walton Beach 29 mi southeast, about 47 min by car
- Destin 38 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Milton Hist Dist bldg02, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fireworks Display July 2024 in Milton, Florida, TriosLosDios, CC0
- Fireworks Show July 2024 in Milton, Florida, TriosLosDios, CC0
- Downtown Milton, FL After Isaias, Jesselikeswx, CC0
- Milton Historic Distric 9 28 2025, Jesselikeswx, CC0
- Milton Hist Dist bldg01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Milton St Marys Church01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Milton Ollinger-Cobb house01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Milton Arcadia Mill entr01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Milton Mt Pilgrim AB Church01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bagdad Hist Dist 1st Meth Church01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Milton L and N Depot pano01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Milton Hist Dist Imogene01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mhs peprally, Akirakana 2323, CC BY 4.0
- 2024 Wiknic 1, TriosLosDios, CC0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.