Destin, FL vs Panama City, FL

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricDestin, FLPanama City, FL
Population14,07734,979
Median Household Income$89,011$62,265
Median Rent$1,936/mo$1,327/mo
Median Home Value$490,300$268,900
Cost of Living (US = 100)9797
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income45.7%60.4%
Poverty Rate7.4%17.6%
Unemployment Rate3.8% (county)4.2%
Violent Crime Rate /100k331*307
Property Crime Rate /100k1,337*1,316
Median AQI3644
Good AQI Days /yr338239
Summer Highs90°F90°F
Winter Lows47°F45°F
Snowfall0 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute26 min21.4 min
Hospitals—3
Avg Hospital Rating—2.5 / 5
Students per Teacher15.816.8
College Degree Rate46.2%26.4%
Foreign-Born %14.1%10%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+0.1%+14.3%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.
* Rate of the agency that polices Destin (the city has no police department of its own), so it isn’t scored.