© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Ferry Pass.
Ferry Pass is an unincorporated community in Escambia County, FL. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Ferry Pass
If you're considering Ferry Pass, you're looking at a stable, established community that serves as a natural extension of Pensacola rather than a separate entity. The University of West Florida's presence here brings some college-town energy and keeps things relatively younger and more educated than typical for the region, though it's not a college town in the traditional sense. The commute to jobs elsewhere is manageable at about 22 minutes on average.
Ferry Pass at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.4%
Foreign-Born
5.5%
Broadband Internet
92.7%
of households
Population Growth
-5.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.5% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Ferry Pass: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Ferry Pass, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (11.0%), and 5.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
17.6%
of residents
65 and Older
21.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
21.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
39.3%
of households
Married Couples
32.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.13
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 17% below FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Ferry Pass
In Ferry Pass, rent runs 17% below the FL average, and home values are 28% below the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,457
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
47.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1984
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.3%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above FL average
Unemployment in Ferry Pass
Unemployment in Escambia County, which includes Ferry Pass, is 0.4 percentage points higher than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Ferry Pass: Escambia County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Escambia County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Ferry Pass Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22 min avg
How Ferry Pass residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Ferry Pass, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 73% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Pensacola International Airport (PNS)
Small hub1.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 51% above national average
Crime rates for 2020
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2020. It's compared with the national rate for 2020.
Violent crime in the area policed by the Escambia County Sheriff's Office, which covers Ferry Pass, runs 51% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
601.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (399 national, 2020)
Property Crime Rate
2,553.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,955 national, 2020)
Policed by Escambia County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 12 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Escambia County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Escambia County, which includes Ferry Pass, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 12 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | Tornado | $10,000 |
| 2024 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 12 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2020 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 2 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2018 | 12 | Rip Current | $60,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Escambia County, county-wide
Air Quality43 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Escambia County, which includes Ferry Pass, is typically good — 269 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
43
Good Days
269
per year
Moderate Days
95
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Escambia County, county-wide
Climate90°F summers, 45°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Ferry Pass has hot summers (avg high 90°F) and mild winters (avg low 45°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
78°/59°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/74°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
79°/60°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
63°/45°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
67.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
80
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
13
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
105
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61°F | 42°F | 5.30" |
| Feb | 65°F | 46°F | 4.76" |
| Mar | 71°F | 52°F | 5.13" |
| Apr | 77°F | 59°F | 5.41" |
| May | 85°F | 67°F | 3.90" |
| Jun | 89°F | 73°F | 7.79" |
| Jul | 91°F | 74°F | 8.26" |
| Aug | 91°F | 74°F | 6.73" |
| Sep | 88°F | 71°F | 6.08" |
| Oct | 80°F | 60°F | 4.48" |
| Nov | 70°F | 50°F | 4.24" |
| Dec | 64°F | 46°F | 5.76" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Ferry Pass
Ferry Pass has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
11.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
HCA Florida West Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Sacred Heart Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.3 mi away · Pensacola
Santa Rosa Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.4 mi away · Milton
Gulf Breeze Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.7 mi away · Gulf Breeze
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education19.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Ferry Pass
Ferry Pass's student/teacher ratio is 19.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 33.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
33.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Ferry Pass
Public · 4-year · 9,330 students · in-state tuition $6,360 · 64% graduate · median earnings $52,902 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 7,538 students · in-state tuition $2,363 · 37% graduate · median earnings $41,050 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Gulf Islands National Seashore, 14 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Ferry Pass
Ferry Pass has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Gulf Islands National Seashore (14 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Gulf Islands National Seashore
National Seashore
14 mi awayCities Near Ferry Pass
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Ferry Pass?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Ferry Pass FAQ
Is Ferry Pass, Florida affordable?⌄
Ferry Pass's median rent is $1,383/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $61,689/year. Median home value is $260,100.
Is Ferry Pass, Florida safe?⌄
Ferry Pass is policed by the Escambia County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 602 per 100,000 residents in 2020, which is above the national average of 399/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2554 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Ferry Pass, Florida?⌄
Escambia County, which includes Ferry Pass, has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Ferry Pass, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Ferry Pass is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,383/month and median household income is $61,689/year. The median home value is $260,100. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Ferry Pass, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Ferry Pass is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from