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Living in
Panama City Beach.
About
Life in Panama City Beach
Living here means embracing a quieter, more mature coastal community than most people expect—the median age is 45.7 years, and you're looking at a genuinely tight-knit town of about 18,500 people, not the spring-break mayhem the postcards suggest. The cost of living is reasonable for a beach town—median home values around $441,300 and median rents around $1,791 monthly—though you should know that about 60% of housing units are vacant because they're vacation rentals, which shapes the neighborhood feel and can drive seasonal pricing fluctuations. Your commute averages 23.8 minutes, car dependency is real (you'll need one despite the Bayway bus system and scooter culture), and getting to bigger job centers like Panama City proper or Destin means driving 10-47 miles depending on your destination.
Panama City Beach at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
45.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.0%
Foreign-Born
10.4%
Broadband Internet
94.5%
of households
Population Growth
+12.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.4% foreign-born, most often from Jamaica
Who lives in Panama City Beach: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Panama City Beach, the largest foreign-born group is from Jamaica (17.3%), and 7.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
17.3%
of residents
65 and Older
17.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
21.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.7%
of households
Married Couples
47.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.17
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 7% above FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Panama City Beach
In Panama City Beach, rent runs 7% above the FL average, and home values are 23% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
56.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,579
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
59.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2001
median year built
Vacant Homes
58.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $415,439 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for FL
Unemployment in Panama City Beach
Unemployment in Bay County, which includes Panama City Beach, is close to the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Panama City Beach: Bay County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Bay County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Panama City Beach Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.7 min avg
How Panama City Beach residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Panama City Beach, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 77% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP)
Small hub947k 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 158% 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 Panama City Beach runs 158% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,031.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (399 national, 2020)
Property Crime Rate
5,951.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,955 national, 2020)
Panama City Beach Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
94.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Bay County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Bay County, which includes Panama City Beach, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $640,000 |
| 2024 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20.5M |
| 2023 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $247,000 |
| 2022 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $747,000 |
| 2021 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.8M |
| 2020 | 11 | Flash Flood | $1.1M |
| 2019 | 16 | Rip Current | $45,000 |
| 2018 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $6900.0M |
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
Bay County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Bay County, which includes Panama City Beach, is typically good — 239 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
239
per year
Moderate Days
121
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Bay County, county-wide
Climate90°F summers, 43°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Panama City Beach has hot summers (avg high 90°F) and mild winters (avg low 43°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/56°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/73°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/59°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
65°/43°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
65.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
88
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
14
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
100
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63°F | 42°F | 4.69" |
| Feb | 67°F | 45°F | 4.77" |
| Mar | 72°F | 50°F | 5.24" |
| Apr | 79°F | 56°F | 4.94" |
| May | 86°F | 63°F | 3.00" |
| Jun | 89°F | 71°F | 5.72" |
| Jul | 91°F | 73°F | 6.76" |
| Aug | 90°F | 74°F | 7.13" |
| Sep | 88°F | 70°F | 5.07" |
| Oct | 81°F | 59°F | 3.54" |
| Nov | 73°F | 48°F | 4.20" |
| Dec | 66°F | 44°F | 4.47" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Panama City Beach
Uninsured
14.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Panama City Beach's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13 mi away · Panama City
Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 13.5 mi away · Panama City
Ascension Sacred Heart Bay
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.8 mi away · Panama City
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.
Education18.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach's student/teacher ratio is 18.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 38.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
38.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Panama City Beach (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 3,934 students · in-state tuition $2,370 · 38% graduate · median earnings $43,513 (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, 81 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Gulf Islands National Seashore (81 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Gulf Islands National Seashore
National Seashore
81 mi awayPublic Libraries in Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach Library
12500 Hutchison Blvd., Panama City Beach
Cities Near Panama City Beach
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Panama City Beach?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Panama City Beach FAQ
Is Panama City Beach, Florida affordable?⌄
Panama City Beach's median rent is $1,791/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $80,941/year. Median home value is $441,300.
Is Panama City Beach, Florida safe?⌄
Panama City Beach's violent crime rate was 1031 per 100,000 residents in 2020, which is significantly above the national average of 399/100k that year. Property crime rate is 5951 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Panama City Beach, Florida?⌄
Bay County, which includes Panama City Beach, has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Panama City Beach, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Panama City Beach is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,791/month and median household income is $80,941/year. The median home value is $441,300. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Panama City Beach, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Panama City Beach is 21 minutes, which is shorter than 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