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Living in
Upper Grand Lagoon.
Upper Grand Lagoon is an unincorporated community in Bay County, FL. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Upper Grand Lagoon
Living in Upper Grand Lagoon means settling into a quiet, established community in the Panama City metropolitan area where you're likely to stay put—the median age hovers around 45, and most residents are long-term fixtures rather than transients. The job market is solid with a 4.0% unemployment rate, and you'll find a median household income of $82,157, though cost of living does lean higher with median home values around $373,200 and rent averaging $1,667 monthly, so this isn't a bargain destination. Your commute will be reasonable at just over 20 minutes on average, making it feasible to work elsewhere in the broader Panama City region while keeping a quieter home base.
Upper Grand Lagoon at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
45.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.1%
Foreign-Born
16.0%
Broadband Internet
94.3%
of households
Population Growth
-2.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics16.0% foreign-born, most often from Ukraine
Who lives in Upper Grand Lagoon: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Upper Grand Lagoon, the largest foreign-born group is from Ukraine (15.7%), and 8.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.4%
of residents
65 and Older
21.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.2%
of households
Married Couples
49.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.18
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 about average for FL
Rent, home values, and income in Upper Grand Lagoon
Rent and home values here are close to the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,452
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1995
median year built
Vacant Homes
16.4%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for FL
Unemployment in Upper Grand Lagoon
Unemployment in Bay County, which includes Upper Grand Lagoon, is close to the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Upper Grand Lagoon: Bay County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Bay County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Upper Grand Lagoon Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.8 min avg
How Upper Grand Lagoon residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Upper Grand Lagoon, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 76% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 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 34% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Bay County Sheriff's Office, which covers Upper Grand Lagoon, runs 34% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
217.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
804.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Bay County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
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 Upper Grand Lagoon, 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 Upper Grand Lagoon, 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, 45°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Upper Grand Lagoon has hot summers (avg high 90°F) and mild winters (avg low 45°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/58°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/74°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
82°/61°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
66°/45°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
61.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
69
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
9
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
100
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°F | 43°F | 4.79" |
| Feb | 67°F | 46°F | 4.95" |
| Mar | 73°F | 52°F | 5.03" |
| Apr | 79°F | 58°F | 4.09" |
| May | 85°F | 66°F | 3.31" |
| Jun | 89°F | 73°F | 5.82" |
| Jul | 91°F | 75°F | 7.41" |
| Aug | 91°F | 75°F | 7.44" |
| Sep | 89°F | 71°F | 6.98" |
| Oct | 82°F | 61°F | 3.45" |
| Nov | 73°F | 50°F | 3.70" |
| Dec | 67°F | 45°F | 4.30" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Upper Grand Lagoon
Uninsured
14.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Upper Grand Lagoon's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5 mi away · Panama City
Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 5.3 mi away · Panama City
Ascension Sacred Heart Bay
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.8 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.
Education16.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Upper Grand Lagoon
Upper Grand Lagoon's student/teacher ratio is 16.3:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 37.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
1
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
37.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Upper Grand Lagoon (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, 89 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Upper Grand Lagoon
Upper Grand Lagoon has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Gulf Islands National Seashore (89 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Gulf Islands National Seashore
National Seashore
89 mi awayCities Near Upper Grand Lagoon
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Upper Grand Lagoon?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Upper Grand Lagoon FAQ
Is Upper Grand Lagoon, Florida affordable?⌄
Upper Grand Lagoon's median rent is $1,667/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $82,157/year. Median home value is $373,200.
Is Upper Grand Lagoon, Florida safe?⌄
Upper Grand Lagoon is policed by the Bay County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 217 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 804 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Upper Grand Lagoon, Florida?⌄
Bay County, which includes Upper Grand Lagoon, has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Upper Grand Lagoon, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Upper Grand Lagoon is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,667/month and median household income is $82,157/year. The median home value is $373,200. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Upper Grand Lagoon, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Upper Grand Lagoon 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