What it's like to live in Lynn Haven
Lynn Haven is a small city in Florida with crime rates well below the national average and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lynn Haven deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, larger class sizes than the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and hot summers.
The good
- Low crime rates
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Very rainy — 61" of rain per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Lynn Haven compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lynn Haven
Based on Lynn Haven's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,126
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $62,520 a year
- 64% of Lynn Haven renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$64,000
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $32,000
- Homes cost 4.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 11% above US
$1,563/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,563 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $320,000. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $320,000 · 64% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.0% county unemployment
Unemployment in Bay County is 4.0%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Bay County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 79% below US
70 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 691/100k · Lynn Haven Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
25 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.9 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 45°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
36% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 36% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Gulf Islands National Seashore (95 miles away).
Bottom line
Lynn Haven's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and a population that has grown fast since 2020; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,563/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Lynn Haven
All Florida guides →Moving to Panama City →
4 mi away · pop. 34,979
Rent $1,327/mo · Income $62,265
Compare with Lynn Haven →Moving to Upper Grand Lagoon →
8 mi away · pop. 17,232
Rent $1,667/mo · Income $82,157
Compare with Lynn Haven →Not sure Lynn Haven is the one?
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