Bay County, FL

County

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2023 Population

181,368

0.173% 1-year growth

US Senator

Rick Scott

Republican Party

US Senator

Ashley Moody

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

41.4

0.485% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

11.7%

4.33% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$70,188

6.35% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$276,900

12.2% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

86,953

2.42% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Bay County, FL had a population of 181k people with a median age of 41.4 and a median household income of $70,188. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Bay County, FL grew from 181,055 to 181,368, a 0.173% increase and its median household income grew from $65,999 to $70,188, a 6.35% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Bay County, FL are White (Non-Hispanic) (73.7%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (9.84%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (5.16%), Two+ (Hispanic) (3.32%), and White (Hispanic) (2.82%).

None of the households in Bay County, FL reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96% of the residents in Bay County, FL are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Bay County, FL are Gulf Coast State College (882 degrees awarded in 2022) and Tom P. Haney Technical College (131 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Bay County, FL was $276,900, and the homeownership rate was 68.3%.

Most people in Bay County, FL drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Bay County, FL was 2 cars per household.

Bay County, FL borders Calhoun County, FL, Gulf County, FL, Jackson County, FL, Walton County, FL, and Washington County, FL.

About the photo: Sunset over the Gulf

Photo by Phillip Hendon

United States Florida Panama City, FL

Population & Diversity

Bay County, FL is home to a population of 181k people, from which 96% are citizens. As of 2023, 8.02% of Bay County, FL residents were born outside of the country (14.5k people).

In 2023, there were 7.49 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (134k people) in Bay County, FL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 17.9k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 9.36k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96%

2023 Citizenship

96.5%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 96% of Bay County, FL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Bay County, FL was 96.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Bay County, FL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Bay County, FL

White (Non-Hispanic)
134k ± 495
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
17.9k ± 667
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
9.36k ± 800

8.39%

Hispanic Population

15.2k people

8.39% of the people in Bay County, FL are hispanic (15.2k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Bay County, FL as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Florida.

Most Common Origin

Cuba
1,003,261 ± 24,014 people
Haiti
344,713 ± 14,299 people
Colombia
299,067 ± 13,333 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Florida was Cuba, the natal country of 1,003,261 Florida residents, followed by Haiti with 344,713 and Colombia with 299,067.

Foreign-Born Population

8.02%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

14.5k people

7.29%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

13.2k people

As of 2023, 8.02% of Bay County, FL residents (14.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Bay County, FL was 7.29%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Bay County, FL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
6,302 ± 709
Vietnam
4,664 ± 433
Gulf War (1990s)
4,299 ± 540

Bay County, FL has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.35 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Bay County, FL employs 87k people. The largest industries in Bay County, FL are Retail Trade (11,055 people), Accommodation & Food Services (9,348 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (9,123 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($88,125), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($64,554), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($64,324).

Males in Florida have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $56,054. The income inequality in Florida (measured using the Gini index) is 0.474, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

87k

2023 Value

± 2,700

2.42%

1 Year growth

± 4.31%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Bay County, FL grew at a rate of 2.42%, from 84.9k employees to 87k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Bay County, FL, are Sales & Related Occupations (10,671 people), Management Occupations (9,604 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (9,506 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Bay County, FL.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Florida (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

87k

2023 Value

± 2,700

2.42%

1 Year growth

± 4.31%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Bay County, FL grew at a rate of 2.42%, from 84.9k employees to 87k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Bay County, FL, are Retail Trade (11,055 people), Accommodation & Food Services (9,348 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (9,123 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Bay County, FL, though some of these residents may live in Bay County, FL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$47,543

Median earning men ± $1,802

$34,949

Median earning women ± $1,429

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($75,386), Public Administration ($71,974), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($64,208).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Information ($69,410), Public Administration ($55,221), and Manufacturing ($47,865).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Florida.

Y-Axis

4.23%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 9.69M people employed in Florida. This represents a 4.23% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 12.6%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Florida.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

461
Construction
357
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
337
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$508k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$420k
Retail Trade
$303k
Accommodation and Food Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Bay County, FL went to Donald J. Trump with 71.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (27.5%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.08%).

Rick Scott and Ashley Moody are the senators currently representing the state of Florida. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Florida is currently represented by 26 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (71.1%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (27.5%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.08%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Bay County, FL went to Donald J. Trump with 71.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (27.5%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.08%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Bay County, FL for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Florida

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Florida.

Rick Scott

Senator from Florida

Assumed office on January 8, 2019
Inauguration delayed in order to finish his term as Governor of Florida.

Ashley Moody

Senator from Florida

Assumed office on January 21, 2025
While elections for full class 3 terms will take place in 2028, Florida will hold a special election in 2026 to elect a senator to complete the remainder of Marco Rubio's term.

Rick Scott and Ashley Moody are the senators currently representing Florida.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Florida over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Florida

Florida is currently represented by 26 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Florida have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Bay County, FL awarded 1,013 degrees. The student population of Bay County, FL in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 1,924 male students and 3,194 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Bay County, FL are White (752 and 74.5%), followed by Black or African American (97 and 9.61%), Hispanic or Latino (63 and 6.24%), and Two or More Races (42 and 4.16%).

The largest universities in Bay County, FL by number of degrees awarded are Gulf Coast State College (882 and 87.1%) and Tom P. Haney Technical College (131 and 12.9%).

The most popular majors in Bay County, FL are Liberal Arts & Sciences (377 and 37.2%), Registered Nursing (156 and 15.4%), and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT Paramedic) (46 and 4.54%).

The median tuition cost in Bay County, FL for a public four year colleges is $1,750 for in-state students and $7,065 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 5,118 students enrolled in Bay County, FL, 37.6% men and 62.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 3,568 records, of which 62.1% were women and 37.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
377 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
103 degrees awarded
Surgical Technologist
25 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Bay County, FL was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 377 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Bay County, FL according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Gulf Coast State College
882 degrees awarded
Tom P. Haney Technical College
131 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Gulf Coast State College with 882 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 363 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Bay County, FL, which is 0.558 times less than the 650 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 752 degrees mean that there were 7.75 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 97 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 4-year or above ($1,750) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($620) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,056) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Florida.

Measure

In 2022, 1.19% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.2% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Florida.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (4.97M), Some college (3.58M), and Bachelors Degree (3.32M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Bay County, FL was $276,900 in 2023, which is 0.913 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $246,800 to $276,900, a 12.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Bay County, FL is 68.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Bay County, FL have an average commute time of 24.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Bay County, FL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Bay County, FL is $70,188. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Bay County, FL was Census Tract 14.02 with a value of $103,889, followed by Census Tract 25 and Census Tract 13.01, with respective values of $96,537 and $94,559.

In 2023, 15.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Bay County, FL. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.14%.

Housing

Property

$276,900

Median Property Value 2023

±$6,672

$51,976

Median Property Taxes

±$1,891

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Bay County, FL the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Bay County, FL compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

68.3%

Homeownership

2023

71.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 68.3% of the housing units in Bay County, FL were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 68.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Bay County, FL compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 14.02
Census Tract 25
Census Tract 13.01

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Bay County, FL was Census Tract 14.02 with a value of $103,889, followed by Census Tract 25 and Census Tract 13.01, with respective values of $96,537 and $94,559.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Bay County, FL colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$70,188

Median Household Income

± $1,921

76.1k

Number of Households

± 2,346

In 2023, the median household income of the 76.1k households in Bay County, FL grew to $70,188 from the previous year's value of $65,999.

The following chart displays the households in Bay County, FL distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Bay County, FL is from Florida.

0.474

2022 Wage GINI in Florida

0.473

2021 Wage GINI in Florida

In 2022, the income inequality in Florida was 0.474 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.285% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Florida was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Florida in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Florida across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (76.4%)
Carpooled (11.6%)
Worked At Home (8.84%)

In 2023, 76.4% of workers in Bay County, FL drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.6%) and those who worked at home (8.84%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

24.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Bay County, FL have a shorter commute time (24.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.38% of the workforce in Bay County, FL have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Bay County, FL compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Bay County, FL distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Bay County, FL have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 15.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Bay County, FL. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.14%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

11.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Bay County, FL (20.8k out of 178k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 65 - 74.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Bay County, FL is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 23.8% of the children was living in poverty in Bay County, FL. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.2%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

86.2% of the population of Bay County, FL has health coverage, with 33.9% on employee plans, 14.5% on Medicaid, 11.3% on Medicare, 20.7% on non-group plans, and 5.8% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Bay County, FL see 1543 patients per year on average, which represents a 5.51% decrease from the previous year (1633 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1723 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 369 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.4% were men and 51.6% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,543 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Bay County, FL

Primary care physicians in Bay County, FL see an average of 1,543 patients per year. This represents a 5.51% decrease from the previous year (1,633 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Bay County, FL in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.4% under 18 years, 19.2% between 18 and 34 years, 40.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.4% were men and 51.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

13.8%

Uninsured

33.9%

Employer Coverage

14.5%

Medicaid

11.3%

Medicare

20.7%

Non-Group

5.8%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Bay County, FL grew by 0.859% from 13.7% to 13.8%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Bay County, FL changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 71.8 in Bay County, FL.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Bay County, FL.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 31.1% in Bay County, FL.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Bay County, FL.