Bay County, Florida Demographics 2026

Name: Bay County, Florida Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Bay County, Florida has a population of 186,393, the 30th most populous county in Florida. The median household income is $73,533 and the median home value is $310,500. The poverty rate is 11.9%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Bay County Quick Facts

Population 186,393

Median Household Income $73,533

Median Home Value $310,500

Poverty Rate 11.9%

Unemployment Rate 3.9%

Median Age 41.0 years

Homeownership Rate 66.8%

Affordability Ratio 4.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 29.6%

High School Graduation 91.4%

Cities/Places 13

Population 186,393 30th of 67

Median Income $73,533 1% lower than state

Poverty Rate 11.9%

Unemployment 3.9%

How Bay County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	181,368	186,393	+2.8%
Median household income	$70,188	$73,533	+4.8%
Median home value	$276,900	$310,500	+12.1%

Median Household Income

Bay

$73,533

$74,568

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Bay

$310,500

$359,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.5%

$25K-$50K 18.5%

$50K-$100K 33.9%

$100K+ 34.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.7%

$10K-$15K

3.2%

$15K-$20K

3.0%

$20K-$25K

3.5%

$25K-$30K

3.6%

$30K-$35K

3.0%

$35K-$40K

3.5%

$40K-$45K

4.2%

$45K-$50K

4.2%

$50K-$60K

8.6%

$60K-$75K

10.5%

$75K-$100K

14.8%

$100K-$125K

10.1%

$125K-$150K

7.7%

$150K-$200K

7.1%

$200K+

9.2%

Employment

3.9% Unemployment Rate State: 4.8%|National: 5.2%

63.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 66.8%

Renter 33.1%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,484/mo 24.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.1%

18-34

20.9%

35-54

25.2%

55-74

25.5%

75+

7.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 65 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Bay County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Panama City	34,979	$62,265	17.6%	$268,900
Lynn Haven	20,081	$80,973	6.5%	$320,000
Panama City Beach	18,971	$80,941	10.0%	$441,300
Upper Grand Lagoon	17,232	$82,157	8.1%	$373,200
Callaway	13,496	$65,609	9.6%	$250,300
Springfield	8,230	$54,462	22.3%	$188,600
Parker	4,509	$69,657	6.8%	$224,200
Lower Grand Lagoon	4,287	$74,044	15.3%	$397,200
Laguna Beach	3,830	$76,607	5.5%	$438,100
Cedar Grove	3,802	$74,625	17.5%	$176,100
Pretty Bayou	2,906	$85,208	5.8%	$298,900
Mexico Beach	1,099	$63,864	5.6%	$466,300
Tyndall AFB	447	$118,594	4.3%	N/A

Explore Florida Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Bay County is located in Florida with a total population of 186,393. It is the 30th most populous county out of 67 in Florida. The county encompasses 13 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bay County is 41.0 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 42.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Bay County is $73,533. This is 1% lower than the state median of $74,568. It is also 9% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.9%. This is 5% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. This is 19% lower than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $310,500. Housing costs are 14% lower than the state median of $359,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.2x. 66.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% lower than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Bay County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 72.7% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 9.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (9.2%) is well below the state average of 27.4%.

Education

29.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 13% lower than the state rate of 34.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Bay County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Florida and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Bay County, Florida?

Bay County has a population of 186,393, making it the 30th most populous county in Florida.

What is the median income in Bay County?

The median household income in Bay County is $73,533 with a poverty rate of 11.9%.

How many cities are in Bay County, Florida?

Bay County contains 13 Census-designated places.