2015 Bay County Demographics

Naval Support Activity Panama City

courtesy of Bay County Chamber

Population

Population (2014 estimate) — 178,985

Under 18 years — 21.5%

18-64 — 62.6%

65 and over — 15.9%

Median Age — 39.3 years

Change since 2011 — 8.21 %

Persons per square mile (2010) — 222.6

Panama City metropolitan area was the 19th fastest growing region in the U.S. in 2014.

Education

High School Graduate or Higher (population aged 25 years or older) — 87%

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher (population aged 25 years or older) — 21.1%

Higher Education in Bay County

Florida State University–Panama City

Gulf Coast State College

Troy University

Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University

Haney Technical Center

Housing

Average Sales Price (June 2015) Single Family Home — $201,156

Homeownership rate — 62.5%

Mean Travel Time to Work — 21.2 minutes

Military

Veterans (2009-2013) — 22,243
Bay County is home to/located near seven military installations in Northwest Florida, with an estimated 6,000 troops separating each year, including 400 in Bay County alone.

Bases/Annual Economic Impact/Jobs (military and civilian)

Tyndall Air Force Base $614.2 million/6,471

Naval Support Activity Panama City $498 million/2,872

Workforce

Labor force (percent of population) — 52% 

Unemployment (July 2015) — 5.2%

Average Annual Wage — $33,783 (Florida, $42,904)

Median Household Income (2009-2013) — $47,461

Nearly 60 percent of Bay County’s 9,713 businesses have between one and four employees.

Top 10 Non-Government Employers

Bay Medical Center — 2,000

Walmart and Sam’s Club — 1,500

Eastern Shipbuilding Group — 1,450

Gulf Coast Medical Center — 631

Trane (air conditioning) — 575

RockTenn (manufacturing) — 480

Bookit.Com (travel) — 440

GAC Contractors (construction) — 400

Royal American Management (construction) — 375

Top Five Industries by Jobs: Construction; Retail; Health Care and Social Services; Accommodation and Food Services; Public Administration